It can be a hard battle to earn placement for your book in a bricks-and-mortar store. Not even established publishers get orders from the big chains on every book they publish; the chances for a self-publisher — especially a first-timer — can be downright slim.

Before you start railing about the unfairness of it all, it’s worthwhile to understand the economics of the bookstores’ decision. They have a limited number of stores that can each hold a limited amount of inventory, and they have a limited budget for purchasing that inventory. Even the biggest of book superstores can only hope to carry perhaps 10% of available books.

As Andrew Wheeler, marketing manager at John Wiley & Sons, points out:

Generally, for a hardcover or trade paperback that’s not being pitched for something promotional…you’re talking about whether the order is for one, two, or maybe three copies per store. Or, possibly [less], if the book is only going to the top stores for that category.

Wheeler goes on to discuss buying budgets:

…chainstore buyers have budgets; they don’t have an infinite amount of money to play with. They have to buy books for all of the stores in the chain, in their category, given the money they have available — this is called “open to buy,” and varies depending on recent sales, returns, and what else is publishing that month. Like any other budget, I’m sure buyers start with the most important things — the big books that month — and work their way down the list. If the money runs out before they hit the bottom, that’s it.

The good news for self-published authors is that there are definitely options. Amazon carries everything. There’s never any problem getting your book into Amazon. The websites of the book chains can carry much more inventory than their brick-and-mortar stores — so it’s easy to get in there as well. As a self-publisher, you have the freedom to negotiate bulk sales to groups and associations that other authors don’t have. Take advantage of it.

Certainly it’s nice to be in the chains. For many self-published authors, seeing their book on the shelves of their local Indigo or Borders store feels like acceptance, like a nod to the legitimacy and professionalism of their publishing efforts. But if you’re getting frustrated with low book orders from the chains, don’t despair. They are not the only path to strong book sales. And it’s nothing personal.

With the launch of a new website called Authonomy, HarperCollins UK is calling on the power of the crowd.

At Authonomy, authors can submit excerpts from their fiction or non-fiction manuscript. These excerpts are then reviewed and ranked by…well, by anyone who wants to take the time to read them. The idea is to get the public searching for and identifying the next great thing.

Once a month, the 5 books with the highest rankings are forwarded to an editorial review board at HarperColllins.

The concept works for everyone:

• HarperCollins gets free help going through its slush pile — a short list without the work
• Authors get a chance to submit their work without an agent and have a fair shot at being considered
• Armchair reviewers get a chance to offer their opinion and potential bragging rights if they help uncover the next bestseller

Authors, if you’re looking for a publishing deal, the site is worth a look.

A couple of years ago, in a Halifax used bookstore, I managed to nab a first edition copy of Adventures of a Columnist. First published in 1960, the book is a collection and commentary from Pierre Berton, who at that time was a daily columnist with the Toronto Star.

The book sat on my shelf for a while but just recently I picked it up again to start reading.
In between reading sessions, it’s been sitting on my kitchen table, desk, and coffee table, and every time I walk by it, I’m arrested by the design.

The copyright page reveals that the book was designed by Frank Newfeld. Of course! Newfeld has been a top designer in book design and illustration for the last five decades. He’s designed hundreds of covers for many of the big publishing houses, and has illustrated some of the best known books in Canadian children’s publishing. (Any 30-something Canadian will be familiar with the drawings in Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee — all of them Newfeld’s marvellous work.)

With Adventures, the first thing that grabs you is the front cover.

There’s something intensely compelling about Pierre’s last name in that huge typewriter font. The book title set in a handwritten script — and sharply picked out in red — is a nice contrast and keeps the cover from being too cool.

The banded design of black and white above the main section of the jacket is echoed in the case design. And look at that elegant addition of Pierre’s scribbled signature, again in red to echo the title treatment.

Finally, take a look at the double-spread title page; it simply commands your attention.

Trends in design come and go, but Frank Newfeld’s work proves that great design is great design, no matter what decade it comes from.