Let’s be honest—there’s nothing quite like walking into a bookstore and seeing your book sitting there on the shelf. For self-published authors, it’s kind of the dream, right? While getting your book online is pretty straightforward (once you’ve jumped through all the freaking hoops), breaking into brick-and-mortar stores and libraries can feel like trying to crack a secret code. Don’t worry, though! I’m going to walk you through exactly how to make it happen.
First Things First: Build Your Fan Base
Before you start knocking on bookstore doors, you’ll want to show that people are already excited about your book. Think about it—stores need to make money (shocking, I know!), so they want some proof that your book will actually sell.
Here’s what gets their attention:
- An impressive social media presence (you don’t need to be Instagram famous, but some engaged followers help)
- A decent-sized email list of readers who love your work
- Some nice reviews and decent online sales
- Any media coverage you’ve managed to snag (even that interview on your cousin’s podcast counts!)
If you’re lacking in any of these areas, go back and go through the Self Publishing Checklist, focusing especially on the marketing areas (like your reader magnet, social media, and author website setup).
Also, I am very sorry if your whole book marketing/ promotion plan was to get your book into bookstores and get it noticed that way. That is not how this works! Don’t shoot the messenger!
Make Your Book Look Like a Million Bucks
Here’s the thing—your book needs to look just as good as the ones from big publishers. No pressure! But seriously:
- Get a professional editor. Yes, your mom’s friend who teaches English is lovely, but you want someone who does this for a living
- Invest in a killer cover. People absolutely judge books by their covers, and you want them judging yours favorably. Make sure your book looks just as awesome as its top 5-10 competitors, because they are likely to all end up on a display table together. If you haven’t done a thorough competitive analysis yet, please go do that now! Here are some instructions (# 3 on the list!).
- Make sure the printing quality is top-notch. No one wants a book that falls apart after one reading!
Get Your Ducks in a Row
This is the slightly boring but super important stuff:
- Set your book up in IngramSpark.. Sadly, you can’t approach bookstores and libraries with an Amazon Kindle Publishing (KDP) only listing. Amazon does not take returns (because they are Amazon and they don’t have to), so you’ll need to put that in place before you approach stores.
- While some people will say you need to own your own ISBN to get bookstores to stock your books, I have not found this to be the case. The Ingram-issued (free) ISBN has worked fine for my books and the books of my author clients.
- Order a proof copy of your book and make sure it is absolutely perfect (printing looks good, barcode is scannable, cover image is clear, no typos or formatting errors) before you ever walk into a bookstore. The very last thing you want is for your local bookstore to order a big stack of your books, only to find that the cover image is off (or anything else you could have fixed if you had seen it first).
- This brings up another important point: DO NOT RUSH APPEARANCES. Make sure your books are ready to order (or that you have a bunch of copies on hand) before you reach out to bookstores for opportunities.
Start Local—These People Are Your Friends!
Your hometown bookstore is your best first bet. Why? Because local people love supporting local authors! Plus, you can actually show up there (that would be impossible to do in Barnes & Noble in New York when you live in Oregon).
- Pop into local bookstores and actually chat with the folks who work there
- See if they’ll take your book on consignment (basically, they only pay you if it sells). They will probably not do this, so be sure to give them the book’s information on IngramSpark.
- Offer to do fun events that’ll bring people into their store
Next: Hit the Libraries
Libraries might seem all serious and intimidating, but they’re actually pretty cool. Here’s how to win them over:
- Get some legit reviews (Kirkus is the gold standard, but take whatever reviews you can get. Hit your email list and ARC readers up to really come through in this area)
- Make sure your book is available through their preferred suppliers (IngramSpark will cover this for you)
- If your book has any local connection whatsoever, play that up! Start where you are!
Keep at It (Without Being Annoying)
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your book empire won’t be either. Here’s how to stay in the game:
- Follow up on submissions (politely of course)
- When you get a win, celebrate it and use it to open more doors. Tell your social media and email list all about it!
- Start small and build up. Today, your local bookstore; tomorrow, the world!
You’ve Got This!
Getting your book into physical stores and libraries is totally doable—it just takes some planning, persistence, and a bit of charm. Start building those relationships in your community, make sure your book looks amazing, and keep pushing forward. Before you know it, you’ll be taking that sweet, sweet shelf selfie with your book in an actual store.
Remember, every author started somewhere. Even J.K. Rowling didn’t wake up one morning to find Harry Potter in every bookstore in the world. Take it step by step, celebrate your wins (no matter how small), and keep believing in your book. After all, you wrote it for a reason!
P.S. Don’t forget to actually buy books from those local bookstores you’re hoping will stock yours. What goes around comes around in the book world!
