In 2023, I opened Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore. After nearly a decade on the publishing side of the industry, I finally made the leap to the other side—and wow, have I learned a lot! Every day, I talk to customers about what they’re craving (spoiler: cozy everything—yes, even cozy horror), and every month I meet with other booksellers to trade notes on what’s working and what isn’t.

Over the past year, I’ve worn two hats: attending American Booksellers Association (ABA) conferences as a publisher, a bookseller, or sometimes both, and organizing author events from both perspectives. This May, I officially transitioned fully into bookselling.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far while straddling both sides of the industry:

Train Your Authors

Local authors can be your biggest champions—if they’re equipped with the right tools. I first connected with Noemi Press because a local author came in with an incredible pitch, not just for their book, but for the whole press. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and now I’m just as excited about Noemi. Similarly, our bestselling title (we’ve sold over 200 copies in-store) came out of a conversation with a local poet who introduced me to Riot and Roses Press and their mission.

Give authors what they need to succeed, and they’ll be your greatest allies. This could be something as simple as a one sheet or as in-depth as a yearly summit that updates your authors on what you’re doing. When your authors get excited, they spread the word!

Beef Up Your Listings

Edelweiss tends to split the room. Booksellers either love it or hate it. But regardless of where they fall, most agree on one thing: It needs more information. If you’re listing your titles there, go all in. Include images, keynotes, sales hooks, links, and DRCs if you can. Think of Edelweiss as both a research tool and an ordering platform. Its search isn’t intuitive, so things like descriptive subtitles and robust metadata go a long way in making your books discoverable—not just on Edelweiss, but on iPage, too.

Use Standard Discounts

For my store, a nonstandard discount on iPage is an immediate pass. Margins are tight, returns are risky, and I can’t afford to get stuck with nonreturnable books purchased at 20%. Most indies need a minimum 40% discount, and even a few extra percentage points—2% or 5%—can make a big difference in whether we take a chance on a book.

Make Ordering Easy

I don’t mind a few steps—filling out a credit app, signing a digital doc, or creating an online account. That’s normal. But if I have to call, then email, then follow up with another call, the order might just fall off my radar.

At a recent local book festival, we supported 90+ authors and over 160 titles. Several were with small presses, but because ordering from those publishers was slow or overly complicated, we defaulted to consignment. The result? Frustrated authors, missed opportunities for publishers, and no real connection made between the press and the store.

The small press I reorder from the most? Microcosm Publishing. Their website has a wholesale shopping cart, it’s easy to use, and I can reorder or track past purchases without waiting on anyone. That simplicity keeps me coming back.

Support Your Sales Reps

Reps from large distributors have a lot of ground to cover, and they usually start with the titles they know best. Make it easier for them to highlight yours. Have a themed collection? Share it. Publishing titles tied to a heritage month? Curate a list—and keep it updated.

When I need something specific, I often turn to my IPG rep. But with so many titles to sift through, responses can be slow. Compare that to Sourcebooks, which always has ready-to-go lists. The difference? Clear, accessible materials. The more prepared you are, the more likely your books are to make it into carts—and onto shelves.

Introduce Yourself

If you’re a local publisher, make friends with your neighborhood bookstores. Learn what they carry, what their customers want, and how you can support their work. Bookstores are built on relationships. Take the first step in creating one.

And if you’re not local, meet booksellers where they are. Advertise at ABA and regional events or even go old-school and send out printed catalogs. At Winter Institute, I met a bookseller who was thrilled to “discover” City Lights Books, which has been around for years! It was just their first time seeing them at the “Meet the Press” table. Sometimes, all it takes to make a splash is showing up with a full table of titles and saying hello.

Navigating both sides of the book world has shown me how much potential there is for indie publishers and indie bookstores to lift each other up. At the core, it’s all about communication, accessibility, and a shared love for getting great books into readers’ hands. When publishers understand what booksellers need—and booksellers champion the presses doing the work—everyone wins. Here’s to stronger partnerships, deeper conversations, and more incredible stories reaching the shelves.

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