tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post3390616136998094499..comments2016-08-22T12:00:03.978+01:00Jeremy[email protected]Blogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-18080858578773651692010-03-26T21:27:07.560+01:002010-03-26T21:27:07.560+01:00I think Waffarian hit the nail on the head when she said the objective is to make the books seen. I have often wondered why there is no strong retail or distribution network for books in Nigeria. Why cant bookshops or publishers be like fast food joints &amp; petrol stations and be seen everywhere? <br /><br />I live in lagos and the best bookshops I have seen in Nigeria are in Ibadan.Why should I have to go all the way to Ibadan to buy books? These stores have branches in lagos but nothing like their main place in Ibadan. Why cant we have their stores all over the place as we do with Mr Biggs. You might want to try this approach and sign a strategic marketing agreement with petrol stations so you can have a stand for your books and see if it works.Akindele[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-22489165386747297842010-03-26T00:09:07.894+01:002010-03-26T00:09:07.894+01:00Please let us know where we can buy Cassava&#39;s books. I asked about buying Teju Cole&#39;s book once and didn&#39;t get a response.<br /><br />Thanks.Anonymous[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-82126949143807175672010-03-26T00:09:07.893+01:002010-03-26T00:09:07.893+01:00how about tagging along to a regular talk show in nigeria, maybe get a book reading slot 5 minutes to the end of their shows to discuss books for cassava a bit like Richard and Judy.. there&#39;s moments with mo&#39; and this other one on Hitv i watch here from the UKdam dam[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-51540143239748713752010-03-25T19:49:36.136+01:002010-03-25T19:49:36.136+01:00I would say I read books mostly through &quot;word of mouth&quot;, and like you, if I find an author I like, I would buy any book that he/she writes. Its just madness. However, since I spend a lot of time in bookshops, &quot;book covers&quot; also play a huge part in my book buying. I also discovered &quot;the yacoubian building&quot; that way in a library. I had no idea who he was but I liked the cover. Anna Gavalda&#39;s &quot;I wish someone was waiting for me somewhere&quot; also was the same. Now I buy anything she writes.<br /><br />Anyway, I think its quite tough in Nigeria. The way I read books those days was mostly by word of mouth. In fact, I doubt if I really had any choice. I read what I could find. So I would say making the books available and &quot;seen&quot; must be the priority in Nigeria. I did not really go searching for particular books. I was happy if I saw any. I am wondering about markets...I mean, many people go to the markets almost everyday. Why can&#39;t you have your own &quot;cassava stalls? Anyway, just writing from my own experience in Warri. I am sure they have good bookstores in other Nigerian cities. However, if I wanted to sell my books, I would bank on the markets. One can have bookshops in the markets right? Why not just open up a shop for your own books? You can open small shops/stalls in different markets. Why wait for bookshops to pick up your books when you can sell them yourselves? So many women go through market stalls on a daily basis. They would be sure to pick up a book or two on their way home...Waffarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06039619178621668954[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-2247021834383245852010-03-25T12:56:35.018+01:002010-03-25T12:56:35.018+01:00This is a great! I don&#39;t know about Nigeria, but here in the UK, many authors shy away from self-promotion (this is what I love about the Americans - they make our job easier). But try and get your authors to do some of the work. <br /><br />1. Authors are best place to sell their own book(s). Encourage them to introduce themselves thus: &#39;I am a writer (even if that is not their day time job)and my book has just been published...&#39; Get them to excite others about their book. We have noticed here that the authors who sell the most are not always the lucky exception with big publicity budget behind them, but those who are not embarrassed about self-promotion or think that the job of selling the book is in the hands of the publisher. <br /><br />2. Writers belong to many social networks (chucrch, facebook, social clubs etc.) get them to persuade their networks to buy their book and attend their reading. We can&#39;t do it here, but you might be able to do it over there, encourage the author to take orders from friends and pass on the discount that would usually go to the retailer to them in addition to their royalties. <br /><br />3. Get your authors to get their friends to host reading parties for them and just deliver the books to the author to sell. You can also persuade your friend to host your writer privately. <br /><br />4. If the author works in an office get them to organise a lunch time reading. But you can assist the author by helping them to design an e-flier to mail out to their colleagues with request for advance orders. <br /><br />5. Finally, remind your authors that the hardest job in the publishing chain is selling the book. And if they want to shift volume, they have to put in the work. Publishers cannot do it alone!! <br /><br />Sorry if my focus is only on what writers must do. It is just that writers need to understand their role in the success of their book. <br /><br />All the very best. <br /><br />RachelRachel B[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-26410942828776137202010-03-25T12:52:45.724+01:002010-03-25T12:52:45.724+01:00@ Anonymous 1, People will rather buy clothes and make up than buy books. If they have to buy books, they will rather buy motivational books. Its a real shame, thats why a lot people&#39;s head is messed up in Nigeria.Anonymous[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-55055543791199136332010-03-25T01:34:12.174+01:002010-03-25T01:34:12.174+01:00I love www.bookcrossing.com: I register and pass on great books that I&#39;ve read to friends who in turn pass them after reading to their own friends, its cool to see the books you&#39;ve read fly around the world. Since moving to Nigeria though, I&#39;ve been dropping the books I didn&#39;t really love (still good books though but ones I didn&#39;t truly love - like Ian McEwan, sorry Jeremy) around the cities - after registering them with bookcrossing. None have turned up as yet, but maybe one day..., and anyway maybe Nigerians somewhere are enjoying them, and will be inspired to read on after...Anonymous[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-68031550961839488122010-03-24T20:27:37.348+01:002010-03-24T20:27:37.348+01:00take the books to them, same way vendors do. your target market are young workers i.e. bankers, oil workers etc. people are making quick sales in offices selling clothes, jewellery etc. use the same model. it&#39;ll certainly be new but one doesn&#39;t have to take the entire merchandise (just take a few samples)...you have to make it all posh-like, you know your naija peeps. give them maybe a fancy bookmark or something useful (e.g a fridge magnet) once the sale is agreed prior to delivering the book at a later stage. allowing the marketers a stake in the sale might help.<br />p.s. unfortunately, churches can be a tad pretentious in naija or else that&#39;d be a very good place to sell. talk to the more liberal ones.Anonymous1[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-26530008054839872452010-03-24T18:49:14.091+01:002010-03-24T18:49:14.091+01:00nice tips...Dont estimate word of mouth and also bookstores, read stalls...Nigerians especially the youngins are voracious readers, sadly many end up reading wack Mills and Boon books just they easily available(secondhand) and affordable to themjoiceehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16618958439283233753[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-18842730124670736282010-03-24T16:51:20.479+01:002010-03-24T16:51:20.479+01:00Liked your post. Someday I hope to write a book where the royalties will pay for the copies I give away. <br />:-)<br />NikkiNikki Thorntonhttp://www.princetoncryo.com/control-rate-freezer.html[email protected]