What You Like vs. What's in Stores

'Cold Mountain' was originally published by an independent.

I know there are more.

Fortune can still be found!

Bookstores

I shop at an independent store when I am browsing for books, Sometimes, I find nothing. Two weeks later, I find ten. Stocks change.


The rule of looking in stores for publishers is so that you find a publisher who can get your books in stores. It isn't about what is good or bad, per se, but about the publisher's abilities.

I will keep this in mind, being as I seem to have unique tastes. Many movies I like seem to not do so well. If I like a food product it is discontinued. I seem to have more criticism for books that get good reviews. If there are others of my like chances are I won't reach them through traditional means.

Well, it might not be "the only way to go", but it is a possible alternative.

I'm not doubting your claim, but I find it odd that you didn't find anything in Borders that interested you. If the Borders you went to was as big as the one I sometimes visit, that is quite a variety of books that doesn't interest you. I usually go to a large independent bookstore (or use Amazon); if I can't find something there to read, it's time to give up reading.

Of course, your tastes in reading matter is your own concern. I'm glad you found something available for you.

I have yet to find a bookstore in which I could not buy a book.

*grin*

Color me addicted.

alleycat said:

Well, it might not be "the only way to go", but it is a possible alternative.

I'm not doubting your claim, but I find it odd that you didn't find anything in Borders that interested you. If the Borders you went to was as big as the one I sometimes visit, that is quite a variety of books that doesn't interest you. I usually go to a large independent bookstore (or use Amazon); if I can't find something there to read, it's time to give up reading.

Of course, your tastes in reading matter is your own concern. I'm glad you found something available for you.

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The other side of this may be that the mega-bookstores may be too big and overwhelming for some people to find books. I know I tend to freak out when presented with too many options. Unless I have a specific title I'm looking for, I just wander aimlessly until I get frustrated and leave.

Delarege said:

I will keep this in mind, being as I seem to have unique tastes. Many movies I like seem to not do so well. If I like a food product it is discontinued. I seem to have more criticism for books that get good reviews. If there are others of my like chances are I won't reach them through traditional means.

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Hehe! I usually pretend that I don't like a tv show when I actually do, because the ones I like always get cancelled.

Nicole

I find myself browsing bookstores, but I second the whole idea about feeling overwhelmed at all the options. What I usually end up doing is figuring out some books I'd like and buy them in the store, versus through Amazon like I usually do.

Sometimes, I find a book or three that really interest me just by browsing, but often times not. It's been awhile since I've been to an independent bookstore though, so I'm not sure if I'd have better luck there.

Sometimes I will go to the local Barnes and Noble, like I did this week, and find nothing. Then other times, I'll see tons of stuff I want. Are you sure it isn't just your timing?

I have a very hard time finding anything I want to read at bookstores. I generally find I do better at used bookstores with older titles, or online where I can keyword search and narrow it down. I'm really picky and bookstores just lump everything together, making it nearly impossible to find the specific subgenre you want.

On the other hand, my Mom can find 10 books she wants to read at the drug store (which carries a total of 30 titles at a time). Come to think of it, I think I usually find more books I like at the drug store than places like Borders. Odd.

I also do much better at used bookstores. I can spend a whole day at one.
I can pretty much always find a few things I want to read at B&N, but I'm seldom willing to shell out $8 or more unless I already know and like the author. Just a cheapskate, I guess.

I think it has more to do with what mood I'm in than the bookstore.

For instance, I went into the same Borders branch the last 2 Sundays. The first Sunday I wandered around for three quarters of an hour and left without buying anything. Last Sunday I bought 2 books and could have easily bought more. Same store with the same sales on as the week before. Why did I find stuff I liked one week, but not the other?

Same thing happens to me at my local library. I can go in and spend hours picking up so many books that I have to put some back as I'll never be able to carry them all home or get through them all within 3 weeks. Other days I'll go in and spend hours and walk out empty handed.

Some days everything appeals to me. Other days nothing does.

I think it depends a lot on ones mood but I also think the chain bookstores are too large; they're overwhelming. There's also the issue that if there's one book on the topic you're looking for you're possibly more likely to buy it than if they're three and you have a chance to evaluate them against each other. Puma

My mood when I buy is controlled by the stores, if they carry my books I'm happy and I usually buy a lot of other books. If they don't carry my books I get not so happy and usually can't leave the store fast enough.

I know it's silly. Book stores are only so big and can't keep "midlist" writers on the shelves forever. So I am trying to get over it.

Truthfully, I actually have better luck in the big chains as they carry my books where the "mom and pop" stores don't because I'm not a big enough name. Even one of my local book stores won't carry my books because they "can't get the discount they need". Which is just a polite way of saying, "we don't want to carry your book." They did say if I gave them my author review copies they could sell those and split the profit with me. :-0

Lisamer said:

I thought about this when I was reading the Audience thread. Conventional wisdom says that when looking for a publisher, check to see if they have their books in bookstores. Last weekend, I spent two hours in Borders and found absolutely nothing that interested me. However, when I was checking out the various independent publishers that I considered querying, I must have found 10-20 books that were "must reads."

I am starting to believe that if you have your own unique niche that does not fall into predictable romance, Da Vinci Code clones or any of the science fiction books that are the same story with the characters in different costumes, independent might be the only way to go. It might not bring fame and fortune, but at least I'd be writing about things that interest me.

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Sounds to me like an indie vs. big publishing argument.

IMO, if you're in a bookstore like Borders and can't find anything that interests you, you ain't looking hard enough.

Publishing isn't like music. The best stuff is published by big or medium-sized presses and is distributed fairly wide. You can find it in the bookstores if you know where to look.

If you get off the front tables, you can find a lot of stuff that isn't "predictable." And I even find a lot of things on the front table that interest me. I just make sure I read reviews (Bookslut.com is a good place to start; also Boldtype.com) before I go in so that I'm not aimlessly looking.

Will Lavender said:

If you get off the front tables, you can find a lot of stuff that isn't "predictable." And I even find a lot of things on the front table that interest me. I just make sure I read reviews (Bookslut.com is a good place to start; also Boldtype.com) before I go in so that I'm not aimlessly looking.

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Yup, I even make a list before I go in. A person can even go a step further, go to Borders website, and check and see if the book is in stock at their nearest store(or any store).

I'm going to go off on a tangent. I was at the local Borders earlier this week, browsing the romance section, and noted that the overwhelming majority of the books on the shelves were paranormal. I like paranormal romances, but at this point (at least at this store), they're squeezing out the traditional romances, and I can't help but mourn a little for a good, old-fashioned love story set in the modern (or olden) day without any vampires or werewolves or fire-shooting-from-fingertips heroines.

I don't think I've ever gone in a bookstore and come out empty handed. Usually, I pick up about $100 worth without really trying. And a Godiva chocolate bar.

Still, I agree with you that bookstores, like TV stations, tend to push what they think will sell to the most people at any given time. Unfortunately, sometimes aiming for the center of the bell curve isn't always going to net you those most interesting (to me anyway) stories. Talking fiction here. And what I like best in fiction is a darn small niche. Michael Crichton is one author that comes immediately to mind--a mix of sci-fi and urban fantasy that leaves you wondering, "Could something like this happen?" and seriously looking at the technology (real and theoretical) involved. And that's the sort of thing I write. (I have a background in science and mathematics, so maybe that's why.) As a result, getting published is a bit of a challenge. A new author in a tiny niche. Yeah. I'm starting to think about independents myself.

Before I picked one, however, I would check the local bookstores and see if any of that publisher's books are actually there. If not, it's probably not a good sign they have the distribution I'd like.

Hi FloVoyager - Very interesting. I like Crichton (although I haven't been as thrilled by his more recent stories) and I also have written one novel that's "speculative science" for want of a better term. I'm glad to see someone else on here is also interested in "Could something like this happen?" stories. Puma