Publishers Weekly - October 26, 2015

DISTRIBUTION

can work to get their books noticed via these services, they might provide another way—in addition to reviews or strong online sales—to catch a librarian’s eye.

“For most librarians, just knowing your title exists is the biggest challenge of all, since current distribution methods aren’t necessarily helping them focus attention on the most worthy titles for their collection,” Friedman says.

Join the Community

Beyond demonstrating strong sales, authors can catch a librarian or bookstore owner’s eye by deepening their connection to stores and libraries by being part of the community. For example, the librarian Willis spoke with in Colorado agreed to carry his book if he would be willing to take part in some other activities such as teaching writing workshops and reading to local kids.

By offering their services, authors offer value to the outlets, but also ingratiate themselves with the individuals who decide which books to stock. More importantly, the authors come into contact with people who might buy their books, check them out, or recommend them to others.

“It is important to get involved with
your local community and library,” Willis
says. “You will find them to be a huge
support structure: they love the fact that
an author is living in their hometown
and will publicize that fact widely.”
Lahm found success in hosting in-store
coloring events, inviting readers to expe-
rience and interact with the books and
potentially buy or check them out. “The
Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya is host-
ing a two-week coloring event using a
few of our illustrations,” she says. “This
helps their business and ours.”
The publicist Totten urges authors
to build their ties to communities long
before books come out so they won’t be
strangers when the time
comes to ask for arrang-
ing author events and
distribution.

“Book communities
support one another—
especially at indie book-
stores and local libraries,”
she says. “When you
make an effort to engage
with store owners, library
staff, other authors, and
even fellow readers, both
online and in real life,
you will reap the benefits
when you launch your
own book.”
Such events bring an influx of people—
including friends, family, and col-
leagues—primed to buy books or patron-
ize the library. It serves as a way for an
author to impress the venue’s book pur-
chaser by guaranteeing sales of a dozen or
more copies of the book. If an author
event proves a success, the bookstore will
be inclined to carry additional copies.

Driving promotion and local media coverage about one’s books or book events is another way that authors can raise their chances of getting shelf space in libraries and bookstores. Gisela Hausmann used a write-up about her self-published email-etiquette book, Naked Words 2.0, in the national magazine Success to secure a Barnes & Noble appearance.

“I purchased a copy of the magazine at the store and asked to speak to the event manager,” Hausmann says. “I showed her the article and asked if she did not want to invite me. She immediately signed me up for a book signing even though I publish through CreateSpace.”

Snowball Effect

Lahm’s coloring event points to another
tip: authors should look further than
their own neighborhoods. Going beyond
local libraries and stores, authors should
encourage friends, family, and fans to ask
about their books at local spots where
they live. Authors also might consider
offering an incentive—such as a special
bookmark or sticker—to fans willing to
ask local spaces about
carrying a book.

Events and the higher profile they create for authors and their books can also generate interest from other outlets. Distribution tends to work in a snowball effect: once one outlet carries a book, it becomes easier to convince other outlets to carry it.

An author should work to get referrals
whenever speaking to a library or book-
store representative. Willis says that
when a library declines to carry his book,
“I always ask if they know of any other
libraries that would be interested.”
Kimberly Causey has used the snow-
ball effect to remarkable success in
her distribution efforts for books like