5 Keys for Landing Your Self-Published Book in a Major Bookstore

5 Keys for Landing Your Self-Published Book in a Major Bookstore

You’ve completed the final edits on your manuscript. Congratulations! You probably feel like you’ve just given birth. Now it’s time to wrap that baby up and show her off to the world.

And because you can’t wait the two years it can take a traditional publisher to bring your baby to market, you’ve decided to self-publish. With so many self-publishers out there, how do you decide which one is best for you?

Many authors choose a publisher who offers the lowest price. Cost is an important factor, but shouldn’t be the deciding oneparticularly if you want to land your book on the shelf of a BRICK AND MORTAR BOOKSTORE. Bookstores, especially large chains, are bound by very strict policies of what they can stock.

If you want your self-published book to be sold in a traditional bookstore, there are 5 keys you need to know:

Your book needs to exude quality. Bookstores will not stock a shoddy product that looks like a self-published book of days gone by. Look for a publisher who can deliver good interior print quality, expert cover design and effective cover polish (book synopsis, endorsements and author bio). For an emerging author to be successful, looks mean everything. The exterior of your book must scream,Buy me!

Most booksellers, even if they work for a major chain, like to support local authors. So first focus on getting your book into your neighborhood bookstore. And if your subject matter or the setting for your novel aligns with your hometown, your chances of getting in are even greater.

What if the subject or setting of your book doesn’t resonate with local readers? Then concentrate your initial bookstore push on a marketplace that does. Booksellers like to buy from local authors, but they want to stock what is of interest to their locals.

When looking for a self-publisher, choose one that publishes through the online site of the brick and mortar bookstore you’re targeting. That automatically puts youinto their system and will make them more willing to carry your book. If you want to be in Barnes & Noble Booksellers, make sure your publisher will place your book on http://www.barnesandnoble.com.

Go with a publisher that uses a national distributor such as Baker & Taylor or Ingram. Major bookstore chains will not carry self-published books that are not distributed through the system they already use. It s too difficult for them to buy books directly from a menagerie of authors.

Invest in a Bookseller’s Return Policy. This allows the bookstore to return unsold stock to the publisher at no cost, and eliminates the risk of carrying your book. Without this piece of paper that says,they’re not liable, most bookstores will not shelve your book. This policy will cost you some money up front, but without it, your odds of getting into the stacks of a Barnes & Noble are nil.

Many authors sell only over the Internet and have tremendous success. But there’s no greater satisfaction than walking into a bookstore and seeing your book sitting below J.A. Jance and Kellerman. Following these tips won’t insure your placement in a traditional bookstore, but without them, your baby will never be sitting on that shelf.

For more tips on how to market your book, tune into The Writer’s Inspiration on http://blogtalkradio.com/leslie-kohler.