“Why is this so hard?”
This is a question that kept coming up when we started looking into opening a bookstore for independent authors. Not because we’re not tech-savvy or new to retail but because…well…
There are giant walls made of stigma standing between self-published works and in-store retail.
Here’s the thing: 2020 changed a lot in the world of publishing. Mainly through technological features and software innovation, but ultimately the massive shift to working from home as authors, editors, and designers who want to take more ownership and creative control.
Unfortunately, it’s been a snail’s pace crawl to get booksellers on board with carrying independent works. Prior to 2019-2020, “self-published” typically meant “low quality” (although there are are few bestselling exceptions, such as The Martian, Eragon, and Fifty Shades of Grey!).
And in the world of retail, especially small business retail, it’s a risky gamble to carry products that might never sell due to the compromised quality.
This is where BumbleBooks comes in.
We’re not just pros at retail—we’re an award-winning indie author/former book editor and a passionate bookworm who have been there, done that, and have the accolades (and stress!) to show for it.
With BumbleBooks, we’re not only taking the steps to help promote indie authors within our online catalog—and in our brick-and-mortar location—we’re pushing to have this serve as a prime example and case study of how readers can and will genuinely enjoy buying indie works from places other than Amazon. And with this, we’re hoping the environmental impact of Print On Demand publishing will be significant enough to help save our planet’s wild bees.
Every time you buy a book listed on this site, you’re not only supporting an independent author and independent bookstore, you’re also helping the book publishing world evolve—and do better for our planet as much as the people on it.
For that, we thank you!
Did you know…
Supporting independent authors can help save the bees?
Here at BumbleBooks, we’re about more than just great literature—we’re about eco-responsibility, starting with the bees. Because bees pollinate our flowers and trees, which we need to create the papers and inks we preserve our stories on.
The Problem? Traditional publishers conduct “print runs”, where hundreds (or thousands) of copies of a single book are printed before they’re ordered, sold, or even known about—which can (and does) often lead to wasted paper, ink pollution, and excess carbon emissions.
The Solution: Independent authors typically do not have the extensive budget necessary for print runs and distribution—which means Print On Demand is the #1 choice for self-published works.
P.O.D. books are only printed once they’re ordered. This means that they’ll never be sitting in a storage bin in the back of a warehouse, and the only paper used goes into books genuinely desired by readers and bookstores. This reduces the carbon footprint significantly!
But, sadly, the majority of independent and chain booksellers avoid ordering stock from P.O.D. channels for various reasons. Usually, the biggest reason is the stigma that comes from less-than-professional indie novels not meeting the retail criteria.
We’re here to change that.