Most Australian bookshops acknowledge that stocking self-published books is important—in theory. In practice, however, store policies are often opaque or ad-hoc, and whether or not a book is stocked is dependent on a number of factors that can vary wildly from author to author—including design, subject matter and price. Unfortunately, despite best intentions, a lot of the time self-published titles have trouble moving for a number of reasons, including a lack of publicity and marketing support. However, both inner-city and regional booksellers seem to be having success with a particular kind of self-published book—those by local authors.

Melbourne’s Brunswick Bound has a strong focus on local self-published authors, as does Collins Booksellers in Thirroul, New South Wales. National franchise Dymocks is also committed to supporting Australian authors. However, Dymocks acknowledges that the logistics around national coverage are difficult to organise when it comes to self-published books. The solution to this, according to Dymocks general manager Sophie Higgins, is for authors to approach their local shops first. ‘When a self-published author is already stocked in a local Dymocks store they can then show success and early sales, which is helpful in making decisions about stocking more broadly,’ says Higgins.

Both Brunswick Bound and Collins Thirroul prefer to stock local self-published authors over non-local self-published titles. ‘Being local is the selling point for us,’ says Collins Thirroul owner Amanda Isler. ‘We find it difficult to say no to a local, and we are slower to take up books from elsewhere.’ Brunswick Bound’s Megan O’Brien adds that being a member of the community means that local authors are in a unique position to promote their books. ‘[Local authors] have participated in not only reading at but also attending and promoting our events through their networks,’ says O’Brien. ‘In many cases, this support has been invaluable.’

In Brunswick, local authors are backed by both their bookshop and the community. ‘We try to support local writers as much as possible, including hosting a monthly event series that highlights local authors, promotion of local authors books via our window and social media, and by stocking self-published books by our local authors,’ says O’Brien. She notes that although stocking self-published and locally produced books is more work for the shop than ordering stock through traditional channels, ‘We have had some great success with our local authors of self-published books and have formed some wonderful partnerships with many of them.’

A common piece of advice for self-published authors is to try their luck by cold-calling. However, for bookshops such as Collins Thirroul this is actually not ideal. ‘I have found it frustrating in the past when authors arrive unannounced and often ignore the fact that the store and/or manager is busy,’ says Isler. ‘One tip for authors is to ask if the store has time to speak, introduce themselves and say that they would like to send an email or pop in [to chat] about their book.’ O’Brien echoes Isler’s point—an author who is already a familiar face in a shop is already at an advantage. ‘If I were to advise a self-published author about how to approach their local bookshop, the first thing I would advise them is to ask themselves if they are already a member of their bookshop’s community.’

This feature story first appeared in Books+Publishing in 2019.

Independent Publishing asked Australian Society of Authors (ASA) CEO Olivia Lanchester whether the ASA had specific advice for authors considering making an agreement with a hybrid publisher. Lanchester’s response is below:

1. Inspect books previously published by that publisher. What is the final editorial and production and printing quality like?
2. Do some simple internet research. Read reviews of the company concerned. If a company is behaving badly towards authors, it won’t take you long to discover warnings posted by other authors. There are also websites and blogs set up to alert prospective authors of the risks of companies that use high-pressure sales tactics, for example, an American site called Writer Beware, and the Alliance of Independent Authors’ rating of self-publishing companies. Speak to other authors. Shop around. Get competitive quotes.
3. Seek transparent, itemised costings. In the hybrid offers we’ve seen, the services are typically not detailed, the overall cost is not broken down and the financial risk to the author is almost never adequately explained. If you are funding the costs of production, shouldn’t you know the cost of editing the book, the cost of designing the book, the size of the print run and print cost, and, in fact, whether any stock will be printed at all, the proposed marketing activities, the recommended retail price of the book, the revenue per unit sold at average bookseller discount, how many units must be sold to break even? Consider whether those sales are likely. You need information to make considered decisions on your risk and likely return on investment. Authors should consider carefully whether they can afford the contribution amount. The safest assumption is to factor in a possibility that those costs may never be recouped. If that is going to cause financial hardship, don’t agree to that model.
4. Understand distribution channels. Where do your readers shop for books? Does your hybrid publisher supply those retailers? Many hybrid publishers largely rely on print-on-demand services to make print books available, which means that your book won’t be stocked in bricks-and-mortar bookstores. Claims about ‘worldwide sales’, ‘international marketing reach’, reaching ‘millions of readers’ and so forth must be tested. Is the reality that your book is simply listed on a database which is accessible by many booksellers in various countries?
5. Understand the marketing plan and budget for your book. Will this fall entirely to you? What specific activities have they planned for the book launch and first month of release?
6. Understand the contract. Don’t grant rights that will never be exploited. Make sure there is a timeline for the delivery of all services. Don’t leave yourself without an exit route. If you are being paid royalties, ensure they reflect your level of investment.
7. In publishing, you get one bite at the cherry for each manuscript. Don’t publish your manuscript with a hybrid with the hopes that a traditional publisher will see it, and choose to make you an offer for that book. This is a myth. Your book is released onto the market ONCE and it would be only exceptional circumstances that would persuade a traditional publisher to re-publish that work.
8. Most of all, don’t rush in. Author-funded publishing might be right for you but it’s worth doing your homework first to be sure. If in doubt, get help from the ASA or have your contract reviewed by Authors Legal.