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I always come home from RWA reenergized creatively, with lots of new ideas. This year, I didn't get to talk to as many booksellers as I'd hoped because of my busy schedule. The impression I did get, though, was that sales at the brick and mortar chains were up for those mid-listers whose books were affected by Walmart's new policy. That's good news and I hope readers will start to go more to bookstores again.
IMO, superstores like Walmart and Target have a business agenda of getting customers to buy into the idea of getting everything all at once in one warehouse, and thus "train" shoppers to think everything else is an inconvenience. We (meaning booksellers and authors) need to get readers back to bookstores, independents or chains, where buying books aren't just chasing after one or two titles, but also includes the pleasure of browsing through racks and racks of paperbacks and hard covers.
I'm guilty of it too because I'm "into" the convenience of Amazon and BN.com. We all lead busy lives and sometimes forget that it's not just buying this meal and this book and this gift, for dinner, for the TBR, for that function. It's also the act of spending family time together, the privacy and inner growth in reading, the cameraderie of friendship and celebration.
I think it's important to remind ourselves sometimes that everything we do is not just to survive the day, that living includes taking the time. So, if you have not been to a bookstore lately, go to one today or this weekend. Take a break and browse. Turn off the black hole called the Internet ;-). For myself, I'll drive to Barnes and Noble, which is out of my way, just to pick up Marjorie Liu's newest and check whether they have my newest, Virtually His, in stock still.
Oh, one more piece of biz news. Send some magic good vibes my way because I'm mailing a copy of Big Bad Wolf to my editor for her to read and consider as an e-download. I need all the good vibes I can get!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Making Time
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3 comments:
I love going to my local Borders and I can easily spend hours in there with all the books, and if I get tired they have a nice coffee shop...
I do use Amazon a lot, but I also shop in person a lot depending on the time of year.
Personally I despise the walmart, target mentality (for many reasons)and refuse to shop at either.
We have always tried to support independants by getting books at book stores, fishing supplies at outdoor stores, groceries at at a grocery store, etc.
Ok, off my band wagon LOL
Sending a ton of good vibes and huge hugs, girl, good luck!
Sending lots and lots of good vibes your way! If I had a penny for every hour I have spent and continue to spend in bookstores and libraries I would be a very, very rich woman. I tend to browse a great deal to find out what I like but usually buy from Amazon.com. But... I was getting books from them before they became a major retailer, back when they were a book locater service that you could buy books through. Ah, the good old days of the net. LOL
Good luck! I hope you get the good news you deserve.
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