Bookstores are the traditional venue for authors to promote their works. You approach your local Barnes & Noble, or indie bookstore, and ask if they’d be interested in hosting a reading, or a speech, and a signing.
But that presumes the bookstore is carrying your book.
The new breed of so-called “boutique publishers,” of which Roundtable is one, mostly don’t have their books in bookstores. More people buy online than in bookstores these days, and boutique publishers concentrate on selling on Amazon.com and other third-party websites, as well as on their own websites.
This virtually negates the possibility of an author booking an event at her/his local bookstore (or any other).
My most recently published books have all come out with boutique publishers—Roundtable and two others. In an attempt to publicize them, I wanted to do readings. But WHERE? Clearly my local B&N was out.
Instead of giving up and saying, “I guess I can’t do readings,” I decided to think outside the box.
First I put out a request on a locally based online “bulletin board,” asking for suggestions for a suitable venue. Someone responded that a local vegetable farm had occasional events and might want to include me in one of them. That turned out to be a good lead. I am now scheduled to read one of my books at a Christmas event there.
Then I read a squib in the paper about a new bakery opening up. I looked up their phone number, called, and suggested they host an event, a story hour for kids, with me reading one of my picturebooks. They asked me to come in and meet with them, which I did. The bakery has tables and chairs and is very conducive to a small reading. If this first event, which is taking place this Saturday, goes well, we will make it a regular occurrence, perhaps once a month.
Most recently I read on Facebook about a community garden holding regular weekly farmers’ markets. I contacted the organizer and again got a positive response. They have a Halloween event coming up—I didn’t even know that they did special events—and they will make me a part of it.
It pays to think outside the box. Instead of giving up on the idea of book-readings, I searched for venues aside from the traditional ones…and struck paydirt.
This applies to the larger world and not just to authors and book events. If you’re stymied in a quest or effort, don’t give up—think outside the box. Don’t just say, “It can’t be done,” or “It won’t work.” Think of other ways in which it COULD be done. Think of ways in which it CAN work. Don’t follow the traditional “mental paths” in searching for an answer to your question, problem, or dilemma. Stride off in new directions.
Don’t give up. Think outside the box.