Distributor question

[David]

I'm looking for some advice on distributors. As many of you know, I'm sure, it's quite difficult to find a national bookstore distributor when you self-publish. I managed to get a very small press/indie distributor called Last Gasp for my first novel, but I've been holding out for one for my second novel that might have a little bit more marketing weight behind them.

Alas, I've had no luck. I've been rejected by most of the indie distributors to this point because, primarily, it would seem, my book isn't "commercial" enough. I'm somewhat avant garde and experimentalist in my writing. At any rate, here is my dilemma.

I sold about 120 books through Last Gasp at about 30 - 40 bookstores around the world. Should I apply to them again OR should I use this service: http://www.pathwaybook.com/trade.html

Apparently Pathway will list you for a fee to all the distributors, but then do ZERO marketing. So what's better, having an extremely modest amount of marketing done to indie bookstores that might yield me another 40 stores/120 books (just as a hypothetical reference point, since my new book my get a better or worse response) OR line up these larger distributors through Pathway without any marketing support whatsoever.

Anyone have any experience with these matter?

Thanks for your advice!

[[deleted user]]

I'm not sure who you published through, but this is exactly what Createspace (division of Amazon) do with their extended distribution. For $25. (No marketing either, but it's on the platform needed FOR broad distribution). How much does Pathway charge?

[David]

Thanks, Tony. Good to know its like what the Createspace Premium offers. Their site states a "flat fee" but not what that fee is. I'll have to email them to find out.

I didn't self-publish through anyone, I did it the old-fashioned way, (hah!) 1000 copies offset print run, the same as I did for my first novel. And i entirely fund the print run through a Kickstarter Project.

Other than locally, has anyone using Createspace Premium had any luck getting bookstores to order their book?

[Richard]

Just a point, don;t look in the CS Premium Offers, unless you;re looking to pay for editorial/design service. CS has a Premiukm Distribution option in its sign up when you submit a new book. When I published my last two it was a $39.00 upcharge, but that included library listings and full Ingram distribution through their catalog.

Re: local bookstores, send them a copy of the book along with a cover letter listing the ISBN and distribution channels. If you want to offer a consignment deal, say 50/50 on sold books, you'll be your own distributor. Most bookstores have "local Author" tables or stacks. You can usually make more money on books you distribute yourself, but there's a lot of legwork involved! Good luck

[David]

Thanks, Richard. I've got the local bookstores in Chicago pretty well covered. I'm in 6 of them now on consignment and still have a few more to visit. Most have been doing 60/40 with me, which is nice. It's the out-of-city ones I'm hoping to reach eventually. I'm in 4 in St. Louis and 1 in Austin Texas.

Which do you think is better: a small distributor with modest reach or being listed with large distributors but doing all the outreach yourself?

[Richard]

A small distributor can work well if they are niche specialists, otherwise, the clout of a big league distributor is pretty effective, as long as they also have a plan to promote YOUR book, otherwise, with no additional promotion, you're still stuck doing all the hard work yourself. I figure if I've gotta cut someone in, they'd better provide more service than just a listing. But that's just me.