4:31 PM, 6 March 2019
by Cassie Richards
Most of us in the book trade will have noticed the huge acceleration in self-publishing in recent years. Some authors choose to see the entire process through themselves (with varying results), while others go through established self-publishing services such as Mary Egan or YourBooks.
Whichever the avenue, eventually many self-published authors will approach their local bookstore wanting to have their book stocked on the shelves. Some will be more savvy than others about the process, while others will need much more guidance. The higher the volume of self-published authors coming through our doors (or emailing, or calling) gets, the higher the demand on our valuable time is. Here are some tips for how to deal with self-published authors in a concise, efficient and respectful way:
- Create a succinct document outlining the information you need from the author/publisher (including full bibliographic and contact details), your terms of trade, and what you are looking for when selecting stock. For example, if you only want to consider titles published within the last year, say so.
- Many of us are asked the same questions over and over – an FAQ sheet will save you from repeating yourself ad nauseam.
- Set your terms of trade and stick to them. Decide on a margin and consignment (sale or return) terms that suit your shop /reflect the time spent on admin, and be clear that they are non-negotiable.
- For some of us, it will be helpful to see a copy of the book before making a decision on whether to stock or not. But if space or time does not allow for unsolicited copies, be clear on this and do not accept them.
- Reject and redirect. For a variety of reasons, a book may not be suitable for your shop and you will choose not to stock. However, you may know of another shop that it could be of interest to. You can end the interaction on a positive note by redirecting the self-publisher down a more suitable avenue. If the rejection is not met well, continue to be polite but firm. After all, this is a business transaction.
- You may be approached by somebody who does not have a finished product, but is wanting advice on the publishing process. For most of us, this is not our direct area of expertise and is not something we can offer, especially with all the other demands on our time. The New Zealand Society of Authors (https://authors.org.nz/) is a valuable resource for people looking to write or publish and can offer useful, professional assistance in various forms. Direct your prospective self-publisher to them, and welcome them to come back to you when they have a finished product.
Refining your process for dealing with self-published works and setting clear guidelines will be beneficial to both your shop and the self-published author, with both parties knowing exactly where they stand. It’s important to remember that a lot of time and energy has been put into a self-published work, and it’s a real achievement for the author. At the same time, a lot of time and energy goes into the running of a bookshop, and the reality is that we simply cannot accept everything we are offered. Keep it friendly but firm.
Also, Booksellers NZ offers the opportunity to advertise on their 'new releases' section of their website. This ad will go into The Read for one week. Here's the release form.
by Cassie Richards