Getting Into Bookstores (Updated!)

Hi everyone,

I’m here to talk to you about getting into your local bookstores. Here are some main points that really helped me.

• Have your own ISBN (not the free one).
• Have print copies on hand for them to look at.
• Ask in-person about getting your book in the store.
• Start with local shops.
• Bring business cards and bookmarks.
• Be personable and friendly.
• Make sure they know your genre.
• Opt-in for events if possible

My In-store presence

Bookstores–

Books and Books–

Alright, now that we covered that. Here are the contacts, costs, etc for getting into the bookstore that I used, Books and Books in Coral Gables, FL.

Stocking fee– $50

Split with the bookstore– 50/50

Managers to speak to– Kathy Steele or Jack.

Event coordinator– Cristina Naste

Classic Bookshop-

I went in person to introduce myself. After speaking to the owner and leaving some business cards and bookmarks there, they bought several copies off of Ingramsparks. The workers and owner were awesome, and the bookstore is small, but it’s in a busy plaza with plenty of foot traffic. It’s right near the beach. There is no stocking fee, but you’ll want to set the discount at 55% on Ingramsparks for them and make sure you select the option for them to return books if necessary.

Australian Bookstore-

This one was unexpected as I wasn’t marketing to the Australian market specifically, but I have some people from Australia on my newsletter. I don’t have much in the way of details for this one, but I saw the sales on my dashboard as a bookstore purchase.

Broward County Library–

Q- Where am I in the process?

A- My book was accepted into the library for a 1 year circulation for “Rose is Spellbound,” and a digital circulation for “War of the Twin swords”

Requirements (Pulled verbatim from the document I received)-

• The author must be a BCL cardholder
• The author must be self-published
• The author must be a Broward County resident
• The book must be a fiction adult, non-fiction adult or children’s book
• The book must be in excellent circulation condition (e.g. sturdy bound, sewn, or glued)
• The author must agree to donate a review copy

The following guidelines apply to title selected for the BCL local author collection:

• The author agrees to donate at least 2 circulating copies
• The author will provide a copy of one authentic positive review (e.g. Amazon, Publishers Weekly review)
• The author agrees to assist in marketing their book while it is a part of the BCL collection