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How Real Publishing Works

egem

Greer,

I can see that you are very well versed in these subjects. I think that you would agree that a lot of these points are the subject of wide scale study and debate. You have a very steady hand.



It has been my experience that many of these writers do not like Poets and Writers, but I'm sure it is different in all types of literary circles.



You went over one of my posts earlier, and I have to agree with most of what you said about my points. I did not mean to give disinformation to anyone. Thank you for walking through them. The article was cut in several places and there should have been more information there that was not included. Your walk through was very even handed. I could not have been more wrong about the David Foster Wallace (I'm still checking to see where the info came from).





Greer said:
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Greer said:


This is extremely untrue. Most literary writers -- if they have a book, that is -- most certainly do have authors. In fact, of the dozens and dozens I know, there is only one who doesn't have an agent. It is true, though, that many writers of literary fiction teach to supplement their income.







I think you meant to write agents and not authors in the post above, but the I think if you look at the full scale of university creative writers (including community colleges and the like) you will find that many do not have agents even if they've published books. I think it is very difficult in general for poets to find an agent. At large universities these writers may be represented, but at smaller state universities (and there are many) these writers are not represented by agents. This is what I meant.





In the interest of getting back on topic I would like to ask you your experiences of how "academic creative writers" begin their writing careers? It is seems there is a difference here in my experience as compared to commercial writers. Also, I feel that the end goal of academic writing is different than that of commercial writers. I feel that academic writers seem to be more interested in their work being timeless than they are about commercial success. This is a very controversial topic, and I know I'm going to screw it up and start a flame war (this is not want I’m interested in). You seem to have a way of stating these things better than I do, so maybe you could start? Basically how do you see them starting, and do you feel the goal of literary/academic writing is different than the goal of commercial writers?
 

egem

Greer said:
You are absolutely correct: Most poets do not have agents (a few do, but a tiny percentage). I was assuming we were talking about fiction writers, which was a mistake. I apologize.

egem, I don't mean to pick on you. I spend a lot of time on this board and elsewhere trying to debunk misconceptions about literary fiction, MFA programs, academia, etc. There's a real prejudice in the genre community against what is seen as an elitist and ivory-tower mentality (and the other way around -- I do my share of defending genre fiction to the literary fiction community), and I do get worked up when I see those misconceptions furthered because of faulty information, however well-intentioned. That being said, it is nice to have somebody else here who is interested in literary fiction.

Perhaps, per Victoria's suggestion, we can start another thread to discuss the things you mentioned...

Thanks Greer. It's nice of you to say. I'm honestly happy to have help. I don't want to give misinformation either. Is it Carver that says "Writing is hard, and writers need help." For me the more the better. Another thread to talk these issues would be great.
 

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aruna said:
egem, I know my story is not typical and I realise that not everyone can be published by one of the big houses. But I believe just about ANY publisher is better than PA; that is because, if indeed you have a good book which COULD be published elsewhere, and you have simply made a mistake, that can be rectified if you had gone for almost any other POD publisher, including vanity presses (or so I believe).

All I can say it read the stories of what happens to PA authors after a year or two of being with PA, and you'll get the picture. I believe Lucia (AnnaWhite) is compiling a list of such stories, but many of them are scattered all about the NEPAT. It is truly horrifying.
I think that PA should by any author's very last choice. It shouldn't be even a choice at all.


Please supply URLS for the alternatives. I mean the PODs that are more than closed shops that won't look at any submission until 2009? I have been around and around these sites and 99% either hide their charges on the fourth page you click on or are closed. None of them come even close to supplying me with this:

I would dearly love to see some actual alternatives, except that the only alternative I can see is sitting with your work on the hard drive of your own computer until you die.
 

aruna

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Peekay said:
I would dearly love to see some actual alternatives, except that the only alternative I can see is sitting with your work on the hard drive of your own computer until you die.

UNcle Jim posted a list of publishers for you on the NEPAT.
I don't know much about PODs but I do know that www.lulu.com is good.
 
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victoriastrauss

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Peekay said:
I would dearly love to see some actual alternatives, except that the only alternative I can see is sitting with your work on the hard drive of your own computer until you die.
Have you actually tried submitting your work to reputable agents and/or commercial publishers? Or are you simply assuming that these are "closed shops" and your only option is a company like PublishAmerica?

- Victoria
 

DaveKuzminski

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It was suggested that I repost this here because it might help others instead of becoming buried in the NEPAT.

As to your comments about why don't other publishers set up automatic replies, the answer is simple. They're not computer gurus. They don't have the time to become computer gurus. They have a business to operate. They can do only so many things in the time they have, so they apply that time to the tasks that actually lead to bringing in an income. Automatic replies do not bring in an income because legitimate publishers are not dependent upon authors paying them.

Conversely, publishing scams rely heavily on authors paying them because that is their income. Therefore, they cannot afford to ignore any authors and will go out of their way to make an author feel welcomed. That includes making sure they have the tools such as automatic replies on their email to let the author know that they will respond later.

Legitimate publishers do not need volumes of authors. They seek volumes of readers so they can sell volumes of books. Because there is an oversupply of authors to choose from, legitimate publishers make use of that author abundance to choose only those that they feel address the market niche the publisher is targeting and winnow that down to those that meet their own preferences in style and taste. They further refine that selection process to accept only those that are well written, though not always in the order I have just outlined. In other words, you could write very well and do so with excellent style and taste. However, if your style and taste do not match their reading preferences, it doesn't matter how well you write. You're not a match for them.

Scammers have no preferences for style and taste in who they scam unless you count green as a style and taste. This is why they accept so many so often and are eager to accommodate more.

Legitimate publishers are businesses. They have no time to waste being overly polite to the point of political correctness. Most have learned it's better to just state, "No thanks, not for us." because it's least likely to offend anyone and it's as close to the truth as they can get without being offensive. They reserve their scant free time to being polite with their authors because those are the ones responsible for providing them with a salable product. Until a writer reaches that level, there is no reason to expect anything more. It's like driving down the highway. You do not tip your hat or wave to everyone you pass or who passes you simply because you don't have the time to take away from your concentration on the road. At most, you'll give a quick wave to those who allow you to enter the highway from your drive or a parking lot, but even that is about all. You and they simply do not have the time to get out, shake hands, and talk before moving on.

Scammers, on the other hand, are overly polite. They even point to their politeness as one of the things that differentiates them from others whom they try to draw as cold-blooded and stodgy, to give only two descriptions I've seen of many. They make it appear like you're receiving something for the small fee they charge. However, when it comes to actually delivering on the goal you're actually seeking, they fail to deliver and that's when their attitude changes. At that point, they're total opposites once more from legitimate businesses which value your input because your work is producing income for everyone involved. You've already paid the scammer, so they want you gone and out of their life because they know that you're not likely to pay them anything more based on the same worthless promise. They also know that it won't be worth your while trying to take them to court because the amount you'd recover is less than it would cost to go to court.

Give it some thought. Legitimate businesses don't have time for everyone because they're interested only in those who have the kind of product they want to produce as books and mass market. Scammers have time for everyone they haven't scammed yet because those people represent another paycheck to them. Businesses are brusque because they don't have a lot of time to waste. Scammers are almost always polite because that's part of how they charm you.

You want charm? Go for it. Just don't be surprised too much when reality hits you later.

By the way, Peekay, I've waited as long as two years for replies from some publishers. You might as well get used to this fact right now. You need a lot of patience. Not a little, but a lot. Then get used to needing even more.
 

Jack Christopher

I may now 'pay' to have my book edited too.

aruna said:
When I had finished a few drafts of my novel I wanted to make it as good as possible so I sent it to an assessment service for a critique.


You also did what everybody author with a 'real publisher' says not to do. You paid somebody to edit your first book. I'm being offered the chance to have my book 'edited' and maybe I will since someone like you can say they did it. With all your huge sales I glad that you have the time to post on a site like this.
 
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Jack Christopher

Book Signings worth It?

JennaGlatzer said:
When people complain that publishers "don't promote" their books, what they usually mean is that they rarely send authors on tours anymore, and they rarely take out ads in papers, magazines, or TV. Simple reason: They typically don't pay off. Imagine paying for an author to fly around the country and stay in hotels, only to find that no more than a dozen people show up at these signings. Imagine paying big bucks for an ad and finding that it sells two copies. Much more important are reviews, interviews, speaking engagements, bookstore placement, etc.


I've been doing more research into Promoting and have recently come upon a couple of quotes from Information sources that book signings really aren't worth it. Even for local signings or readings for the time it takes for pursuing, planning, travel, and actual event time. I have been hesitant and didn't want to waste time and resources. From these information sources I found that I may have avoided the book signing that sells only two copies.

I personally don't think I will do signings and really wonder if people who post their signings on a website or a link to book them for speaking engagements know that it might not be worth it.

I believe that a publisher that held live chats with its authors for its customers may have found the answer. I think it was harlequin.
 
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Aconite

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Jack, you may want to learn what this topic is for before you post any more here. You may also want to learn board etiquette, lest you accidentally cause offense.
 

aruna

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Jack Christopher said:
You also did what everybody author with a 'real publisher' says not to do. You paid somebody to edit your first book. I'm being offered the chance to have my book 'edited' and maybe I will since someone like you can say they did it. With all your huge sales I glad that you have the time to post on a site like this.

I'd like to comment on that. No, I did not pay to "have someone edit my book". I paid someone to assess my manuscript, tell me it's strengths and faults and advise me on how I could improve it. And then, I edited (revised) it myself.
Just to make that point quite clear. There has been some confusion on this matter in the past and I'd like to avoid that happening again.
 

JennaGlatzer

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Regarding book signings: You're right. It's a kind of iffy issue.

I've done some. Most were well-attended, though not amazing-- about 30 people on average at each signing. Some of those people have already bought my book/s and just show up to get the copy signed or hear me talk, some just hang around to listen and don't buy a book, and about 15-20 buy a book or two at the signing.

Now, figure that I make about $1.50 per book in royalties. So even at my maximum, that's $30 I've earned directly from the signing. No way is that worth my time-- figure in travel time, I show up a half-hour early, stay for an hour and a half at least, then travel time back, plus the fact that I spend time setting up the signing, bringing chocolates and handouts, preparing a talk, contacting local papers, updating my site, etc. It's a loss if you're looking at dollars earned compared to time spent.

But there are other benefits to signings that aren't necessarily obvious:

1. The store will likely order in more copies than is necessary-- and if you have more than one book, they'll order all/several of them. Last time I did a signing, I think they ordered in something like 35 copies of Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, plus 20 copies each of Outwitting Writer's Block and Words You Thought You Knew. I signed all of them and they displayed all the "leftovers" on a special rack with an "autographed by author" sign. So it's possible that my books will continue to sell at that store over the next weeks after the signing. (If not, the store returns them.)

2. You build a rapport with bookstore managers. It's a nice thing to develop relationships with local booksellers. When they know and like you, they tend to look for your next books, and to handsell your books to customers (i.e., recommend your book when a customer asks for a suggestion).

3. You never know who'll be in the audience. I know several authors who've had media people show up to their signings. One landed two TV appearances as a direct result of the fact that a local reporter showed up to a book signing. My friend had no idea the reporter was there.

4. You gain loyal fans. People who've met you in person are much more likely to follow your career and talk about you to their friends/family.

5. It can be fun. Writing is a pretty solitary business and it can be pretty phenomenal to have people walk up to you and tell you they came because they love your work. It makes it all feel real-- they're no longer nameless, faceless readers, but real people who really enjoyed your work.

6. You can get feedback. Sometimes, people will come up to you and tell you what they want next from you-- "So what happened to Kevin after the accident? I wanted to hear more about him!" or "You touched on procrastination in this book, but I would have loved to have read more about that. Are you going to write another book on this topic?" etc. The people who show up are your readers. It's great to learn how to please them.

All that said, I don't jump at the chance to do signings. I'm doing one in January at a local library because it's for my children's book and I love reading to kids, but the time-is-money thing has become more important to me these days. I've already had my fun and enjoyed the experiences. Now I think I'll wait until I know I'll have 100+ people at each signing before I do them again with any regularity.
 

Christine N.

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Jack, you also must understand that Aruna is NOT from the US, and such services as paid editing and manuscript assessment are not viewed in the same light as they are here (of course, I'm assuming YOU'RE from the US, if I'm wrong in that assumption please feel free to correct me)

And I'm doing signings - all local. Why? Because I want to. Because it sounds like fun. I'm doing one at my local library specifically scheduled during Christmas break, in the morning. Parents need something to do with their kids. I'm having SCA friends come and demo Medieval dress and hobbies (the book has a pseudo-medieval setting) Actually, it's really like a launch party, and I just want to celebrate, ok? LOL.

Who knows whether they'll be worth it. They are going to be in the paper (local reporter interviewed me this week) so I hope that helps. And people may not buy your book at the signing, but may buy it later, or tell someone else about it. I'm doing it because I feel like it.
 

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I disagree with you Jack on booksignings.


Me being a horror author climbing the mountain of mainstream have come to the conclusion one indisputable opinion (heh!) That in my personal expierience with my first publisher. She paid for my signing events. She paid for my gas mileage which was tax deductable. She also paid for room and board. It was worth it to her since I was an unknown to become "KNOWN" through engagements. My very first signing in my State which is Delaware, I signed at Waldens in the Dover Mall. In two hours every copy of TELL ME YOUR NAME sold. They had 40 copies. Next week I did two other signings, both in Philidelphia, Gallery Mall and Barnes and Noble. The mall signing went very well. Again, every copy sold. The young especially in my expirience love horror. ( And for some reason much older women too, I still can't figure that out.) Anyway, the barnes and noble signing wasn't succesful at all. three copies out of 20 sold, but as Jenna said, it built a rapport for me, and you know what? Barnes and Noble restocked a few short weeks later.

Publish America just released my second novel " THE WORK" It's a very dark story ( Like my first) only this time, it's about the mob...and werewolves. And I can tell you Jack, nothing is more depressing then having these SAME book store owners calling you saying " I'm so sorry Mr. Enck...we want you here, but I'm afraid...this time, it's not going to happen we can't get the books"

Also, as an update. Two of these stores, both of them local HAVE stocked the books, you know why? They had to set up the accounts with PA. This company already has indicated accounts were set up. They had to order over 100 copies to get a discount worth it for me to show up. Now you tell me, is that adequate for you Jack? I certainly hope if your serious in being a writer which I very much think you are, you will heed my warning. I wasn't one of those people first published by PA. I was published by a reality house. My first novel sold 8000 copies. I invite you to call INGRAHMS and compare the numbers between my first book, and my newly released tragedy. See what PA is doing for me. When you're done, I would like to hear what you have to say. I want to help you get out of your Publishing House. PA, is the downward spiral my friend.

**** you Publish America.

Eric
 

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Jack Christopher said:
I'm being offered the chance to have my book 'edited' and maybe I will since someone like you can say they did it.
Jack, who is making this offer? There are plenty of good independent editors out there, but there are also many non-legitimate editing services. Some literary agencies are just fronts for editing referrals. You need to carefully check the reputations of both the editor and whoever it is who's doing the offering (if that person is different from the editor) before making a decision.

I hate booksignings, which as often as not are an exercise in humiliation. Unless you do them the way Eric does them, as a kind of mini-book tour, I don't think they're tremendously effective, at least in terms of overall sales (assuming you're published by a commercial publisher, that is. If you aren't, book signings may be one of your only sales avenues). For my forthcoming book, I've given myself permission not to do them. What a relief.

- Victoria
 

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Yes. It's very easy to work the two stores they have there. I also suggest taking a little further ride and doing KING OF PRUSSIA. If you ever frequent the Walden Bookstore there which is massive, ask them if they know me? You'll get a lot of laughter.


I dresed up like the grim reaper there while signing books.

Eric-
 

aruna

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Googling my own name the other day I came across the following article about the taste for Anglo-American books in France; in Publishers Weekly. I am mentioned somewhere near the end. An interesting article altogether.

That article was published before my first book was released in France. My editor is quoted as saying it is "certain to cause a stir" or something of that sort, and it shows just how much a successful book is a self-fulfilling prophecy. In this case, the French publisher stood 100% behind the book and put all they had into its marketing, and created a buzz themselves even before the book was released. That initial buzz created the momentum for word of mouth to take effect; and of course it's word of mouth that sells books the most. IN this case, the publishers made the book their hit of the season even before the fact. The French success wasn't a fluke; it was orchestrated.

When PA authors talk excitedly about the big sales they hope for I always sigh for them; they don't seem to realise how difficult it is to get that word of mouth going even if you have a big publisher, even if you are in all the bookshops, even if you have radio interviews and ads inthe major newspapers. It doesn't mean anything at all. Because with my British publisher, it was quite a different experience. There, my book was just one of several being released in that month, and not their main one. Though they liked it, I never felt that real muscle behind it that the French had.

The book market is so highly competetive. With hundreds of new books coming out each month, many of them from established authors, the chances that enough members of the publish actually buy YOUR book in the first few weeks of its release for that word of mouth effect to kick in is very slight - no matter how good the book is. Whenever I hear that a book was "entirely word of mouth" I wonder what really happened.

(Seems through that link you have to sign up in order to read the article. For some reason I am able to access it, though I'm not a subscriber. Try entering Patrice Hoffman Sharon Maas in the search engine; when I do that I get the whole article.)
 
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egem

What is the best way to get the word out about a book and get sales? I'm asking the writers who have done this. I would guess that booksignings and having your book in stores is a start, but did your publisher do something on radio, tv, in some other media that helped?

Having your book in stores and being in one a newspaper, and having a booksigning doesn't seem like it would do it, so what does?
 

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egem said:
What is the best way to get the word out about a book and get sales? I'm asking the writers who have done this. I would guess that booksignings and having your book in stores is a start, but did your publisher do something on radio, tv, in some other media that helped?

Having your book in stores and being in one a newspaper, and having a booksigning doesn't seem like it would do it, so what does?
egem, believe it or not, having your book in bookstores is the single biggest thing your publisher can do to promote it. Right after that is getting good reviews in respected fora. Notice that when you see an ad for a book in, say, the NYT, it's for a very big author. As Uncle Jim says, that's a way of alerting people who were already planning to buy the next book by that author that the book is available now. It doesn't work for authors no one's heard of. If it did, publishers would do it all the time.

Being featured on a popular TV show like Oprah may make your sales jump nicely, but 1) the show's producers, not your publisher, determine which books are featured, and 2) if your book is on TV, but people can't get it in stores, most won't buy it.
 

egem

Aconite said:
egem, believe it or not, having your book in bookstores is the single biggest thing your publisher can do to promote it. Right after that is getting good reviews in respected fora. Notice that when you see an ad for a book in, say, the NYT, it's for a very big author. As Uncle Jim says, that's a way of alerting people who were already planning to buy the next book by that author that the book is available now. It doesn't work for authors no one's heard of. If it did, publishers would do it all the time.

Being featured on a popular TV show like Oprah may make your sales jump nicely, but 1) the show's producers, not your publisher, determine which books are featured, and 2) if your book is on TV, but people can't get it in stores, most won't buy it.

Aconite, have you published? I'm not being smart, but I'm wonding if you have first hand experience. You can send me something as a PM if you like, I'll ask more question then. I will not post anything you send me.
 

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egem said:
What is the best way to get the word out about a book and get sales? I'm asking the writers who have done this. I would guess that booksignings and having your book in stores is a start, but did your publisher do something on radio, tv, in some other media that helped?

Having your book in stores and being in one a newspaper, and having a booksigning doesn't seem like it would do it, so what does?

Genuine publishers make most of their sales via their catalogs, and the marketing/sales folk who visit stores in person. Often publishers place ads, which may be shared in that they feature the work of more than one author, in the trade publications and specialty publications.

But the sales force with their catalogs are tremendously important. These are people who know their books, and they know what will sell in a given store.
 

Cathy C

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egem said:
What is the best way to get the word out about a book and get sales? I'm asking the writers who have done this. I would guess that booksignings and having your book in stores is a start, but did your publisher do something on radio, tv, in some other media that helped?

Having your book in stores and being in one a newspaper, and having a booksigning doesn't seem like it would do it, so what does?

I think you're asking the wrong question, egem. What a lot of authors fail to realize is that the publisher has little, if ANY, contact with the reading public. Publishers are selling to the companies that sell books, and generally leave the marketing to them. It's why Waldenbooks and Borders have newsletters and flyers of new releases and Wal-Mart and BAMM.com send out emails to frequent buyers.

Publishers rely on the bookstores to tend to their business, which is to sell books so that publishers can tend to their own business, which is to MAKE books. They also rely on the review magazines and websites to do their job, which is to read and review the books so buyers will buy them. What the PUBLISHERS do (or are supposed to do, if they're worth their salt) is to a) make the book available to the bookstore; and b) encourage sales of the book by buying "footprints" in the store. Very, VERY seldom does a publisher spend money on an individual book for print ads, radio and television. They will only do it if there's an 80% possibility they will get that money BACK from sales. After all, why in the world would the READER listen to the PUBLISHER pushing a book? By and large, readers expect publishers to push ALL of their books.

The issue of brick-and-mortar stores have been brought up repeatedly as though there's some sort of conspiracy involved to keep POD and e-books "out" of the store. That's not true. It's much more complicated than a mere conspiracy! Heh. ;)

But, to give you a better idea, perhaps we should discuss the realities of bookselling in a physical store, from the perspective of both independent and chain stores. First, every shop is made up of "floor space", and every square inch of the store, horizontal and vertical, is for sale to publishers through "footprints". A publisher doesn't just mail a carton of books to a store and allow the store to put them wherever the store manager chooses. In independent stores, the publisher negotiates directly with the manager of that store. In chain stores, there is a formal written contract with the home office of the chain, in which the publisher is paying extra money to the store for the purpose of "placement" of their titles in key visual areas of EVERY Waldenbooks, or B&N, etc., either nationally or in a particular state.

So, let's say that there is a book of "new releases" right inside the door. Is this just a pleasing display of popular titles based on sales throughout the country that is selected by the manager because they look nice together? Nope. Every spot on that table is PURCHASED by a publisher to promote a specific title. The location of where the book will be placed is right on the packing list when it arrives in the store.

Now, it's a complicated process on how the value of that location is achieved. It's based on the store traffic, the size of the city, the number of books in stock, the number of books sold the previous year, the popularity of the author or line, etc. Here are some of the terms that you should know when you're considering marketing to bookstores:
End Capping - the publisher is paying to place their title (either all of the books in one line, or all of the books of one author) face out on an endcap of a set of shelves. This costs big money, because there are only a limited number of end caps in the store.

Face-Out - the publisher is paying to place the books in the shelves so that the entire cover shows, rather than just the spine. Of course, since the store could shelve four paperback spines in the space that one cover takes, this is also a high dollar placement.

Eye Level - Books aren't always placed in alphabetical order. Sometimes, a publisher will feature a new line by paying to place the titles on the fourth to fifth shelf from the bottom, right at the eye level of a casual shopper. Someone who has no specific title in mind when shopping will first see the books placed face-out at eye level. Another high dollar number.

Double stacking - Have you ever seen a rack in a grocery store or discount store where a book is in multiple slots? No, it's not just because they have lots of that title in the back and didn't want to store them. The publisher PAID to double-stack the book. The more often the cover appears, the more likely the reader will BELIEVE that the book is important, and the more likely they are to pick it up.
Footprint stand - You've probably seen those cardboard stands with the author's name plastered all over them and containing all of the books of a particular author (like Harry Potter, when all the books hit paperback). These are intentionally placed in a shopper's path so that they have to physically go around the stand - thus being more likely to random purchase the title. Not only does the publisher have to provide the stand, but pay high dollar for "aisle traffic" floorspace.

Now, what happens if the books with specially purchased privilege DON'T sell? The books are still returned or destroyed, but in the contract with the publisher for next year, the bookstore issues a credit for the number of books that didn't sell in that position. Again, a complicated procedure, because the bookseller had a certain DUTY to sell the books in that location based on historical sales in previous years. So, the publisher had a right to expect the title to sell.

What does this mean to a self-pubbed, subsidy or e-pubbed author? EVERYTHING! If publishers have purchased the eye-level shelves, the end caps, the tables and footprints, then every other title in the store has to be crammed into the remaining space, while still keeping everything neat and orderly. From my experience of selling my small press title, it's not so much an issue of WHETHER a store is willing to place a book, but WHERE do they put it? They can't remove a book that's had a spot bought and paid for. They can't replace any of their periodical space (for the same reason), so they're left with about one and a half shelves in each genre where the MANAGER has the option of what to purchase from small press/e-press/self-pub.

Now, as for media and what works to tell the end reader about the book, I've found that print ads do the best. Now, our publisher is doing great things by us in this regard. They're DESIGNING the ads for us in-house, to the specifications of the publication. (This is minutes or hours of the production team's time, depending on the magazine!) They've even placed a half page color ad in a major magazine, just for OUR book. They've placed ads in catalogues that go to libraries and booksellers. But most of the marketing in print and such have been out of my pocket. I think it's worth it, but it's not cheap. Other authors prefer not to pay to market and that's their choice. But I also send out lots of review copies (on my dime), I make half-sheet flyers with the blurb on the front and an excerpt of the book on the back and mail them out to independent booksellers. Several companies prepare lists, BTW. Overseas bookstores are also great targets for promo materials.

But this ONLY works if the bookstore can thereafter ORDER the book. It does absolutely no good to get a reader excited if they can't buy the book the next time they're in the store. A casual reader won't search. They won't track it down. They MIGHT go to Amazon, but seldom do if they haven't physically picked up the book and have sampled it enough to they want to buy it.

Does that answer your question?
 
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