By contest, acceptance, or personal finance, you have published your Poetry Book. There it is, your baby, your very own poetry book! Delivered by UPS and swaddled in packaging. The problem: you did not spend several years hacking and stacking stanzas to earn yourself another box in the garage. You want those books on the shelves of bookstores.
There are three things booksellers consider when deciding whether to stock your poetry book:
1. Who will buy? The first words out of your mouth should be: “I have a mailing list of (insert impressive number here) names and will send out an announcement letting them all know to get my book at your store.” Family, friends, business associates, every teacher or student you’ve ever had a writing class with, and every attendee of every open mic where you read your work. Purchase or make a nice guest book or print up sign-up sheets and start collecting emails. Don’t be pushy and be certain you have permission to send announcements. Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, etc. are also important to mention. Tell the bookseller how many of your online “friends” are likely to walk into their store.
2. Will a browser be drawn to it? When booksellers look at your poetry book, they are thinking of whether it will catch eyes and, once it does catch eyes, will it intrigue minds. They will judge the book and the cover. A dull or amateurish illustration on the cover will give the impression you don’t know what you are doing. Your book is certain to spend time spined: that is, squeezed between other books with only one end showing. Chapbooks (staple-bound) are hard to sell to bookstores. If your poetry book has a wide enough spine, put a catchy illustration on it.
The bookseller will glance at your poems to get a sense of whether they are likely to make a browser buy. To get your own sense of whether yourl work belongs in the store, browse their poetry section first.
3. How will the bookstore get your poetry book? Will they consign it from you at the standard 60/40? If so, the retail price is set by what the customer will pay, not how much you wish to be paid. If you put a big price tag on your book or won’t give 40%, you are likely to be sent packing.
If a publisher made the book, the bookstore will probably be able to order it through wholesalers like Ingram or Baker & Taylor. As long as your book comes at the standard discount and can be returned if unsold, the wholesaler makes it easy to put your book into the bookstore’s inventory and reorder systems. The last option is for the bookstore to go straight to your publisher. This often means applying for credit or pulling out the store’s credit card. The bookseller may prefer passing up your poetry book to dealing with your publisher.
More Detail Please visit www.worldpoetrymovement.com
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