B&A: Do you think Barnes and Noble is being selective?

Question

Hi,
Being a huge fan of Barnes and Noble bookstore, I read this article and was really upset by it. If you are familiar with Barnes and Noble, what is your opinion of it? Do you think they are really that exclusive? Do you find not enough varied or 'indie' books in their stores?
Article can be found here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-vadukul/literary-guerrillas-take-_b_797793.html
All opinions are welcome.
LuthienX

Answer 1

This is business. Publishing is a business whether some people want it to be or not. The main objective of a business is to maximize it's profits for shareholders; make their shareholders richer! They dont' do that by selling books that don't sell. If they started selling books that don't sell, they'll go out of business (Borders lost $14 million this last quarter). Who wants to go out of business? Writers think this is all about them, but it's not. This is about readers like you and me. Whether writers (I am a writer) like it or not, we have to keep readers in mind when we're trying to publishing. If they don't like our books then our career could very well be over! Writers, we like to think that writing something that only pleases us and our soul is okay, but it's not just about us.



I don't understand the writers gripes about being told to change something in their book. All agents and editor suggest changes whether it's to a character or storyline. Their objective is to make the story more appealing and better. Some writers suffer from Golden Word Syndrome where they think everything they write is perfect. Some are willing to kill their careers before it even gets off the ground because they don't want to change anything in their novels. Yes, I"ve heard of writers getting a publishing contract and refusing to make changes and the publisher refuses to publish the book. It's a problem with those writers and thinking their writing is so great that it doesn't need to be changed, and not the publishing biz.



The fact is that independent bookstores and indie writers (self-publishers) don't have the money to market their books like the big guys. Because they like the money and promotion means that fewer people will hear about their books, which means there will be a lower demand for their books. If there's a low demand then that means the bookstore isn't going to sell as many as those types of books. It just so happens that the large, more established publishers have the money to market and promote their books and make the public aware of them. THat's why they get top billing in bookstores because chances are more people than not are going to come in searching for a book that has been highly promoted vs one that hasn't been promoted at all. No bookstore wants shelf space to go to waste on books that aren't selling and those are mostly indie books or books that aren't getting a lot of promotion. It sucks, but this isn't a problem with bookstores like Barnes and Nobles and Borders, but a problem with the indie publishers - some can make it to the big time, but most can't. It's easy to blame large bookstores and the publishing industry, but it's a risk you take when you get into the business and decide to start your own publishing company.



Sorry, but those folks complaining have no sympathy from me.



Yes, I think B&N, as well as other large chain stores like Walmart, are very selective and will choose books that are heavily marketed, by authors you've heard of, and books that they think will sell well to stock their shelves with. If they didn't, they start losing a lot of money. Publishing is a business, and many people forget about it. If these protesting writers are so concerned about it then they should try financing their own books and take the hit when their books fail.

Answer 2

Barnes & Noble doesn't exist in Australia, where the market for books comparitively smaller and in many ways, different to the American one. In Adelaide in particular, one of the major booksellers (Dymcks) does quite a lot to support smaller writers and publishers, as well as selling popular titles. Interestingly this, and by stocking books that are difficult to find here is how they survive aside their competitor (Borders and Angus & Robertson, the two other major chains are owned by the same company.) There are also some good independent bookstores that have links with the local writers centre.



So no, the article does not reflect my personal experience. [Pauses and waits for a certain know-all American who has most likely never even heard of Adelaide before to tell me this isn't right, because it doesn't reflect what happens in American bookstores.]



I only really know Barnes and Noble through their website. And hey, they list my book for sale on there, so they can't be all bad.

Answer 3

Honestly, it's our own fault. We chose to shop at those huge stores. We liked the selection and the coffee bar, and the comfortable, sit-down-and-read atmosphere. All of us flocking to Barnes and Noble and Borders and BooksaMillion and WHSmith put those small bookstores out of business. Barnes and Noble now appeals to the masses and mass appeal means they'll continue to stock what the average person wants to read. The average person probably doesn't realize 'indie' exists, let alone choose to read it. Having spent quite a bit of time in my local Barnes and Noble this holiday season, more people were interested in an idiotic book about Justin Bieber than anything of any quality.



The reading that was discussed in the article sounds more like M+M getting some free publicity than anything that will make a difference in publishing.



I might not like that every single book in the world isn't available for my perusal at Barnes and Noble, but B&N is in this business for profit, not to open the average person's eyes to great literature they may be missing.

Answer 4

Of course. They stock mainstream books, because those sell. This isn't an independent bookseller - this is a large corporation that needs the most profitable books on the shelves, to make the most money for their shareholders. This is how any corporation works.



This is kind of a problem in smaller towns, where B&N or Borders may be the only bookstore. Still, this is the internet age, and most people can find almost any book for sale on the internet.

Answer 5

"They hold particular scorn for mega retailers, such as Barnes & Noble, which stock only commercially viable books on their shelves"



Lols. That's the purpose of a book store. You can't pay the lease on a brick and mortar building if you're selling commercially non-viable books.



I think their "alternative" is going to be something like how Youtube is an alternative to Hollywood.

Answer 6

Definitely, although they do have a lot of good reads, they don't show enough new writers...which I don't agree with.

They only have highly mainstream books, which I like, but we also need new unknown books.

Answer 7

Yes! And when they do have "indie" books they overprice them. I PAYED $60 FOR A BOOK!