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Looking for Ideas on How and Where to Sell Paperbacks for Indie Writers #MondayBlogs 

4/13/2015

4 Comments

 
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Welcome to readers and visitors of the website!

Today I want to talk about an area of books that doesn't get a lot of press in today's environment dominated by e-book strategies and marketing. 

How and where is an indie author/small publisher to sell paperback fiction in today's business environment? 

Most every blog post and article I read focuses on how to market e-books and how to distribute fiction online. However, what about the old fashioned physical book - the paperback novel? What does an author do to sell paperbacks?

In my publishing journey, I focused my attention, like many I know, on online efforts. So very many authors told me I wouldn't sell many paperbacks and therefore nobody had much in the way of a strategy for an indie to sell physical books. Other than getting a book into a store of some type, which can be a difficult proposition, what is an indie to do?

I didn't have a paperback strategy and when I created the paperback version of the Ella novel, I intended it to be a collector's edition of sorts - just for hardcore fans that would want a high-quality, art-house type version of the book. This version of the book has been wildly more popular than the e-book. The biggest problem for me - how to get this book into the hands of more readers? 

Where does an indie author go to sell a paperback? It's almost impossible to get the book into a bookstore and even then, it's only a sell a few copies at a time. I believe there is a market for readers left out in the cold by the disappearance of chain bookstores, but how to capitalize? 

I'd love to hear the ideas of the community. I know a new way forward must be out there, ready to be uncovered. Tell me what you think in the comments or message me at StephenJohnMoran@gmail.com

Thanks for your time and attention. Have a great afternoon. 

Stephen John Moran 

4 Comments
Zee link
4/13/2015 08:20:02 am

Most of my paperback sales have been direct sales - to my own friends / contacts, or friends-of-friends.

Indie bookshops are the most obvious go-to. I've only got mine in one local bookshop, but I have friends who have got theirs stocked in a lot more. They say the key is in being persistent :-)

A big place is markets! Once my next book is out (giving me a total of 3 books) I'm aiming to sell at a market around once a month. My illustrator and I are getting together and we'll sell books, prints & postcards of the illustrations, and branded pens. I met with author Robyn P Murray who has had success at her local market every fortnight.

Another way of looking at it is to think of shops that tie with your theme. That way, your book isn't competing with other books. This is something I haven't done yet (I write for children, as you know, so the main strategy I'm working towards is school visit sales), but again I've heard it works for others.

Reply
Zee link
4/13/2015 08:22:09 am

Oh, and my website :-)

Reply
Stephen Moran
4/13/2015 08:49:57 am

thank you for the valuable feedback. I will have to be more persistent in getting my book into the local bookstores. also, I have been trying to think 'outside' the box of places that might be willing to have author appearances/write-ins such as bars/cafes as it's part of my writing method to write when I'm out in the city already.

I'll have to look into markets/other avenues as well.

Reply
Zee link
4/13/2015 09:58:00 am

If there's a cafe or bar you frequent they may be okay with you having books for sale - or maybe a poster saying 'now available' with blurb and author info etc.




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