Congratulations on this new opportunity for SWP authors. Distribution is key to reaching readers, with sales reps pitching books in all those ways, plus online data outreach. As a former librarian, I mostly purchased through brokers, another layer in the system, like Follet or Mackin that featured and filtered titles and provided library services. Only traditional publishers (for the most part) were included in their databases.
Congratulations on your new distributor, and I hope the relationship is a good one :-)
Most of the authors I work with, even though lifelong readers and bookstore clients, haven't a clue how book distribution works. Thank you for this very helpful "explainer," which you can be sure I will be sharing.
As an author of two books, soon to be three! published by She Writes Press, with now distribution by S&S, I couldn't be happier and more grateful to the press. Thank you, Brooke, for keeping all your authors educated throughout the transition process, and for the education in this distribution 101 piece you clearly outline for all authors.
Thanks for writing this wonderful explanation and for all you do for your authors, Brooke, but with the recent transition and the number of authors, how did you find time to write this? You’re amazing!
I am so grateful for this post! Thank you so much for writing it, Brooke! I'm finally starting to feel like I understand the ins and outs of this industry.
Thank you, Brooke! As ever you have taken a complicated situation and explained it thoroughly and beautifully. I for one am so delighted that we at SWP now have the best of both worlds. You always amaze me, and I am so happy to be one of your authors.
Congratulations on signing up with S&S. What an eye-opening account of distribution using traditional or not traditional distribution. I never thought about it. I have books with a traditional publisher, and I have self-published books. I do not leave my books on consignment anymore, except for local stores. Too much running around for not much results. It is interesting to learn how traditional works with a group of salespeople selling for the publisher. That sounds like a dream come true. I wish you and your company success with this new distribution company!
Wow! This was a great explanation of a complex topic. Very helpful! I'm inching closer to having a publishable book so even though I've been writing for years, my knowledge of the "business of writing" is limited. Distribution was a topic I knew nothing about so this was a great introduction. It also gives me a lot to think about in terms of future publishing, especially what questions to ask when it comes time to sign with a publisher.
I appreciate the tone of your article in terms of helping people make an informed decision on a complex topic depending on our personal goals. I tried traditional publishing by looking for a literary agent for my first book. Now that I'm working on book number three (nothing published yet) I'm looking at smaller publishers I can query directly vs. going through a literary agent. My goals today are more grounded in reality so my dream of having my books in local book stores is more modest than in the past. Again, thank you for clarity on this topic.
Glad it's helpful and yes, clarifying your goals and knowing the landscape is everything. Will make you a better author when you get there. Good luck, Bruce!
Great piece, Brooke! The other day I was thinking that it seemed like some of my peers don't really understand distribution. I'm sure this will be super helpful.
Very few do. It doesn't help that Ingram has so many different elements of its company, or that S&S is a publisher and a distributor. It's hard to segment out all the moving parts, for sure.
This is possibly the most informative and balanced article on this subject that I've had the pleasure of reading. Many thanks, on behalf of all us aspiring best sellers out here.
When I finished my debut novel, I had no idea where to go next, so I self-pubbed with KDP. Did it sell? Well, actually, yes—but just a few. I'm now working on book number three, having held back on unleashing book two for a variety of reasons.
I'm looking at pitching to smaller presses if I can find some that specialise in my genre. (Gritty Gamily Saga) You've added a further layer to what I should watch for—distribution channels.
Congratulations on this new opportunity for SWP authors. Distribution is key to reaching readers, with sales reps pitching books in all those ways, plus online data outreach. As a former librarian, I mostly purchased through brokers, another layer in the system, like Follet or Mackin that featured and filtered titles and provided library services. Only traditional publishers (for the most part) were included in their databases.
Thanks for the extra validation, Kate. Yes, indeed. We love librarians being able to get our books.
Congratulations on your new distributor, and I hope the relationship is a good one :-)
Most of the authors I work with, even though lifelong readers and bookstore clients, haven't a clue how book distribution works. Thank you for this very helpful "explainer," which you can be sure I will be sharing.
As an author of two books, soon to be three! published by She Writes Press, with now distribution by S&S, I couldn't be happier and more grateful to the press. Thank you, Brooke, for keeping all your authors educated throughout the transition process, and for the education in this distribution 101 piece you clearly outline for all authors.
Congrats on the move! And thank you for another super informative post and great explanation. Always learn so much here.
Thanks for writing this so clearly!
Thanks for writing this wonderful explanation and for all you do for your authors, Brooke, but with the recent transition and the number of authors, how did you find time to write this? You’re amazing!
🥰
Brooke, so well explained. Thank you. 😊
I am so grateful for this post! Thank you so much for writing it, Brooke! I'm finally starting to feel like I understand the ins and outs of this industry.
Congratulations on the move to S&S and thank you for this valuable information!
Thank you, Brooke! As ever you have taken a complicated situation and explained it thoroughly and beautifully. I for one am so delighted that we at SWP now have the best of both worlds. You always amaze me, and I am so happy to be one of your authors.
Thank you, Laura!
Congratulations on signing up with S&S. What an eye-opening account of distribution using traditional or not traditional distribution. I never thought about it. I have books with a traditional publisher, and I have self-published books. I do not leave my books on consignment anymore, except for local stores. Too much running around for not much results. It is interesting to learn how traditional works with a group of salespeople selling for the publisher. That sounds like a dream come true. I wish you and your company success with this new distribution company!
I appreciate this! Thank you!
Congrats on the S&S deal, and thanks as always for giving me some talking points when I discuss my publishing model with potential authors.
Wow! This was a great explanation of a complex topic. Very helpful! I'm inching closer to having a publishable book so even though I've been writing for years, my knowledge of the "business of writing" is limited. Distribution was a topic I knew nothing about so this was a great introduction. It also gives me a lot to think about in terms of future publishing, especially what questions to ask when it comes time to sign with a publisher.
I appreciate the tone of your article in terms of helping people make an informed decision on a complex topic depending on our personal goals. I tried traditional publishing by looking for a literary agent for my first book. Now that I'm working on book number three (nothing published yet) I'm looking at smaller publishers I can query directly vs. going through a literary agent. My goals today are more grounded in reality so my dream of having my books in local book stores is more modest than in the past. Again, thank you for clarity on this topic.
Glad it's helpful and yes, clarifying your goals and knowing the landscape is everything. Will make you a better author when you get there. Good luck, Bruce!
Great piece, Brooke! The other day I was thinking that it seemed like some of my peers don't really understand distribution. I'm sure this will be super helpful.
Very few do. It doesn't help that Ingram has so many different elements of its company, or that S&S is a publisher and a distributor. It's hard to segment out all the moving parts, for sure.
Hi Patricia! Imagine running into you here. :) This article does make the topic less opaque.
Oooh! I know several of your authors and they’ve been posting about this! Congratulations.
This is possibly the most informative and balanced article on this subject that I've had the pleasure of reading. Many thanks, on behalf of all us aspiring best sellers out here.
When I finished my debut novel, I had no idea where to go next, so I self-pubbed with KDP. Did it sell? Well, actually, yes—but just a few. I'm now working on book number three, having held back on unleashing book two for a variety of reasons.
I'm looking at pitching to smaller presses if I can find some that specialise in my genre. (Gritty Gamily Saga) You've added a further layer to what I should watch for—distribution channels.
Good for you, Thomas!! Thanks for reading and thanks for your comment.