Two major bookstore chains are closing stores in one California city this month. Now that’s a sad sign of the times. What’s even more tragic, it was probably those two chains coming in that caused one of the most charming of independent bookstores to close several years ago. And now they’re going down, too.
But this isn’t an isolated situation. How does the rampant closure of bookstores nationwide affect authors? Traditionally published authors may actually be most seriously affected because most publishers still depend so heavily on our neighborhood bookstores for sales. While I notice that some publishers are stressing in their submission guidelines the importance of authors having a web presence, many are still in “bookstore” mode when it comes to selling books.
The major publishers were thrown for a loop recently, however, when Borders management began meeting with them personally to talk about a new payment plan. In other words, rather than the common ninety days AND the wretched returnable policy, they want a larger payment advantage.
While it’s a tragedy that bookstores are failing, jobs are being lost, publishers are taking a hit, some of us won’t feel the extent of the pain. Sure, as citizens, we’ll miss having bookstores in our communities—we’ll miss it a lot. But from a business standpoint, independent and pay-to-publish authors won’t even notice they’re gone.
Those of us who do not rely on bookstore sales—whose books, in fact, were not welcome in bookstores—may even see an increase in book sales through our websites, at book festivals, through online bookstores, etc. We were taught by the masters (major publishers and booksellers) to bypass the bookstore when marketing our books and seek out specialty stores, the premium opportunity, face-to-face marketing and other creative methods of selling our books. We’ve been groomed to look beyond the bookstore (as Brian Jud suggests), to take charge and to find our own way in the world of bookselling.
Are we sad to see the bookstores take a fall? Of course. We’ll miss them as much as the next guy who enjoys the bookstore atmosphere and convenience. We’ll suffer along with others when we see signs of increased illiteracy. None of us likes to see anyone fail. But, as an independent or pay-to-publish author, there’s no reason why you should miss a beat in the promotion of your book because you were trained not to rely on bookstores.
To learn much more about navigating the publishing industry, techniques for choosing the right publisher for your particular project, tips for locating and working with an agent, a self-publishing timeline, how to promote your book and so much more, purchase my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book this month FROM MY WEBSITE and receive a second book or ebook of your choice FREE. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html
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The Author’s Repair Kit
How to Write a Successful Book Proposal in 8 Days or Less
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The Successful Author’s Handbook (NEW ebook)
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Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book
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