Book Publishing Insights from a Barnes & Noble Bookseller

A friend of mine who is a Barnes and Noble bookseller gave me some insights about book publishing which can be of help in preparing my blog-book for publication and sale.  I am a book publisher working with Lightning Source to make my books available.

If I want to work with booksellers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon, I will probably need to allow returns.  That can be expensive and I need to be aware up-front who pays for shipping, etc.

My friend suggested that I purchase some on my own for sale when I do a talk or webinar.  She also gave me some references to self-published authors who may have more insights into the business.

Marketing books to publishers can take five months or more.  Unsolicited manuscripts may receive nothing more than form letters.

Some authors have done their homework, having created supportive marketing websites, made the books highly marketable, have their own lists--via websites, webinars, podcasts, or speaking engagements, and are equipped to sell the book with or without the help of a bookstore.

Bookstores usually stay away from self-published, print-on-demand books and books that have a no-return policy.

New authors are advised to join writing groups--frequently found through local public libraries--for networking resources to improve their writing and for insights into how to create and market their written work.

While these insights are not intended to discourage authors, they do form a sort of reality check.