Thank you for visiting the website of Samantha Kolber, poet and editor in Montpelier, Vermont. Read some poems, buy a book (available after September 1st) and keep supporting poetry!
Thank you for visiting the website of Samantha Kolber, poet and editor in Montpelier, Vermont. Read some poems, buy a book (available after September 1st) and keep supporting poetry!
Since I know how hard it is for an indie author to get picked up in bookstores, and because I have accumulated some knowledge in this field, both from being a published author and an employee of an independent bookstore and an independent small press, I decided to share my knowledge of Indie Publishing with the world. And, because I am a HUGE supporter of bookstores, this is focused on the bookstore side of how distribution and marketing works, or:
How an Indie Publisher Gets Your Book Into Bookstores
There are different paths for a book to get into a reader's hands, whether that is online (the big A, Bookshop.org, any online book retailer, or the publisher's own website) or in bookstores (independent bookstores, B&N, or even places like Target). Most small publishing houses will be able to get your book to the online market no problem, but depending on the type of distributor they use will make all the difference about if, and how, your book gets to indie bookstores. I am going to break it down:
These are the kinds of distribution streams publishers use to get books to market, and I am ordering them here in order of best options, in my opinion:
1. POD & Distribution, like Ingram or IngramSpark, which can both print and distribute your book globally. They do this by pushing out the book's metadata to book retailers and IndieBound, the IndieCommerce arm of the ABA (American Booksellers Association). By getting your book's metadata to IndieBound, you will be sure to land in the ordering database and public websites of independent bookstores. (If your book's metadata does not go to IndieBound, it will most likely not be on your local bookstore's website, as so many indie bookstores get their websites from ABA/IndieCommerce). Ingram is the largest and most widely used wholesale book ordering hub of indie bookstores across the country.
a. If your book is listed in Ingram, booksellers around the country can easily order it, HOWEVER, you want to make sure the publisher is able to list it there (and actually at any distributor) at what;s known as the “regular discount,” which is the bookselling wholesaler terms of a 40% discount and 100% returnable. These kinds of terms are the most appealing for indie bookstores, because it is the least amount of risk to take on a small press, brand new book. I.e., if the book doesn't sell, they can easily return it and get their money back, or at least a credit with Ingram to order other, more popular books (sorry, it IS a business, lol). If you are a publisher using Ingram, this means choose the 55% discount option (Ingram/Amazon takes 15% percent, and the bookstores get 40%. If you choose a smaller option from the 55%, then the bookstores will likely only get a 25% discount, see below.)
b. If your publisher only offers what's known as a "short" discount (20-25%) and non-returnable books, a bookstore with no direct contact with you, i.e., not in your hometown, will not want to buy many copies of it. The kind of discount your publisher gives to wholesalers, and the place they list it, matters. It can make or break your book getting to bookstores farther out than your own radius. Which even ties in to readings: say you book a reading in your mom's hometown because your mom and all her friends are going to come to your reading. So you reach out to the local bookstore there, tell them you can guarantee a crowd (that is what they want to hear and expect you to help spread the word about your reading), and they look up your book to see if they can order it. If they can't order it from an easy source like Ingram, or if they can't access those discounts and returnable terms, they will most likely turn you down, OR offer you to do the reading and bring your own books and sell on consignment. That is a whole nother option and conversation.
2. Small Press Distribution - this is a distribution warehouse system for small publishers only, and a good option for those who don't use Ingram, or even to supplement the distribution there. SPD has all the right terms (as discussed in a. above) for the bookstores, making it easy for bookstores with SPD accounts to order. Publishers send books to SPD, who warehouse them and ship them as ordered by bookstores. Although I hear they are in trouble during this Covid closure time, as are lots of Indie Bookstores. They are a great community of book lovers, and send out regular Top Ten SPD Sales Lists - if you land on one of these, it is no small feat!
3. Reps - the bigger, or even some medium-sized, publishing houses send representatives to bookstores to showcase the upcoming titles and catalogues. It is like a speed dating meet-n-greet for the book buyers of the bookstores and your book. The Big Five each have their own reps that go out regularly and sell their books, and other rep groups take on smalller publishing houses and have territories they visit to rep their clients' books. However, what I have seen working for a small publisher using reps is small sales, mostly if this is done as its sole source of distribution. Usually the personal touch of having a rep is great, but you also need the discount terms, and especially if it is a debut author, the bookstore needs to be able to think about it, then go into Ingram later to order. If the only way to order is through the rep, they are most likely not going to call the rep back for one or two new titles, when they can easily place their entire order on Ingram or through the other bigger discounted distributors. My two cents is that I love reps, and I think they work well when the book is also on Ingram, or IPG, or even SPD, with the right terms, however, using reps and the other distribution sources is too costly for most small presses, which is why they choose one or the other.
Note: There are many distributors bookstores use, such as IPG and others you can see here: https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/list-of-book-distributors-and-wholesalers/
Anytime a distributor group like these is used is usually a good sign that bookstores can access the terms they like to buy in bulk.
And, what to do when these distribution options aren't there:
4. HUSTLE. Sell your own book. Nearly all indie bookstores will take books on consignment. Which means you own your books, then bring them in and split profits with the bookstore, IF they sell. No bookstore will give you money up front for your book (ever, and don't ask) and some bookstores even charge you a shelving fee for consignment. Don't argue with the bookstore about this, they are being generous, considering 8 million new book titles are published each year and every Jane Doe and Dick and Harry walk into their store asking them to carry their book. Now, there is no shame in consignment. It does not mean your book has any less merit than the ones who get there by distribution services. Good literature is good literature, and especially if your book sells, they will be happy to have your book. But: HUSTLE. If you place your book at a bookstore (and this is true even if it gets there through one of the above measures), tell everyone you know to buy it there. DO NOT (I REPEAT DO NOT) place your book at a bookstore and then immediately go on Facebook and tell your friends to buy it at Amazon. We booksellers will see that shit and we will take your consignment book off the shelf, LOL. But seriously.
5. Use Bookshop: Ask your publisher if they are on it, and if not, you can set up your own bookshop store! This is like the anti-Amazon for Indie Bookstores. It is run by ABA and funnels percentages of profits to all Indie Bookstores. And, it is like an open source Indie Commerce Book Website: you can go there, set up a free account, and list books in your own online shop. So, you can have a shop for just your book, or you can make lists, like ‘my favorite novels to read when I'm not writing,’ or something like that. But really, just push your book. As an affiliate on Bookshop you will get 10% of the proceeds of sales of your book there. Read this Bookshop for Authors PDF.
6. Barnes & Noble: If your publisher is not already a vendor with Barnes & Nobles, consider either asking them to apply, or to apply yourself. Authors are certainly allowed to apply as a vendor to place their books with their national distribution chain. See PDF application here.
7. You can divert all sales through your publisher's website, or the big A if that is the only option, but please, if you love bookstores, please try and sell your book at any other place but Amazon. I won't get into how bad the big A is for bookstores, because that is its own class, but just treat your bookstores the way you want someone to treat your new book. I realize Amazon will be a place people can buy your book, but it’s not the only place. And, if you give it as the last option after a whole list of other options (Local Bookstore, Bookshop, B&N, your Publisher) then hopefully more people will buy it through the indie bookstore friendly options.
Because, what kind of world would this be if we didn’t have bookstores with wall-to-wall bookshelves and creaky wood floors to visit? Which reminds me: Come visit me at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, Vermont! And, if you have any questions about this or other publishing ventures, please contact me.
Happy publishing!