Why Authors Should Not Buy Their Own Books

Why Authors Should Not Buy Their Own Books
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author Kristen Houghton

author Kristen Houghton

A.William Hopper 2Hopper Photos

As I was sitting in a meeting with my literary agent I was struck by her commonsense approach to all things publishing. As a traditionally published author, and someone who had also decided to open her own boutique publishing house, I soaked up all she and the others present, aquisition editors, and the two publishers, had to offer.

I was surprised when I heard that authors shouldn’t buy their own books. Everyone present agreed.

“Wait a minute,” I said, “I buy my own books to sell at book fairs. Are you saying that that is wrong? I generally sell more than the publishers give me for free.”

“Oh, no, what you’re doing is fine, “ said one publisher. “But let’s say that there’s an author out there whose books are printed by a book company not a publisher, who has decided to buy his or her books in bulk over and over again. That person thinks that it makes their sale numbers go up and that that will impress traditional publishers, making them take a look at that author’s books. But that’s not the case. We’re not that easily fooled.”

“That’s right, said an aquisitions editor.” She was much more blunt “ We know that some authors try to manipulate the system by buying their books in bulk. It’s similar to posting fake reviews hailing that book as a masterpiece. Editors and publishers are on to this tactic. It doesn’t work. Buying your own books can actually hurt you in the long run.”

“So you’re saying the numbers mean nothing?”

“They mean something, Kristen, but there are some best-sellers whose numbers on BookScan were weak to say the least. What we’re saying is the author who purchases her or his own book believing that the big publishers will sit up and take note is incorrect in that thinking. There has been an influx of books printed in the last year, that I’ve heard a lot of people call a hailstorm of crap’ “ Ouch! “Sure, there are some breakout successes, but most authors who make decent money have 5 or more books out. Sometimes it’s the quantity that shows a lot about an author.”

The publishing business is hurting right now. Few people are reading anything new. I came out of that meeting with a lot of info and a surprise; publishers know all the tricks and tactics authors are using. Selling books just got a whole lot more interesting!

Happy writing!

Kristen Houghton is the author of nine top-selling novels, including For I Have Sinned and Grave Misgivings, books 1 and 2 in the best-selling new series, A Cate Harlow Private Investigation. Book 3 in the series, Unrepentant: Pray for Us Sinners, will be published December of 2016. She is hard at work on a new series that features a paranormal investigator with distinct powers of her own.

Houghton is also the author of two non-fiction books and numerous short stories.

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