I’m a writer and author working at Op Cit (https://johndunnshops.com/project/op-cit-books/ ), a locally-owned, independent bookstore in Taos, New Mexico. They’re also in Santa Fe. Formerly called Moby Dickens, the Taos shop has been open almost four decades. My fifteen years of employment there has provided me with insights worth sharing.
First, the sheer volume of books published every year. Numbers range from 500,000 to one million for traditionally published books, which averages from 9,615 to 19,230 new releases every week.
When you add self-publishing, the annual numbers soar to four million. Add the zillions of already existing books and you get an inkling of the challenges facing bookstores—and libraries as well. And writers.
Generally, bookstores buy what they can afford; what fits on the shelves. Of course, every shop is different: in size, aesthetics, specialties, and so on. Op Cit is mid-size, with thousands of books occupying two floors. To keep informed, we review catalogues, trade publications like Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus, bestseller lists, and customer recommendations. We order mainly from Ingram, sometimes directly from publishers. If Amazon is the only place to get a special customer order, we do that too.
Shoppers come in all shades. Some look for new releases, others for specific authors or specific genres. Some seek only bargain books. Many browse for everything and anything (“I’ll know it when I see it.”). Our bestselling sections are Children and Young Adult. Local and regional Southwest titles are also popular.
Do customers judge a book by its cover? Absolutely! And not just its artwork, but blurbs and who writes them; how the synopsis reads; who the publisher is; the author’s bio. Many examine the interior design: font type, margin size, chapter headings; anything affecting readability.
Then there’s the all-important title. Is it catchy and compelling? Does it make someone want to pick up the book? Tip to writers: spend oodles of time on your cover and title! It can make all the difference in the world.
Choosing your genre can be equally important. Usually, it’s self-evident: children, cookbook, mystery, poetry, etc. But many books are multi-genre, either by design or topic. At Op Cit, we often have to choose where to shelve a book. For instance, a biography of Nicholas Tesla could go in either Science or Biography, and plenty of customers only shop particular sections. But if we can only afford ordering one copy, where does it go?
Which raises the question: how would you categorize your book? Where would you want it to be shelved? What’s the marketing focus?
Then, there’s the book price, a tough nut for authors and publishers to navigate, especially because of Amazon discounts and the thousands of publisher overstocks, typically called remainders. From my experience, however, if a customer really wants a book, they’ll find a way to buy it.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and rules can vary widely. There are plenty of topics I didn’t cover: the effectiveness or not of Advance Reading Copies, making a book returnable, the complexities of consignments, and what’s involved in book signings, which are always worth pursuing, as long as you know that you never know. Even small turnouts can turn to gold. One local author read to a room of four people, but one of them hosted a radio show who asked her to appear on his show.
So, again, you just never know.
All-in-all, working at a bookstore has led to a wealth of knowledge and income-generating ideas. Meeting book lovers of every type is a networking opportunity par excellence. I’ve gotten editing jobs, learned of publishing opportunities, discovered cool MFA programs, angles of writings I never knew existed, and the always fascinating comment: “I wish someone would write (fill in the blank).”
Maybe that someone will be you.
BIO – David Perez is a writer, journalist, editor, actor, radio host, teacher, and author of two memoirs: WOW! (2011) and WOW! 2 (2016). His “Speak Your Writing to Life” and “Theatre Games” workshops have attracted people from all walks of life. David’s acting roles range from Othello to Santa Claus. He lives in Taos, NM.
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