After writing a book, is placing your book in a major or independent bookstore the right thing to do for you? Should an author bother with a distribution deal? There are great and horrible things that come along with both!
What a world full of books that we have. Even just as intense is the amount of bookstores that carry these great reads. Just on one side of a city alone, there could possibly be more than 10 bookstores, ranging from independent to major. Barnes n Noble, Borders, Books a Million, Waldenbooks and more, not forgetting the biggest bookstore in the land – the world wide web. Giving your book shelf life in any of these bookstores is a decision one must carefully make, especially if self-published, but is it truly necessary?
Books sell. Books are read. Books are written. Those are the three main things that happen that surround books. Once the written part is over, the selling must begin. There is no choice unless the author just enjoys tossing money, effort and time around freely. Where do you begin to sell your book? This must start anywhere and mainly from your home. That’s right. Not the bookstore, and here’s why. Selling books from your home is the easiest place to start, and it is your hot market!
Family and friends and their friends and their friends’ friends…all of them want to know the new author and get an autographed copy. Word of mouth is awesome and works. Having a big get together or a book release party never fails and always gets the ball rolling about your title. The absolute greatest thing about this is that the author keeps all of the profit for his or herself. No sharing! This is the best for someone who is self-published. (For those not self-published, you have to find out what rights you have to sell your own books and collect under contract with a major publisher. You may find out you don’t have as many rights as you think, so check it out before doing it). The other great thing about word of mouth book release parties and the like is that sometimes, word of mouth is so good that the profit made from the continuous sales gives you more money by selling less, thus, relieving you of your need for a bookstore. Key thing is…people must want to spend money on your book!
There are many more avenues, literally, that will get the word out about your book including get the money while at it. These avenues are called literary festivals, book festivals, festivals, book fairs, conventions and the list goes on and on. Events like these take place all year long. Travel is required, however, research is key to the biggest and the best areas to sell books. For example, Chicago is a reading city with a huge book festival every year that takes place in the summer called Printer’s Row. Thousands attend and you don’t have to be a famous author for them to buy your book, read it and become your number 1 fan.
Now, back to bookstores. Independent bookstores are cute and cuddly and known for selling books. Getting your books here don’t require so much paperwork and detail. There may be an independent right down the road from you, get a fair split, and take the books on over. If you market the book properly in that city, the books will sell out and fast. The bookstore then sends you the check. Done deal. The good thing is that the author keeps most of the money from the sales, more than likely 60 to 70 percent!
Major bookstores aren’t that easy to crack into. There is much paperwork if the author is self-published and a one or two time author. One must get a distributor, and over time, distributors have gotten more and more selective about the books they distribute, so the book has to be good. Sometimes, distributors can take up to 70 percent of the cost of your book, leaving you with a small little amount to call all your – something like 30 to 20 percent! Basically, the difference between a major and independent bookstores is this- the major takes more of your money whereas the independent doesn’t. As long as the book is in a bookstore though, the book can be found.
Major bookstores are just around for the prestige of the whole thing when it comes to the author. Simple. They, major bookstores, don’t offer more, they just take more, especially if self published. So the choice is up to the author. Bookstore or not bookstore – major chain or independent? Can I make the same amount of money selling less books by keeping all my profit and not sharing? Do I want the name recognition of a major chain behind my brand? You decide. The answer lies in you or your book.
Note this – there are many authors who have never had shelf life in a major book store and have made tons more than authors on a major bookstore shelf! Surprised?
Think about the rapper Master P. It’s the same philosophy just different industry as Master P, before he went major artist, had already made more than thousands on the streets selling his music out of his car! All royalties came to him, no contracts, just all his money. Awesome. Now think, TLC who everyone in the world actually knew at one point, but they ended up getting involved in a bad contract while selling millions of albums and got nothing to show for it. This happens in music much, and has the potential to happen many times in the book world as well, even after a great advance. They got the fame, but the money was oh so short.
Just a thought when thinking of how to go about getting the most money for your time and effort. Major and independent bookstores have their good and bad qualities, along with distribution, but be certain after all the research you are satisfied with the amount of money coming into your wallet or purse for all that hard work! Another thought – many artists/authors sell their books ONLINE and totally rule the bank!
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