Here is a terrific post from a new contributor to The Bookshop Blog - Roberta Nevares
If you have some time take a look at her blog The Poet In You
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I am a relative newbie in the world of book selling, my dear friend Nora who encouraged me to travel down this path is not. In fact, book selling is nearly all she has ever known save for a very short stint as a barista with a well-known coffee chain. This brief foray of hers was put to an end with an intervention by loved ones. Nora finally relented to their fervent entreaties to, “be done with this torturous career path”, an occupation that had resulted in a traumatic and recurring nightmare in which she found herself seated opposite the half-rabid coffee swilling author Balzac wagering on the ever popular card game, Piquet. In this dream Balzac could not be restrained from leaping up and shouting, “Carte Blanche!”. Nora would then be obliged to prepare yet another demitasse full of brew by manipulating a very complicated piece of 19th century machinery, glass tubes and metal parts would sputter forth a few pungent and very black drops of a full bodied dark roast for the never sated author. Ah, the stuff nightmares are made of. Intervention behind her, she shrugged off her apron and stepped back into the world of book selling.
This dear woman was my first and primary teacher, a mentor if you would have it so. We’ve lived in different cities now for more than a decade. My “tutelage” has been by phone and email. In the beginning, the only experience I had was as a customer and fan of used bookstores, their decline was a subject we spoke about often. I loved finding an out of print or hard to fine title, even one with a dedication in a flowery script would have me buzzing. As a bookseller, I had no experience. I had a barrage of questions, all of the most obvious ones: what to buy, where to buy it, how to sell it. Five years later the book related calls are fewer and the need for consolation much less. When I feel that I’ve let something get away from me I remember the signed Kerouac that she let go for a song. Now we commiserate more than anything but she is still my go to girl in times of crisis.
There are so many sources of information, the key is to be open to them and to value them especially when they come from the first hand experience of your book selling peers. I know that most booksellers don’t like to give away their hard earned lessons because those lessons, they’ve come at a price.
Book selling blogs have also been a great source of information. Sometimes I will find answers to questions that I didn’t even realize needed answering. One of the blog posts that I am most grateful for having found was right here on this site. It’s Tom Nealon’s post titled, Don’t Get Hung Up On Your Buying Mistakes - Sell And Move On. I swear, I think he wrote it just for me. After reading the article I finally started purging boxes of books. It has made a huge difference, both psychologically (I no longer have those foul books taunting me) and physically, it’s opened up a lot of shelf-space. Also, The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books
has recently made a comeback and has some pertinent posts for booksellers.
Book selling blogs have an appeal that the forums on ABE and Alibris do not. I am looking for and value constructive first hand experience, not doom and gloom.
My sources of motivation aren’t always other booksellers and they are not always online. I sometimes think of a veterinarian I once worked for who ranted when he found a box of product that was not on the shelf. “These aren’t going to sell sitting in this box in the office,” he railed. And he was right. When I see a box of books that I have yet to post I think of him in all of his annoyance. When I really need motivation I think of a Coach Bob Hurley at St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City, NJ. He challenges his basketball players to give it their all and be their best. When my husband and I first watched this on CBS I laughed and said, “Can you imagine if I had that guy here coaching me on book selling? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WATCHING TV????? POST THOSE BOOKS. POST ‘EM!!!!!”
In my very short history as a bookseller I have found that advice, inspiration and motivation can come from almost anywhere. If I have any advice to give it is to love what you do, do it well, and get those books out of the box and on your shelves!
Roberta Nevares
Bertski Books
That's really nice, EE. I might take you up on it once this draft is done and passes the vetting of the lunatic asylum that calls itself a writers' program.
I applaud you.
(Sure hope you get a novel that keeps you awake.)
EE,you are wonderful.
It's already up to £366. That's a few more acorns than sqrls can afford.
Then again, my book isn't 100k either. Poor thing, left with the last few thousand words unedited...doesn't bear thinking about!
I do not think you are one person. Not to do as much work as you do with this blog and work full time -- and offer to edit a whole novel for charity. Are you retired? Hmm. Looking at your song list, I'm thinking you can't be TOO much older than me, and I'm still looking forward to early retirement, which is still too many years away. Unless you have a golden parachute -- which I assuredly don't, or I would bid on that Golden Opportunity, which, by the way, if you don't speak British, is up to $725 American.
Whatever the case, you are certainly generous, and some lucky writer is going to get double satisfaction out of their donation!
That is a brilliant and lovely gesture.
I knew someone would figure this out. See, EE? I told you that your secret wouldn't last.
Yes, it's true.
EE is NOT one person.
We cloned him last year. We were going to clone a cute black lab, but just couldn't risk it. Since EE couldn't get a table at Elaine's, we used him instead.
And the results are swell.
One of his clones gets my dry cleaning and picks up flowers for me along with groceries at Zabar's.
Another does this blog.
We have one who works out and gets buff for all the others.
There's another whose prime responsibility is to fill me in on the latest stories in the NY Times, as well as Tivo'ing all the old Charlie Rose shows. This one also is my permanent walking dictionary.
And the original has given all his editing responsibilities to three of the clones, as he lives in Antigua and Marbella where he does the flamenco and tango with Miss Snark and worships Killer Yapp.
Unfortunately (for me), the price has crept up into the "two-spouse decision" realm, which is never a good sign for something I want. Fortunately (for sufferers of Juvenile Diabetes), people with more money than I seem to be smart enough to value EE's offer.
Also, what bernita said. It is a big thing to donate, and I hope you get a book worthy of your talents.
Verification word: itwuzyet
I had no idea it would get so high so fast. The first time I went to the site, minutes after it was posted, the high bid was $8.00.
Yeah, that's a lotta hours, EE. You big old softie. What are we gonna do with you? Kind Editor just doesn't have the ring. C'm here. awww c'm here, ya little cutie.
Tremendous gesture, EE.
Crap, crap and double crap. It is up to $800!!! Too rich for my blood. Crap. Crap. Double crap. Curse all you moneybags writers out there. Curse you, I say.
Crap.
Wow EE, who knew you were so valuable?
Well, me, of course, it's just a pity I can't afford you. Hope you get something great to read and, if it's a total stinker, keep in mind that it's all for a good cause!
I'll bet it goes to 3k by July.
I was going to say how crappy it is that I don't have a finished available ms because I would give several fingers (left hand) for that...but then the price went way beyond what I can afford anyway.
Darn.
Really cool of you to do this, EE.
Evil, you've become a celebrity. Deal with it!
Everybody I talk to knows you. I wonder if you could host the Today Show without revealing your identity...
By the way, EE, are you really an editor? Now that you're a big star that sounds too mundane for you...
I commend you for donating your time. Most of the "prizes" seem to be a bunch of authors trying to get some promotion for their books (kind of like those singers who 'donated their time' to USA for AFRICA in the eighties so us poor saps could kick in a few bucks). You're really going to have to work! Kudos to you...
Great cause, but that's already too rich for my blood. I'm just going to carry through with my insidious plan to have you do it for free, couching every three paragraphs as a different "beginning" by changing all the names.
Stupendous value, though. The winner will absolutely be getting her money's worth.
What a nice thing to do, EE. You're going to raise lots of money for them. Too bad I don't have (a) lots of money and (b) a novel ready to be edited.
Wow, what a great prize! And you are a bit better known than you think you are. ;)
EE, that is really generous. I echo everyone's sentiments here. Kudos and applause!
150, that was MY plan! Grumble, grumble....
I wonder if Miss Snark is bidding--Her latest version of Rabbitania probably needs serious editing.
Sigh, I wish I could afford to jump in. It's a great cause.
Cheers,
Let's see. An author in England with bags o' cash looking for editorial services. By Jove, I think I've got it: EE will be editing the next Harry Potter!!
Congrats!!
Damn. I can't afford that by any stretch of the imagination.
Very sweet of you to do, EE, and evil too - unblievable kindness from you when we're used to your cutting wit and sarcasm. It confuses our brains. Evil man.
I only wish I had a manuscript that was deserving of your services. Last I checked, it was over $800.
This is truly a wonderful and generous thing you are doing. You may have to change your first name if you keep this up. I was all set to bid, and then it went well past what I could afford. Which is sad for me and great for you and the cause.
By the way, does the winning bidder get to know your secret identity? If yes, I may just have to get back into the bidding! ;o)
PS - 150 I choked on a peanut reading your post and now have a sore throat. Luckily, the peanut came back out through my right nostril.
WOW!! It is up to $1,075 now with 122 bids! Kristin Nelson's critique of your first 30 to 50 pages peaked at $600 and that was only 30 to 50 pages!!! (By the way, why didn't she just say 50? Who's gonna pay $600 and say Oh just critique the first 30 instead of 50, I don't need my money's worth...)
This is very cool...
What ever happened to being evil?
I'm usually a lurker here, but but I'm posting today. I commend you, Evil.
Do you have to listen to her ipod when she does the critique?
Holy Batman, Robin - You're over $2000 with 5 hours to go!
I'd even invoke Great Ceaser's Ghost.
Damn- I just got in a little while ago and saw this - and the bid is up over $2000.00. You're definitely worth it, but I'm not entirely ready, and this is really getting up there on the $$$.
This is a great idea. If you ever decide to do this again, please let us know.
Over $2000!
So who won?
Wow, very nice for the auction! I can't help but hope that it's one of the minions that wins it, though!
So I checked this morning - the final and winning bid was $2050.00. I confess to being jealous as hell of the winner.
This was really, really great of you to do this. I sent something in to help, but it wasn't at this level.
I didn't recognize the "name" of the winner. I can't help but wonder he/she is a minion.
Regardless, as I said before, please let us know if you sign up to do something else like this.
I've heard nothing since the auction ended. Presumably they collect the money, then put the buyers in contact with the donators.