How to Work With Booksellers

Hi, hello! Over the past year, I’ve been really, really putting myself out there. During most of 2023, I reached out to Utah bookstores about carrying my book and putting together author events. Instead of remaining stuck in inboxes, I actually got to see my books on the shelves, sell books at author events, and lead two events that served my fellow authors. It also introduced me to other authors in the area and we got to help each other grow. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it!

Now that I’m in Texas, I’m “starting over” but it’s not as scary as it was a year ago. Below, I want to share some steps you and I can take to approach bookstores. I catered these steps to indie/small press authors, although all authors can find some wisdom here.

Before (Prep Work)

Working with bookstores takes a bit more effort than just sending an email or showing up in person. There are many ways you can feel prepared and make a great first impression.

Start by ensuring you have all your business-related ducks in a row. This means collecting information like your book’s title, genre, target reader, ISBN, pricing, and more. Every bookstore owner will have their steps/rules to follow, but they all value this information in their specific way. You are a small business owner (your book is your product) trying to communicate with a fellow business owner (bookseller), so all this info will help you communicate your book and intentions.

I recommend having an author one-pager, which is a snapshot of your book(s). Depending on how many books you’ve published, you may decide to have a page for each series or genre. I’ve created a template on Canva that you can use if you want something to email or print out:

I usually convert this into a PDF so if I email it to someone, the file will look great on both ends.

Next, I recommend researching the bookstores that best suit your genre/audience. If you’ve been following my bookstore quest, you’ll notice that most bookstores are highly curated. They may focus on a genre (think Haunt Happy Books) or a specific audience (like The Little Gay Shop). When I actually collaborate with bookstores, I seek out the ones that regularly sell and carry fantasy books.

How do I find bookstores, and how can you find some near you? Through my work with a small press, I had access to the American Booksellers Association’s (ABA) list of indie bookstores. This was a great start but I still use Google Maps to find bookstores and their contact info. I also use social media; after a while, my algorithm showed me content from all kinds of bookstores.

If you’re going to drive/visit in person, I highly recommend first looking over any social media or websites available. Double-check that the bookstore is still open, suits your books, and already has instructions for authors. For example, I came across a bookstore that had a whole form to fill out; if I showed up in person, I’d probably feel foolish if I expected a conversation when they just wanted the completed form. I personally see it as a good sign if their website has crystal-clear information about their author program.

It helps to document the bookstores you’ve contacted and their responses. You can use your spreadsheet program of choice to keep track of the name, location, bookstore owners/point of contact, and notes about the interactions.

Finally, order some author copies if possible. Some (if not many) bookstores want to review physical copies of books before putting them on the shelves. Of course, this step works if you’ve already finished the cover and formatting, and if you’re visiting the store in person. If you’re reaching out to faraway booksellers, they will likely order your books if they’re interested. Sending them an ebook edition could be in your favor if that’s acceptable to them.

During

What happens when you show up, email, or call the bookstore? It’s time to start polishing your book pitch if you haven’t already. I know, I’m still working on this, so you’re not alone. The whole point here is to introduce yourself and start a business relationship with local booksellers. Sometimes it takes multiple conversations to get the book signing event or see your books stocked on the shelves.

If you’re worried about being tongue-tied or flustered, it doesn’t hurt to email or DM the bookstore and do the introduction then but inform them you’ll come in person at a certain day/time. If they get to you in time, they might just redirect you to an online form or ask some questions to ensure you’re not wasting your time. Or, they might say that they look forward to seeing you.

When I approach a bookseller, I usually say something like this (or wish it came out like this):

“Hi! I’m Whitney McGruder, and I’m a local fantasy author. I write YA and adult fantasy and my next book is coming out in [redacted]. As an indie author, I’m looking to connect with indie bookstores because I value building an inclusive community of readers. I have some copies of my books and a document with more details. Would you like those today? I’d like to hear more about the process of stocking my books on your shelves and potentially putting together future author events.”

If you still struggle with talking about yourself or your books, it doesn’t hurt to write out a similar message (hey, it can be reused as an email, too!) and practice it. In my experience, booksellers are very kind and want to work with authors. There have been times when I felt like I biffed my intro but the bookseller still worked with me and heard me out.

Of course, based on what they say, you can give them your one-pager, books, or all of the above.

After (Establishing Long-term relationship)

Once you leave the bookstore and pat yourself on the back, there are some steps to take to maintain a wonderful relationship with booksellers.

First, you’ll probably get a consignment form, which is a contract between authors and booksellers, to put it simply. If they choose to stock your books, you’ll have to consider how they’ll get the books and how both parties will be compensated for each sale. In the past, I’ve offered to deliver copies of my books in person if the store is within an hour’s drive. Of course, the faraway booksellers will use platforms like IngramSpark to place orders. Consignment forms may also discuss whether your book can be discounted and by how much.

However, the relationship becomes a win-win situation after a successful author event. Setting up author events is a separate post entirely but we can go over the basics here. Many booksellers will recommend having an event before selling your books. Even if they place your books in the best spot in the store, it’s possible that people don’t know about you yet! An author event is a way to draw in loyal patrons and your fans to the same spot. It can be intimidating but ultimately a win-win.

If you’re able, I also recommend attending other bookstore-hosted events. Not only are book clubs, live trivia, and author Q&As just fun to attend, but showing up is a great networking tool. It also shows that you care about the community that the bookstore is trying to build. Your wallet might never recover but this is a great long-game way to expand your readership and enjoy the more fun sides of being an author.

Of course, if your books end up in an indie bookstore, let the people know! You can create social media posts that let people know they can buy your books in person/support local. You can also provide links on your author website. Patrons can either go in person to buy your books or use the bookstore’s website to make an online order. In fact, if your books are available on IngramSpark and similar platforms, your fans can support you by placing an online order at just about any bookseller (like big box stores) and showing that you’re an awesome, unignorable author.

Checklist

If you want the tl;dr list of what to do, check out this list below:

• Record book details on an author one-pager.
• Research bookstores based on location, genre, and audience.
• Double-check any online instructions for authors.
• Document potential bookstores.
• Sort bookstores by online contact and in-person contact.
• Print author one-pagers.
• Order author copies.
• Create and practice an intro/pitch.
• Review/sign author consignment forms.
• Establish/attend author event(s).
• Attend other bookstore-hosted events.
• Let your community know where they can find your books.

I hope today’s blog post helps us all reach our publishing goals! No matter if your books came out years ago or will come out in a few months, I recommend connecting with local booksellers. Even if the business side is not your strength, you can still find success and hopefully find more readers.

Do you have any questions, fun stories, or additional tips I forgot? Please share it all in the comments. We’re all about helping each other win here.