The Penguin Press discussion

I'm interested in finding out if people really want to try a new kind of bookshop- and if publishers will help support it.

Would publishers consider working with an independent book seller, buy allowing the sale of both e-books and print books from a physical retail space? Would you support this kind of book shop to not only start but also grow, as a way to help build up the UK high street?

Hi Gemma

Do you know about Hive which is like an on-line version of an independent book seller? I've only recently discovered this website and in so doing found a book shop I didn't know about relatively near to where I work. So I shall be buying most of my books from them instead of Amazon/Book depository from now on.

In principle I'd also be interested in supporting anything that would help increase the numbers of independent bookshops on the high street but it's a tough market and my most local bookshop is about to close.

Wow, that sounds fantastic. I miss going to a book store and browsing for books. Reaching to the shelf and putting your hand over the book tops and sliding one book out at a time to look at the cover.
Thanks.
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Hi Gemma

The idea of a bookshop to help rebuild the high street is interesting. What would we end up with? Would this avoid the W.H. Smith type of approach? Is it possible to steer away from the temptation to commoditise?

The W.H. Smith type of approach has over the years pushed many individual book-sellers out of business. Their book offering is standardised and at the local level is inflexible - a major gripe for new writers.

UK supermarkets commoditise which undercuts local bookshops. This is very successful at stealing the customer base of all local shops, so a by-blow is hollowed out communities. The standardised approach fails in places like Hay-on-Wye - protected by its non-seasonal demographic.

Back in the 1970's F.H. Woolworth ran with a variation in commoditised books for a few years. Rather than offering big name / big discount, it was a mix of second tier authors and out of copyright works (imprints such as Five Star, Flamingo).
Presumably a variation of this can work as long as some starry-eyed ****-head accountant type doesn't screw up the financing.

What does that leave you with?
Self-published writers with nowhere to offer their product
Book events that work because they don't fit into the 'commoditise and crush' pattern of business.

If it were me, I'd think in terms of:
Regional (or local) arts & crafts fairs in which a 'Unsigned Author Programme' could sit. Beef up the book part; theme it (genre / ability?) so you know what you're getting. Challenge us to show what we've got. A marketplace where I could also meet writers and other people in the industry - I'd go for that. You might need a big stick to keep control.

As I analysed, my conclusion changed; I came up with 'not the answer I started with'. I hope these thoughts are helpful.

I love every single word of my book “Universes within the universe”
I want to share with you these great words for free until the end of May

You can download it at:
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Enjoy reading!!!
Thanks!