Monday, June 15, 2009

Most of this Stuff Doesn't Really Matter

I read the Bookseller (online), probably twice a day at least just to see what's going on in the book business. I used to read Publishing News too, before the prints stopped.
But, to be honest, the majority of the 'BIG' stories in the book trade press don't make much difference to us. For example...
Dan Brown is bringing out a new book later this year. This is important news for Tesco, Amazon and WH Smiths. They'll all sell it at half price and try and 'own' it. We'll sell half a dozen copies in the shop at its retail price.
Waterstone's is doing 3 for 2 on lots of book in lots of shops. Well, Smith's and Waterstone's do that anyway, so flip dee doodles.
Amazon is selling lots of books online. Yes they are.
Sunnyside, the new book by Glen David Gold was being offered exclusively to Waterstone's early and cheap. Well, let's be honest, Indies have been offered Indie only deals in the past (Charlie Higson, By Royal Command Ltd edition for example), so if the Sunnyside deal had gone ahead (there was a change of mind at the last minute), then we'd have just not stocked the book.

These are probably bad examples, but my point is that the most pressing issues of the week for us are:

When is the bloody lorry that parks at the end of the road, obscuring the view of the bookshop, going to ever get told to move by Lovely Rita Meter Maid.

How are we going to be at 3 school fairs on the same day next week, seeing as there's only 2 of us (Mark, I will be presenting you to the blog world very soon)

I hope the massive torrent of rain that just happened hasn't meant we have another leak in the shop, destroying £250 worth of books like last time.

How am I going to persuade Nick Hornby to visit the shop this year (maybe Haruki Murakami has his phone number, who knows)

So, in conclusion;
I read the Bookseller (online), probably twice a day at least just to see what's going on in the book business. I used to read Publishing News too, before the prints stopped. I will continue to do so, because i'm fascinated by the business that i'm in, and want to know what's going on (I guess i'm a bookaholic). But unless you choose to let things affect you directly, then it really doesn't matter, does it.
Chill.

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