October Newsletter

October Newsletter … some ramblings

Placing your books in stores as an indie author... 

A couple people asked me recently about placing books in stores. I don’t know a lot, but I can tell you about my experience placing both of my books through small publishers and some zines I print on my own. 

This summer I worked really hard on getting in-store placement for my books. I spent a lot of time on this and have my book in store in Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder, Chicago, NYC, and Brooklyn. Here is what I did..

You are excited about your book but you are just one of dozens of authors (even thousands) contacting a bookstore every single day. Be patient and kind. 

Make something you can give away for free. I have a chapbook I originally published with a now closed press. It's been edited with blurbs, a layout, and a gorgeous cover painting by my very own mother. I print this at the library for about 20-30 cents - it varies because I change the version each time with a limited print run. I (typically) give this away for free. I would like to print the cover in better quality but the price has been prohibitive given that I would like to disperse at no cost to others. This has been a great “foot in the door” and a way to spread my message of equity for women. I offer these to stores for free and give them away at my events. 

Reach out to bookstores in your area or that you are a connection to and offer them something. If you offer a workshop or reading you need to be able to fill seats as very few people show up to events with "no name" authors. I have had more luck hosting workshops and writing circles vs. readings. This was a suggestion shared with me by Fort Collins Poet Laurent, Erica Reid. 

If you place a book it's up to you to promote it and support the sales. Consider buying a book or even a card to support the store and then help promote your placement. Moving the book once placed is really on you and if the store bought the book via Ingram, for example, they could return it at your expense if it doesn't sell. 

Be sure to have a catchy cover and increase cover awareness. That’s the root of the marketing I do. I try to trade “in kind” books promo with other authors so that we help make our books generally more visible. It's the old placement idea - the more of your book or you folks see the more you live in their brains and they might want to read it/you. You’re Jiffy brand peanut butter and there are a lot of fucking brands of peanut butter. How will you stand out? 

If someone shows interest in my book I offer to send them a digital draft. If your goal is readership this can be a win… check with your publisher that they are happy with this strategy and also that you have signed a contract that allows you to do this. A watermark copy is best. 

Consignments tend to lose you money (if you are in a traditonal publishing contract), so think about what that means to you and how to recoup those losses. 

Example - I pay about $10 a copy for one of my books after shipping etc. (This is something you can and should work on with your publisher. I am doing that now.) The retail.price is $14. 

I placed the book at a bookstore with a 60% commission so I actually lost $4 out of pocket per book. (This is an example of why many folks self-published as they don’t have to share profits with their publisher - eliminating at least half of that $10 cost I mentioned.) Each time someone buys my book from that particular store I have paid $4 for that to take place. Now what I did was also make little notebooks with sketches and place Women Making Soup Together at the shop for a few bucks. If these items sell, that will make up for the loss I am taking on my book. The store makes money, the  press that supported my dream makes money, and my book ends up off the shelf in Chicago and into a reader's hands who probably wouldn’t have found it otherwise. 

Little notebook details - I buy them for 50 cents and design a little sketch with a poem and sell them for $4-6. If I sell about two of these (remember the 60% commission) it covers the loss on one book. 

Now big stores and traditional stores will order directly through IngramSpark if the book is available for a 40-60% discount and can be returned…usually places are looking for a out 45-50% discount and free returns to order. Your profit, in this case, IF you are in a 50/50 split is about $1-2. However returns can cost you and your publisher money so this is a big risk and placement this way is much harder than commission placement. 

How I get in the door? Following  guidelines, making connections, and being professional. Email.correspondence ethics are super important. Responding quickly and professionally to emails has honestly given me many of my opportunities. I also do a lot of research and get to know stores and shop owners before I approach them. 

You have to be available in person. Bring your books on trips and check out stores that could be a good placement. Go in and offer something… I have free chapbooks I ask to stock for whatever the store wishes to charge for their operational costs and I bring in a couple copies for my book and ask to stock that too on commission. Everyone I have asked in this way has said yes. Don't be shady though - I tell them I am doing this beforehand, saying I am bringing in a free project and a commission project. 

Sound like a lot of work? It absolutely is and for the record I am operating at a loss. What is success to you? What is the appropriate amount for you to invest in your project? 

Good luck! I am happy to answer questions and support others. I offer “in kind” promotional help and am looking for folks to review and help promote work and I offer to do the same for you!