{"id":701,"date":"2018-10-02T16:03:47","date_gmt":"2018-10-02T16:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/?p=701"},"modified":"2022-05-30T15:41:20","modified_gmt":"2022-05-30T15:41:20","slug":"marketing-your-novel-bookstores-libraries-and-you","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/articles\/marketing-your-novel-bookstores-libraries-and-you","title":{"rendered":"Marketing Your Novel: Bookstores, Libraries, and You"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bookstores and libraries are famous hiding places for bookworms, authors and, well, great books. Are you taking advantage of them as an author? You\u2014yes, you\u2014could (and\u00a0should<\/em>) have your book listed in libraries and stores across the country. Think it\u2019s impossible? Far from it. Here\u2019s how to get your book out there.<\/p>\n

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The Self-Published Mainstream<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

When self-publishing, there are some criteria your book will have to meet in order to be listed on mainstream book markets such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Among others, each edition of your book will need an\u00a0ISBN number<\/strong>\u2014apply for it through the\u00a0US ISBN Agency<\/a>,\u00a0ISBN International<\/a>, or look at the options offered by your imprint (i.e.\u00a0Lulu<\/a>). Additionally, your book might need a barcode, listed sale price, and the author\u2019s name and book title printed on the spine. Great guidelines are available from\u00a0Barnes & Noble\u2019s official website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Library Distribution<\/h2>\n

The majority of libraries welcome book submissions. We\u2019d suggest that you get in touch with your library and ask for the person in charge of new book acquisitions. Some, like the\u00a0Toronto Public LIbrary<\/a>to name just one, have guidelines for submissions and contact information available on their website. Your book can even be submitted for inclusion in the Library of Congress\u2014as long as you follow\u00a0their guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Submitting to Self-E<\/h2>\n

Self-E is a project launched by the\u00a0Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)<\/a>. It aims to put authors of e-books in touch with readers by making e-books available in libraries through their state programs. It\u2019s worth reading their\u00a0FAQ beforehand<\/a>. There\u2019s no cost to submitting your book, and all you have to do is send them your e-book in .pdf or .epub format.<\/p>\n

The Old Fashioned Way<\/h2>\n

Visit your local brick-and-mortar bookstores and take along a couple of copies of your book. Odds are, they\u2019ll be more than happy to add your book to their shelves (and yes, it\u2019s worth keeping a couple of copies aside for this reason!). If you\u2019re particularly well acquainted with the bookstores in your area, let\u2019s take a look at the next step.<\/p>\n

Organizing a Book Signing<\/h2>\n

Call a couple of bookstores near the release of your book and ask if they would host a book signing. \u00a0Local stores often love the idea of hosting an author from their town, and you might just draw some new fans to the store! Take along some copies of your books, a stack of business cards, and a couple of comfortable pens. Also read\u00a0Six Tips for Surviving a Book Signing<\/a>\u2014and good luck!<\/p>\n

Host a Book Talk<\/h2>\n

Contact libraries and arrange a book reading or talk. I\u2019ve always approached this opportunity a little different than book signing, though it might happen before or after one. For a talk, you will likely need access to a PA System (at its most basic, that\u2019s speakers, a microphone and two-channel mixing desk), and you will be handling questions, not just signing, afterward.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the cool bit: Get in touch with other authors you may happen to know and ask if they\u2019d like to be part of your event. Too far away to drive to the venue? That shouldn\u2019t be a problem. Set up a projector screen (you can hire these pretty cheaply) and do it through Skype instead.<\/p>\n

Contacting Book Clubs<\/h2>\n

Book clubs often look to stores and libraries to find their reading material. Wouldn\u2019t it be great if your favorite author showed up to your next book club meeting to discuss their book? You could be that author! Find out who runs your local book club and offer them (signed) copies of your latest work!<\/p>\n

Donating Your Books<\/h2>\n

Many projects and libraries accept submissions, and it\u2019s a great thing to do for\u00a0many<\/em>\u00a0reasons. For prisons and correctional facilities, there are projects like\u00a0Books Through Bars<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Books 2 Prisoners<\/a>\u2014of course, donations of\u00a0any<\/em>\u00a0books, not just your own, are welcome. The same is true for school library projects\u2014and keep in mind that schools love a visit from a local author just as much as libraries!<\/p>\n

Book Exchanges<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t discount your nearest book-exchange. They deal mostly in secondhand books, but I\u2019ve met owners who are more than happy to put a couple of signed copies on their shelves, too. If you go this route to get your book out there, write a letter to the person who buys the book. You can even direct them to your website for a special message. This is\u00a0great<\/em>\u00a0exposure, if a little unusual, and you might be really surprised to find out where your books travel to!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cIn a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.\u201d – Mark Twain<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"template":"","categories":[20],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/701"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}