How to Get a Self-Published Book Into Bookstores
A self-published book is a book in which the author not only writes, but also pays a printing company to have the book printed. The most difficult part of self-publishing a book is sales. The easiest way to sell a self-published book is to get the book into bookstores where book buyers can see it. Getting into bookstores can be a challenge if you don't know what you're doing.
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Instructions
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Telephone the bookstores where you want to get your self-published book on the shelves and ask to speak with the manager. Introduce yourself as an author who has self-published a book. Find out what the bookstores' policies are for putting self-published books on their shelves. If the bookstore is local, tell the manager that you are a local author, as many bookstores have a section where local authors sell their books. Ask the local bookstore managers if you can schedule face-to-face meetings with them to show them your book.
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Follow the bookstores' policies for accepting self-published books. Many bookstores won't accept a book unless the self-published author follows a certain policy of filling out an application form and submitting it a certain way. When you meet with the local bookstore manager, encourage them to purchase copies of your book outright, so they can make the full regular profit from sales of your book.
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Offer your book to bookstores on a refund or consignment basis, if you are having difficulty getting bookstores to put your self-published book on their shelves. Offering it to them on a refund basis means that you are either selling the book to the bookstores but will take any unsold books back for a full refund. Offering bookstores your book on consignment means that you send the bookstores copies of your book at no cost to them and that the bookstores pay you a percentage of every book that sells. Using these kinds of flexible terms can work to get your self-published books into bookstores.
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Make a formal presentation to a book distribution company like Independent Publishers Group (IPG). An organization like this offers books like yours up for distribution directly to bookstores, so you don't have to do the shipping. When you make a presentation to an organization like IPG, make sure you have an official looking letter for them outlining why your book will sell, including the intended audience age group and other demographic information.
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Send copies of your book to local and regional newspaper book reviewers. If you can convince a book reviewer at a newspaper to write a review of your book, you can get publicity for your book in a particular area. The more interest you generate in an area for a particular book, the more requests for your book you'll have at bookstores. The more requests a bookstore gets for your book, the more interested they will be in having your book on their shelves.
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