Barnes and Noble’s new CEO James Daunt had a lot to say about his company in a speech he gave at the FutureBook Conference in London on November 25th. Not mincing words, he called out the chain for having “the most crucifying boring stores.” Daunt has laid out a plan revamping the structure of Barnes and Noble and allowing individual store owners to have more control of what they put in their stores. Daunt hopes that this change will create stores tailored to the interests of their specific audiences rather than having stores across the country that all look the same.
So what does this mean in the world of indie authors? This is a very exciting development in the hybrid publishing industry. Empowering store owners to choose what books they sell and promote gives non-traditionally published authors the opportunity to go directly to the stores near them and make a case for their book. While most indie books won’t be in store windows all across the country, many bookstores would love the opportunity to support their local authors! Additionally, having a connection to the area makes books much more appealing to their audiences.
Daunt’s goal is to make each Barnes and Noble, not just a store, but an experience. Be on the look for these changes to start being implemented in Barnes and Noble’s everywhere! Don’t be afraid to reach out to store owners in your area–this is a fantastic opportunity to get your book in stores.