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Declaration Of Independents -- Fran Upman On Bookselling

Declaration Of Independents -- Fran Upman On Bookselling

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By J. D. Finch, on 03-06-2007 19:59

Views : 2452

Published in : OW! Site Content, The Naked Opinion

Fran Upman exists and writes, and writes and exists, necessarily in one -- or both -- of those orders. Check out her impassioned opinion about writing and life, as well as her creative fiction at Fran's Writing Whatever , where this piece originally appeared in a slightly different form. (JDF)

Supposedly, a "commercial" fiction writer asked an "independent" bookstore for directions to a chain bookstore post-doing a signing at that independent bookstore. A commercial fiction writer did a signing at an independent bookstore. At an independent bookstore. Let me repeat that: at an independent bookstore. A commercial fiction writer did a signing at an independent bookstore. And the bookstore then complained that the commercial writer asked directions to a commercial bookstore.

Here's my advice to that independent bookstore and to many others: if you don't want to play second banana to the big bookstores, stop focusing on commercial writers and start focusing on "noncommercial" writers, stop giving so much attention to the writers who are ALREADY getting attention in many commercial outlets, and start giving a lot more attention and more prominent shelf-space and more big signings to the lesser-known writers.

Bookselling business models that rely on bookstores calling themselves "independent" but also rely on carrying and promoting mostly the same damn books from major publishers as the chain bookstores--those are shitty business models. Do you get it yet? How many of you have to close up shop before you see what I think the biggest fucking problem likely is? Many people will just go to the commercial bookstores to pick up those commercial titles, and it seems they have been when I consider your complaints of shitty sales and lack of solvency. Books are more likely to be discounted at chain stores, so why the hell would many people shop for them at independents where they might have to pay more? You, independents, should primarily be offering something else that the big places don't offer, or at least should be emphasizing something else.

You are probably also less important to many commercial writers because the majority of their sales are probably coming from more commercial outlets. And one of you is ticked off when a commercial writer asks directions to the large bookstores? Huh? What the fuck do you expect?

To me this isn't rocket science; it's common sense.

If I get the money someday, I'm opening a bookstore (and don't think I haven't already thought of starting one to address this stupidity, because I have). And the front of that bookstore will contain lesser-known books by lesser-known writers, both new and old, and the majority will probably be published by smaller independent presses; the middle of the store will contain the classics; and the back may contain some of the more commercial bestseller-type books, for the customers who sometimes ask for this stuff even in independent bookstores. I'm not against carrying ANY commercial bookstock; I read some commercial books too. I am against the EMPHASIS on mostly the same damn books and writers at most bookstores, whether large or small, chain or independent, offline or online. Though online ones usually offer a wider variety, they just don't always push the outliers, they tend to keep the same-old same-old in the marketing-wise spotlight.

Fran Upman
Fran's Writing Whatever

Last update : 03-06-2007 20:19

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By: Pat King (Guest) on 03-06-2007 21:32

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By: Pat King (Guest IP 69.243.119.125) on 03-06-2007 21:32

Fran brings up some good points. In Baltimore, we're lucky to have Atomic Books, which hardly carries anything you'd find in a chain bookstore. They're not competing because they offer totally different selections. People are drawn to them because they have a reputation for carrying "weird" things. Well, OK, but it gets 'em through the door. And once they're inside......

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By: David Blaine (Registered) on 06-06-2007 04:37

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By: David Blaine (Registered IP 207.69.137.6) on 06-06-2007 04:37

Preach! There are many people who start a business without the sense or resources to make a go of it. Bookselling is not immune. You have good ideas; indi bookstores should listen.

If you ever start your store up, I've got an interesting little niche title about the effects of the emancipation proclamation on the post agrarian economies of former Confederate states. Let me know. I'm available for signings.

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By: Fran (Guest) on 06-06-2007 11:03

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By: Fran (Guest IP 71.54.58.82) on 06-06-2007 11:03

Thanks for the nice compliments, Pat and David. And, David, that's what I mean: indies should carry more titles that CAN'T easily be found elsewhere. That would kinda force some people to buy from indies--not counting their buying less-well-known titles from the web. But then all the bricks-and-mortar stores, both independent and commercial, have to compete a bit with online sellers now....

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By: David Blaine (Registered) on 07-06-2007 05:22

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By: David Blaine (Registered IP 207.69.137.29) on 07-06-2007 05:22

There are a few indi stores, here and there, who carry books by local authors. There you run the gamut though, because some are well written and some aren't. And the grouping as "local authors" means that the travel book about India is next to the one about local historic cemeteries.

But the number one task of a brick and mortar store is to get a customer through the door, and the "local author" rep can do that. K Mart et al spoiled a lot of retailers into thinking that shopping is self serve. The more they conduct business as a one to one selling experience, the more they'll get the reputation of being an enjoyable place to shop.

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