When you think of what writers do, you probably imagine someone sitting at a computer, hard at work on the next story. And that’s a major part of a writer’s life. But there are other things, too. One of them is getting ‘out there’ and meeting readers. If you’ve been to a book signing, you know what a good experience it can be to meet an author, say hello, and get that latest release signed. If the author has a funny story or two to tell, so much the better. Sometimes there’s even cake.

What you might not know, though, unless you’re a writer, is that getting those opportunities to meet readers isn’t as easy as you think. And that is why I am so grateful (and I know I’m not the only one) for smaller, independent bookshops. Those are the people who will often take a chance on a ‘nobody’ writer and give that writer the opportunity for a little exposure. Even if you already love small, independent shops, you may not know how important they are for authors, especially those who aren’t ‘household names.’

Here’s a case in point. A good friend of mine, crime writer Cat Connor, owned Writers Plot Bookshop, in Upper Hutt, New Zealand. The shop’s specialty was books by Kiwi authors (including her own). There were book launches, book discussion groups, and plenty of other opportunities for Kiwi authors to meet with readers, introduce their books, make their books available, and so on. Among other things, the shop filled an important need that the ‘big boys,’ like Whitcoulls, might not. And it was local, so it was part of the community.

Smaller, independent shops like that don’t have it easy. Inventory can be expensive, as can overhead costs such as rent and staffing. And they don’t have the resources or bulk buying power that large companies such as Barnes & Noble or Waterstones have. And yet, it’s often those shops, rather than the larger companies, that make time for new, local, or unknown authors. They’re the ones that work personally with the author to plan and set up an event. Of course they want to make a profit, as companies do. And of course, they expect authors to put in the time and effort, etc., to carry off a successful event. But the fact that they’re even open to authors approaching them means a lot.

My experiences with smaller bookshops have been very positive, and I’m grateful for that. For instance, I did an author event at Book Carnival, Orange, California a few years ago. It went really well, not least because the owner welcomes authors, and helps them look as good as they can on event day. I had a Zoom event hosted by Book Carnival during the pandemic, and again, the owner and staff members did everything they could to make it successful.

Another event I had was at Helen’s Book Mark, Escondido, California. The owner features used books, so couldn’t carry mine. But that didn’t stop her from welcoming me and setting up a place for me to meet readers, sign books, and so on.

And then there’s Mysterious Galaxy, San Diego, California. This store features crime and mystery novels as well as science fiction and other speculative fiction. I’m excited to announce I’ll be there on Saturday, 8 February to do an event. The shop will also be carrying my novel Scene of the Crime for a time after my event. When I approached the shop, I was welcomed, and found that, to the store’s credit, they have regular events by local authors, even those who aren’t bestsellers (yet).

All of these stores (and I know they aren’t the only ones) support authors, even ‘nobodies’ like me. They help with that all-important promotion and give authors a chance to meet with readers. And in each case, I’ve been treated with respect and the stores have worked to give me the opportunity get ‘out there.’  By contrast, I’ve also approached a larger, more national company. The response there? Silence.

What’s the moral of the story? If you’re a writer, visit smaller, independent bookshops. Share your work and ask for a chance to meet readers. Chances are, they’ll at least listen to you and if they can, try to work with you.

If you’re a reader, please, please support local independent bookshops. They can’t stay in business without you. Start there if you’re looking for that perfect book to treat yourself or give as a gift. If the book you want isn’t there, ask them to order it. When you see that they’re having an event, attend if you can. Support it by passing the word around. Rate that bookshop (yes, I know ratings can be annoying, but they do have an impact). Independent bookshops do so much for the reading world; let’s support them, too.

*NOTE: The title of this post is the title of a song by ABBA.