Tell Them to Put it Where it Belongs

Virtually all libraries will accept a new author’s novel if the person is willing to donate the book and it does not look like a communist manifesto or a manual on how to fly to outer space. However, when you hand your baby over to those polite strangers behind the desk, make sure they know where it needs to live.

Although they mean well, library employees often place such books in a “local authors” section. It seems like a good idea, but unfortunately, it’s a great way to have your book overlooked. There are several reasons for this. For example, many indie authors have self-published memoirs, and it can make the “local writers” section look like it only features memoirs. While I have nothing against that genre, it is not typically the one most readers seek out first when searching for new books. All genres have a market, but memoirs written by people who are not famous are typically a tough sell.

Secondly, the phrase “local authors” immediately engenders mild contempt. Don’t believe me? Have someone at your library do an experiment by creating a local author section and a “writers from NYC/San Francisco/Chicago” section and see which one people gravitate to. It’s just that old saying proved out once again “familiarity breeds contempt.”

Fortunately, there’s a very simple solution. Ask the librarian to catalog your book where it belongs. If it’s historical fiction, that’s the section in which it should be showcased. If it’s sci-fi, it should be right there on the shelf with all those other spaceships. Memoirs should go in the autobiography section, and nonfiction… well, you get the idea. So don’t be shy. Tell them to put it where it belongs. Write on!