Earlier today, a colleague who's been offered a book deal with a small press asked me what questions he should ask before signing on the dotted line, especially if he's concerned about his book's placement in stores.
That's easy. You ask:
Who's your distributor?
Basically, you're asking: How do the books get placed into Barnes & Noble and Borders? (And other bricks-and-mortar stores?)
At the
publishing house where I work, we're large enough that we don't need a distributor. We have an in-house sales force that calls directly on the buyers in New York (B&N) and Ann Arbor (Borders). But small presses rarely have that opportunity or luxury, so they sign with a distributor who does this for them.
Two major distributors include:
A small press could also be distributed by or have a strong relationship with:
- Ingram, leading wholesaler-distributor (serves a wide base of booksellers, librarians, retailers, and publishers)
- Baker & Taylor, leading wholesaler best known for serving libraries and schools
Also, some small presses are distributed by larger publishing houses, which is perfectly acceptable.
What if the small press doesn't have a distributor?It may mean the press is relying on sales through online retailers or through their own Web site (or through YOU, the author!). If the press claims to have distribution to bookstores but doesn't have a distributor, ask for a list of stores where their titles can be found on the shelf. Then do some calling around to confirm.
Is it a dealbreaker if the small press doesn't have a distributor?Not necessarily, but if you want to see your book on the shelves of chain bookstores, then you might be disappointed. Ask the press for some compelling evidence of how they will successfully sell, market, and promote your book without it being physically available in stores. There are many presses that don't require physical distribution in order to sell books because they're in specialty or niche markets … or can otherwise reach the intended audience.