Self-Published Books in Stores
There are many different ways to publish a book, but the top three are traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing. My background is in all three as I worked for both traditional publishers and hybrid publishers, and I self published a novel when I was sixteen (don’t ask). With the rise of eBooks and social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, it’s been easier and easier for authors to connect directly with readers. Despite self-published books getting more of a following, bookstores are still hesitant to put those titles in their bookstore. Here are some reasons why:
The Book is Printed On Demand
Print-on-demand means a book is printed as it’s ordered instead of a large stock printed at once. Sometimes there can be weeks or months in-between orders so other printing jobs take place during that time frame. This can lead to color discrepancies between copies, more room for error with formatting, and paper differences. If a bookstore orders two copies and then needs to reorder three, they want to make sure all the books look the same. Some bookstores won’t mind this and those are the ones you’ll want to appeal to!
The Book is Not Returnable
A standard for the industry is that if books don’t sell within a certain time frame, they’re eligible to be returned to the warehouse. With self-published books, these may or may not be returnable depending on the settings you choose. If you’re publishing through IngramSpark, you definitely want to make sure the book is listed as returnable to get the best shot at putting it in bookstores.
The Cover is Not Strong Enough
Despite what people say, readers do judge a book by its cover. To have your best shot at getting into bookstore, you need to make sure your cover is top-notch. This means doing research and hiring a graphic designer. A bookstore wants to make sure that if they put your book in their store, readers are actually going to buy it. This applies to online bookstores too. I’ve definitely passed on a few titles because the covers were just not up to the traditional publishing standards and I knew those would be tricker to sell.
Bookstores are becoming more accepting of self-published books, but following the above guidelines will give you a better shot at seeing your book on store shelves. Here at The Reading Chamber, we love self-published books, books by hybrid published authors, and traditionally published authors. We don’t mind if the book is printed on demand or if its returnable. As long as the title is well-written, has a good cover, and a great synopsis, we’re interested! Check out our current self-published selection below:
All I Want for Christmas is the Girl Next Door
Rule 25: Don’t Fall for the Target
