As a children's author, if you have a local children's specialist bookstore, you have hit the jackpot. Other bookstores often have children's book departments or sections.
TIPS for developing a two way relationship with your bookseller
The mutual aspect of the relationship is key to its success. You wouldn't visit your doctor or attorney for free advice or a chat. The bookstore owner and chidren's specialist are busy professionals too, but often love to talk books with book savvy customers.
- Become a customer first
- Buy your books from the bookstore
- Support your bookseller
- Respect the relationship
- Be sensitive to the right time to chat
- Be aware of behind the scenes
- Do not make a nuisance of yourself
- Research publishers and writers' markets yourself
- Your manuscript and the bookseller
- Two way all the way
Get to know the store, the focus, the range and the staff. If you are a keen reader, you will already be a regular there. Introduce yourself, so you can address staff by name, and vice versa. Build you relationship over time.
Don't treat the bookstore as your personal library, or the bookstore owner as your personal consultant.
Don't buy the latest Harry Potter from the discount store, just because you can get it cheaper. Loyalty counts, and your bookseller's assistance and knowledge is worth more to your writing career than a few dollars. Remember the two way aspect of the relationship.
Do NOT stand in the bookstore and blatantly make a list of books you want to borrow from the local library. (Yes, this happens).
Be aware they are running a business. While you are talking to staff, they still need to be paid for their time. Just because they are accessible, does not mean they are always available, especially for matters not directly related to the bookstore.
The bookseller's time is precious. An enormous amount of work and time goes into selecting, ordering, processing and despatching books, as well as other duties such as writing newsletters, seeing publisher reps, staff management, accounts etc.
Make sure interactions about your writing are incidental, and don't monopolise every conversation. Take your lead from the bookseller.
Asking a bookseller which publishers deal with children's books, is a dead giveaway that you have not done your homework. You only need to go to your public library, school, browse the bookstore shelves or your own shelves, to work this out.
Unless they offer, do not ask your bookseller to proofread or critique your manuscript. This is an imposition. In any case, the bookseller may know a lot about books, trends and authors, but not necessarily about the nuts and bolts of editing or writing books.
Please keep in mind the two way aspect of such a relationship. If this is not respected, the relationship is destined to fall by the wayside. If it is a fruitful relationship, the bookseller can be one of your strongest allies and supporters.
