Bookstores giveth and they taketh away

I’ve known about this for quite some time, but it is now official.

Borders's announced their decision to display "as many as three times the titles as in the past" face out. That means that instead of the books showing spine out, their faces are pointed out toward the customer. I know what you’re thinking; way cool! And it is – on the face of it (pun mildly intended). That means that all the money we put into designing really great covers are going to scream out, “Buy Me!” And, in fact, that’s exactly what has happened, as Borders is reporting sales increases “in the double digits.”

But let’s carry this thought down road a bit. If there are more books facing out that means the stores must be adding more shelf space to allow for the extra footage, right? I wish. Come on, work with me…yes…that’s right. In order for more face outs, some stock has to go. Lots of it, in fact.

5%-10% of titles are headed out the door. Let’s put that in terms we understand: the reduction of inventory will be between 4,675 and 9,350 titles out of about 93,500. These are the books that aren’t selling well. They claim that “not selling well” are the books that sell one copy each year in each store. So far, children's, food, cooking, travel, art and photography are taking the majority of the hit. Less so in fiction. Even though this change is expected to take place in six weeks, publishers throughout the country are already seeing record numbers of returns filling their distributors’ warehouses.

While it certainly is devastating, I can’t help but feel like I do when we have a brush fire – that it’s nature’s way of cleansing out the deadweed and underbrush. The publishing industry has been very slow to catch up to the times because it’s steeped in tradition and lots of old money. At some point the market was bound to force the issue.

We saw the advent of digital technology, and this created a whole new breed of publisher. Suddenly all kinds of books hit the market – many of them undeservedly so. We also saw online bookstores like Amazon.com. crop up. Now buyers have a choice between going to the bookstore or ordering books online in their underwear. The bookstores have long been like Atlas holding the world on his shoulders. And just like Ayn Rand’s fine novel, the bookstores have shrugged under the weight. I anticipate that a lot of small publishers will be unable to weather the changes and go out of business.

So what does that mean for you, Joe and Jane Author?

Authors need to create huge demand for their books

The author who doesn’t have a bang-on business plan on how to create a buzz and demand for their book will be passed up. The author with a platform is going to be the new norm. We’ve been moving toward this for years. This is the time for you to figure out your strengths and how they tie into your book. Are you a great speaker whose subject matter bridges in with your book? What about online presence? Are you a blogger? Do you have ties to your community that can branch out beyond its borders? Does your book have a tie-in with a specific group/audience? You might consider meeting with a publicist before your book is even finished in order to determine your book’s sea legs.

Publishing is undergoing an overdue shift, and no one can determine how this will all shake out. Gone are the days where an author can hole himself up by the fireplace and crank out book after book. Authors now are business people. Be smart, be prepared, and don’t get caught in the flames.