The midwives of marketing: programs by book distributors are giving self-published authors more ways to get their works on booksellers' shelves.

For any author, it's a simple equation: the more stores and venues that carry and sell--your book, the more sales you will have. Indeed, distribution is key. And one of the most important relationships a self-published author can develop is one with a book distributor.

Years ago, the role of a distributor was a simple one--to be a conduit for moving books between the publisher and the bookstores. But with the advent of so many self-published authors, distributors have expanded their functions and now provide great partnership opportunities for self-published authors.

Learie Cunningham, owner of Culture Plus, in Brooklyn, New York, looks at his relationship with self-published authors as a joint venture. "We need each other; we cannot do it without the authors, and if they're smart, the authors will not try to do it without the distributor," Cunningham says. "Many times a new self-published author will try to do it on their own, so that they don't have to give the percentage to the distributor. But they quickly discover it is too difficult to handle on their own."

Expanding the Author's Reach

With all the hats the self-published author has to wear, it is challenging to contact all the stores to get distribution, ship their books to the individual stores, and, finally, try to collect the money owed. It can be a harrowing experience, but developing a relationship with a distributor gives the author "one-stop shopping."

"Not only do I have relationships with the stores to get the author's book distributed in places they may not have been able to get into themselves, but I have marketing programs that can help increase an author's sales," Cunningham adds.

With Cunningham and Culture Plus, the author can reach readers beyond their limited scope and reach. The marketing programs that Cunningham puts together for self-published authors can reach 300 independent bookstores and includes a book club mailing, outreach to street vendors and a catalogue mailing to the chain stores. The large, mega-chain bookstores have not been very accepting of self-published titles in the past. "In addition to the marketing programs, I provide a list of the top fifty self-published titles to the stores" says Cunningham. "This is another way the author gains exposure."

Advice for the Asking 

Beyond the marketing programs and support, Culture Plus gives a self-published author something else that is valuable--good, old-fashioned advice. "I've been in this business for a long time," says Cunningham, who founded Culture Plus in 1995. "I know the industry trends, the customers' appetites, what needs to be avoided, and what needs to happen. In all, I know what sells."

Cunningham proved this bit of knowledge to one author who priced her self- published paperback at $22. "Of course, it wasn't selling," the distributor recalled. "However, I helped her repackage, change the price and that title became a big seller"

Culture Plus can give a self-published author the clout they need to be successful. "My job is to make the author look good. When the author looks good, we look good and that's the bottom line." (Culture Plus Book Distributors. 291 Livingston Street. Brooklyn, NY 11217; 718-222-9307; http://cultureplusbooks.net/.

Another New York-based distributor, A&B Distributors is a big seller of self-published titles. However, unlike Culture Plus, who has specific programs for self-published authors, A&B provides self-published authors with the same benefits given to all publishers. Self-published titles are included in the general catalogue and are promoted through newsletters. (A & B Distributors, 223 Duffield Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201; 718-783-7808).

For other distributors, visit the following Web sites:

Ingram Book Group; www.ingrambook.com Baker and Taylor; www.btol.com Quality Books (distributor to libraries); www.quality-books.com

Victoria Christopher Murray's latest book is Truth Be Told (Touchstone, July 2004). Visit her Web site at www.victoriachristophermurray.com/for excerpts.