One of the most important things about publishing a book at any level–traditional, hybrid, small press, indie press, or self-publishing–is understanding book distribution.
It’s the sort-of-secret denominator in book publishing that no one really talks about, but defines many aspects of how readers find and buy books. Because it matters most in the final stages of a book launching into the world, it’s often relegated as unimportant until something goes wrong, or a bookstore tells an author they’ll have to sell books on consignment (or even not at all). So, let’s look at the factors that are determined by a book distributor as part of a book’s life.
Book distributors control things like:
whether or not your book is displayed in a bookstore
whether or not you can sell books at an event (and at what percentage point to the bookstore)
what websites will have the book available for sale
whether your book will be on industry galley or ARC (advanced reader copies) sites like Netgalley or Edelweiss
whether your book will be presented at seasonal sales conferences to booksellers, librarians, and other industry professionals
sales representatives’ access to the book to schmooze booksellers, large (often, celebrity) book clubs, and librarians for things like Indie Next Pick and Jenna’s Book Club
whether your book will be available at regional sales conferences like SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Association), PNBA (Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association), MIBA (Midwest Independent Booksellers Association), and others
the speed and delivery at which preorders go out, ARCs go out, and bookstores get copies ahead of events
whether a book can be returned or remaindered (impacting book sales and therefore royalties)
whether a book is printed on demand or stocked (often dependent on sales and publisher)
and sometimes, even how much control you have over metadata (what information Amazon or retailers like Barnes & Noble display about your book to potential readers).
It’s the factor that often doesn’t come up during the giddy glee of signing a book contract, but one that ultimately decides the lifespan of a book.
Now, if you’re publishing with a traditional “Big Four” publisher (Macmillan, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, or Penguin Random House) distribution is taken care of for you. But if you’re publishing anywhere else on the publisher’s spectrum, it’s important to ask your publisher about distribution.
Types of Book Distributors:
There are several distributors in the US, the biggest one being Ingram, alongside others including Baker & Taylor, Independent Publishers Group, University of Chicago Distribution, Consortium, and other smaller press distributors like Asterism. Here is a larger list for reference. Earlier this year in March, Small Press Distribution which cornered the market on distributing hundreds of small and independent publishers abruptly shuttered, leaving publishers and authors in a lurch. While this isn’t a “normal” facet of publishing, it’s one reason why it’s so important to understand the distribution of your book.
The Power of Ingram:
Because Ingram pretty much rules the roost, they have the cornerstone on the distribution market. They are the distributor that bookstores most often order through, or have an account with, and they are the sole distributor populating Bookshop.org. So, if your book is not available through Ingram (which many other distribution companies work with in order to make books available), then it won’t be listed on Bookshop.org, and it may not be available to order through your favorite neighborhood independent bookstore.
So, what should you ask your publisher before you sign a contract, or what is actually important for an author to know about their distribution? I don’t want to send you into the weeds of worry.
Who distributes your books and how often are you in contact with them?
Do they work with all major retailers?
How far in advance do bookstores need to order my book for an event?
What is the percentage offered to bookstores?
Will the book be available through the distributor’s sales catalog or submitted before the seasonal catalog goes live?
Other resources on book distribution:
📚Jane Friedman, “The Value of Book Distribution Is Often Misunderstood by Authors”
QUESTION: Which part of the book publishing logistics makes you the most nervous?
* * * * * *
About Cassie:
Cassie Mannes Murray is the founder and director of Pine State Publicity. A former literary agent with an MFA in creative nonfiction, Cassie has worked across publishing including literary magazines, book design, and as a bookseller. You can find more advice & thoughts on her Substack: pinestatepublicity.substack.com, and she is on Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, and Bluesky under @cassmannes.
Cassie, thank you for this informative post. I am an author/publishing finishing my first series. I've slowly been getting my first books to different publishers. Ingram was my first, then Baker & Taylor. Which distributor would you recommend I reach out to next?
Hey Lynette! It's hard to get distribution without a publisher, but sometimes you can get a distributor through the printer that you use. Ingram does have distribution through their print-on-demand service too, I think, which is different than their publisher distribution.
Good luck, Kris! It totally can--but your publisher should be worrying about it too, and hopefully only need to explain what they've already figured out (if they even need to do that!)
As an indie author (using Amazon), I have struggled with promotion and distribution for a long time. When I try to get into the mindset of promoting my work, it's not long before I throw up my hands, walk away, and land on the sofa with my latest favorite read. I often ponder how so many successful authors were able to live through the torture of promotion.
Cassie's article was extremely helpful in that it provides a lot of digestible information in a nutshell.
I think that's a state a lot of indies find themselves in, Sue. Adding Cassie's info helps to understand why Amazon distribution (wholesale fulfillment) may not fit with all forms of promotion. Knowing that, then going back to Joe's article as well, you can put the two together and decide what promo ACTUALLY makes sense for you as an indie. Also tie in with James's article about how two things can be true at the same time! As an indie on Amazon, maybe promoting to libraries, for example, doesn't work as well for you as promoting directly to readers. Some venues don't want Amazon books - for all of these distribution reasons. So don't waste time or energy there, and recognize that it isn't your book or your skill that has caused them to have a problem. It is just the Amazon fulfillment center. Give yourself permission to curl up and enjoy your favorite read, and then take some moments to think about how you FOUND that read... and then maybe see what can be done to get your books into those spaces.
As someone who has walked through that torture of promo with a lot of authors, I actually think taking time to read and reconnect with the joy of reading can help a ton. Recognizing that promo looks very different for different authors can help. Try to enjoy the process as much as possible. If it feels like torture, it probably won't work.
Cassie, thank you for this informative post. I am an author/publishing finishing my first series. I've slowly been getting my first books to different publishers. Ingram was my first, then Baker & Taylor. Which distributor would you recommend I reach out to next?
Hey Lynette! It's hard to get distribution without a publisher, but sometimes you can get a distributor through the printer that you use. Ingram does have distribution through their print-on-demand service too, I think, which is different than their publisher distribution.
Thank you so much for this, Cassie! Distribution is a common thread this month, and your primer is going to help us all understand it better!
I think it is fascinating that there's something this critical in the industry that the average author has so little information about!
I totally agree, Lisa! It's so in the background, and yet the foundation of most publicity parts of publishing and getting the book out there.
Thank you for this thorough explanation on book distribution. It can be confusing. Saving for later.
Good luck, Kris! It totally can--but your publisher should be worrying about it too, and hopefully only need to explain what they've already figured out (if they even need to do that!)
As an indie author (using Amazon), I have struggled with promotion and distribution for a long time. When I try to get into the mindset of promoting my work, it's not long before I throw up my hands, walk away, and land on the sofa with my latest favorite read. I often ponder how so many successful authors were able to live through the torture of promotion.
Cassie's article was extremely helpful in that it provides a lot of digestible information in a nutshell.
Thank you Cassie.
I think that's a state a lot of indies find themselves in, Sue. Adding Cassie's info helps to understand why Amazon distribution (wholesale fulfillment) may not fit with all forms of promotion. Knowing that, then going back to Joe's article as well, you can put the two together and decide what promo ACTUALLY makes sense for you as an indie. Also tie in with James's article about how two things can be true at the same time! As an indie on Amazon, maybe promoting to libraries, for example, doesn't work as well for you as promoting directly to readers. Some venues don't want Amazon books - for all of these distribution reasons. So don't waste time or energy there, and recognize that it isn't your book or your skill that has caused them to have a problem. It is just the Amazon fulfillment center. Give yourself permission to curl up and enjoy your favorite read, and then take some moments to think about how you FOUND that read... and then maybe see what can be done to get your books into those spaces.
As someone who has walked through that torture of promo with a lot of authors, I actually think taking time to read and reconnect with the joy of reading can help a ton. Recognizing that promo looks very different for different authors can help. Try to enjoy the process as much as possible. If it feels like torture, it probably won't work.
I have literally wanted this information broken down this way for as long as I've been a writer! Thanks so much!!
Thank you, Cassie. I really needed this!