Can You Get Your Book into Bookstores?

I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of authors hope for, write for, wish for the day they will see their book on bookstore shelves. For some it is the be-all-end-all, for others, it is just one part of a multiple armed marketing strategy.

Some of them, along with many non-writing friends and family figure that all books get to the shelves just because they exist. Unfortunately, that's not necessarily the case, especially just for newcomers.

One reason it is becoming more and more difficult to see your pages bound nicely waiting for a customer to pluck it from its resting place is pure numbers. Bookstores can only hold so many books. Part of the shelf space is already dedicated to the classics, good sellers, and, of course, those with big buzz from the get go. What's left goes to everyone else basically, and with at least 150 to 300,000 new books being published each year (yes, each year), you can see why not everyone gets a chance.

So how do you make the cut? Even more importantly, how do you stay there if you get there in the first place? Part of the decision falls to bookstore managers and buyers. If they're interested and they can sell a book, it might stay for a while.

To get one viewpoint about how the process can go and how hard decisions can be check out Alison Morris' blog entry "Build a Bookstore: http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/660000266/post/1600024160.html?nid=3340http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/660000266/post/1600024160.html?nid=3340

Chime in if you'd like. See if it's any easier for you to choose.


Good Writing & God Bless,

Cheryl Pickett