Why you shouldn’t have your books in major bookstores!
If you’ve been to Barnes and Noble, Borders, Books-a-Million, or another big chain bookstore, you’ve probably noticed that they have a lot of books. A lot. Unless your book can sing and tap dance from the shelves into the hands of customers, do you really think you have a chance to sell many books through these places? Here are some facts about these strings that many authors don’t know and what you can do about it.
Your book must be returnable to the publisher
Yes, for your book to occupy a few glorious inches on the shelves of your local Barnes and Noble or any other big chain, your book must be returnable to your publisher. No big deal, you say? Well, suppose one of these chains places an order for five thousand books.
Although that sounds pretty good, it’s not when you look deeper. Actually, it does not mean that you have sold these five thousand books. What it means is that it’s available, along with millions of other books, as long as someone picks it up, likes it, and buys it.
After a period of time, unsold books are returned to the publisher, usually in pretty bad shape, having been thumbed through or kicked around for a while. How could you or your publisher resell them? You probably couldn’t give these battered books away. The bookstore gets their money back and you don’t get any royalties from them.
Big bookstores get big discounts
These chains get their book in bulk, usually at a discount of 40% or more off the cover price. As long as you get your little royalty, which is around 5% to 10% on print books, you’ll get royalties on this discounted price, not the original cover price. Of course, some editors may work differently, but this is the norm.
Smaller bookstores equal bigger profits
Take your book to smaller independent bookstores, even smaller chain stores, that specialize in your type of book. There are Christian bookstores, metaphysical bookstores, and bookstores that specialize only in science fiction or romance.
By having stores in your local area that specialize in your subject sell your book, you have a much better chance of getting it into the hands of people interested in your type of book.
Don’t stop at bookstores, there are other places to sell your books
Think of anywhere that might be interested in what you’ve written. Let’s say you wrote a book on how to teach old dogs new tricks. You could talk to pet store owners, veterinarians, and groomers.
Offer workshops or speak for free at libraries, community centers, and groups related to the topic of your book in exchange for being able to offer your book for sale after the meeting or class.
By thinking that the only way to succeed as an author is to get your book into the biggest stores in town, you are holding back and you may be disappointed. Don’t leave sales up to your publisher. If you take control of where your book is sold and focus on smaller businesses, you have a much better chance of making a name for yourself and selling more copies.