chains vs. local bookstores

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LBW66

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I looked around, but couldn't find anything on this topic.
When you are trying to promote your book, what is the value and or difference between independant stores vs. chains?
-Laura
 

johnrobison

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If you are serious about selling lots of books, you need them both. However, if your book has mostly local appeal, you are a lot more likely to get shelf space in your local independent.
 

ResearchGuy

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I looked around, but couldn't find anything on this topic.
When you are trying to promote your book, what is the value and or difference between independent stores vs. chains?
-Laura
Chain bookstores are not interested in self-published or subsidy published books, with rare one-off exceptions for authors with local interest (just a local store at manager's discretion). I am assuming you are asking in connection with a self-published or subsidy-published book, not a commercially published book with normal trade distribution.

Independents are more approachable to take a few books on consignment, but again, there has to be a good local angle or clear appeal to the store's customers.

Some self-published authors of my acquaintance prefer not to sell via bookstores at all because of the heavy discount required by bookstores. They do better financially by selling directly.

This might be coming too late, but if not: have marketing and promotion plan worked out BEFORE having any books printed (self-publishing or subsidy publishing). First marketing and promotion planning, THEN the book.

By the way, even commercially published authors have an important role in marketing and promotion. (Not in sales, but in marketing and promotion.)

--Ken
 
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