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The Booksellers Association (BA) and Society of Authors (SoA) have collaborated on a guide advising authors how to get their books stocked in high street bookshops.
The guidelines, created by the BA and published this week by SoA (19th January), are predominantly aimed at authors who are self- or independently published. However, they also offer ideas and tips for authors who are published by traditional, mainstream publishers.
Keys tips address how best to get in touch with booksellers and what to include in any pitch when asking booksellers to consider stocking a title. The guide also advises authors on being mindful of competitive pricing, production quality and the timing of their book's release, as well as its supply and distribution, and why it is ill-advised to send a link to where their book is listed on Amazon to a bookseller.
Other practical advice extends to realistic wholesale discounts and correct invoicing, what to expect from booksellers in terms of marketing and social media, and a detailed explanation of the factors that inform booksellers' choices about which books to stock.
Nicola Solomon, chief executive of the Society of Authors, said: "At a time when authors of all types are playing an increasingly prominent role in promoting their books, it is reassuring that booksellers are looking at this in the most common sense way, as a ‘team effort between an author, a publisher and a bookseller’."