Working With Bookstores
February 2021 Gimme Five: Working With Bookstores
By Jen Collins Moore
Writers know bookstores are important to our success: we write books; they sell them. But what can writers do to make the most of the relationship? This month Augie Aleksy, owner of Chicagoland’s beloved Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, shares his top tips for authors.
1) Recognize it’s a business
Booksellers love books, but first and foremost, they are running businesses. When authors contact a store about carrying a title, hosting an event, or generally supporting the author’s work, they need to make sure there’s a benefit to the bookstore. Promote sales as much as possible—both in store or if you’ve invited the bookstore to sell at an event. Giving away more than one or two books or inviting readers to bring books purchased online doesn’t help the bookstore’s bottom line.
Authors must also understand the margin that bookstores need from each title. The big publishing houses set their pricing to meet the bookstore’s expectations. Self-published authors should be sure their wholesale and list pricing meets a bookstore’s needs.
2) Events work
There’s no question author events drive sales. Augie recommends that authors just starting out team up with a well-known author to draw a bigger crowd, or be part of a panel of authors. When working with the bookstore on the event, be honest about how many people to expect. You are building a long-term relationship, and you don’t want to start off by hosting an event that doesn’t meet expectations.
Augie says readers love to make a human connection with authors. They are interested in the author’s process, but more than outline versus no outline, Augie recommends going deeper. “Authors have a lot to say about what makes them write. How do they tame all those ideas in their head? As a non-professional, it amazes me that writers can do it, and it amazes the customers, too.”
3) Be professional
Augie has hosted hundreds, possibly even thousands, of writers in his store over the last thirty years. He’s had some of the biggest names in the business, and says it’s been one of the greatest pleasures of his job. “Mystery writers are a unique breed. They are friendly and helpful, and not in anyway are they prima donnas.”
If you’re just getting started, follow the model of the authors Augie loves: arrive early, show respect for your host, take a genuine interest in your audience, and help spread the word about the store. Whether it’s in person or over Zoom, be professional.
4) Make a real connection
Augie got into the bookstore business because he loves books. “Besides the cash register ringing, the most joy in my day comes when people enjoy the book I’ve recommended. I compare myself to a doctor making a diagnosis, figuring out what people will like.”
For a writer working with a bookstore, recognize you’re working with a kindred spirit. Be genuine with the bookseller and strive to build a connection over your shared passion.
5) Great bookstores drive your success
Centuries & Sleuths saw its business grow by nearly ten percent in December despite the brutal effects of Covid. He credits his success with the following of readers he’s built over the years who come to him for recommendations. “I sell someone one book, and they come back for the whole series, or wanting to know what to read next.”
This kind of hand-selling is what can drive reader discovery—and sales—in a way that’s more powerful than any algorithm devised by Amazon. As an author, recognize the importance booksellers play in your success.
Jen Collins Moore is the author of Murder in the Piazza from Level Best Books. Her short fiction has appeared in Masthead: Best New England Crime Stories and Mystery Weekly, and she is the editor of the Mystery Writers of America Midwest newsletter.