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Meet Gail Kearns. MediaQuire's featured blogger.  Whether you have an idea for a book or if you have just finished writing your book, Gail's knowledge and experience will be invaluable.  

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Book Wholesaler vs. Book Distributor

I apologize for a week of absence! Between a trip to Death Valley with my sister and her husband—and the Oscars—I lost all track of time. Wasn’t it great that Kathryn Bigelow won Best Director? First woman ever!

I’m back in the book world now and wanted to share with you what I know about getting set up in the book trade if you’re an independent publisher. One of the first things to understand is the difference between and a book distributor and a book wholesaler.

•  A. The biggest wholesalers to the book trade are Ingram and Baker & Taylor. They mainly service bookstores and libraries and work for the customer, not you as an independent publisher. They warehouse books, but don’t take your title out to present to buyers at the chains like Borders and Barnes & Noble.

Ingram won’t accept any new publishers that don’t have at least ten titles already published, and a strong publishing program for the future. Baker & Taylor might accept an independent publisher with a first title, but you’ve got to show them a strong marketing plan and be able to answer the questions of why the title is unique and why anyone would want to buy it.

• B. A book distributor, on the other hand, is your representative to the book trade. Their accounts include Ingram and Baker & Taylor (and Amazon.com) and they want you to sign an exclusive contract, although you might be able to keep some of the non-bookstore markets, like new age stores (if you have an applicable title). They sell your book by presenting your title to their accounts, including Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Books-a-Million.

National Book Network (NBN) is one of the largest distributors, but then there’s Midpoint Trade Books and Book Hub, a newcomer on the scene. Most distributors don’t want to deal with one-book publishers any longer. There are exceptions to the rule … usually if they sense a winner and if you’re willing to spend some bucks on their marketing suggestions.

If you’re an author thinking of self-publishing, understanding the difference between a wholesaler and a distributor is one of the basics.

Here’s to your success!

 

To Press & Beyond are experts in book publishing consulting and support services who will take your book project and shepherd it through writing, editing, design & layout, printing, distribution, sales and promotion, both in trade and niche markets and on the Internet. They have worked with over 300 authors and independent publishers as far away as London, Switzerland, Egypt and Thailand.

To learn more about Gail and her company To Press and Beyond, visit ToPressandBeyond.com.

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prcnsqc
Posts: 5

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Reply #5 on : Mon August 09, 2010, 00:30:03

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Anonymous
Posts: 5

Re:
Reply #4 on : Wed March 24, 2010, 01:59:18

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Hi Nancy,

All you have to do is go on my website at www.topressandbeyond.com and fill out the form for a half hour gratis consultation. Once I receive that, we can set up a time to speak about your project.

Thanks!
Gail

nancy
Posts: 5

Re:
Reply #3 on : Mon March 22, 2010, 12:47:16

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Hi, I would like to know if you have the basic steps to submit my work for consideration. What are the costs for your services? How do you handle promoting your authors' books? Distribution?

thank you,
nancy

Anonymous
Posts: 5

Re:
Reply #2 on : Fri March 19, 2010, 10:44:35

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Hi Lynn, We are not a publisher. We guide authors in the self-publishing industry.

Lynn LeCorre-Dallaire
Posts: 5

publishing educational books
Reply #1 on : Tue March 16, 2010, 12:06:14

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I would like to publish an art resource book. Do you publish educational books?

What is a book sherpa? Are you an agent or do you guide authors in the self-publishing industry?

Lynn

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