Things were also changing for Rachelle Markley, the owner of Crooked House Books and Paper. She said that walk-in traffic dropped off, but luckily she had always been selling online, her biggest presence being on Etsy. During March of last year, she fully expected not to make it when people were “hoarding beans and toilet paper;” she did not think that people were going to open their wallets and start buying “weird collectible books,” yet somehow the pandemic has been really good for online book sales.
Online
Learning the ABCs of Bookstagram
By Hannah Boettcher
I started my bookstagram page at the end of September 2020. In under half a year, I have amassed 3,400 plus followers, held conversations with some of my favorite authors, and made many bookish friends. There are many bookstagram “secrets” only accessible to those engaging with other accounts, consuming a lot of content, and running an actual bookstagram account. Thus, I have gathered my most useful tips and tricks on how to operate and brand a successful bookstagram account.
Awards, Awards, Awards
By Mary Williams
It’s chaos. Utter chaos.
Book Subscription Boxes Offer an Alternative to Browsing Bookstore Shelves this Holiday Season (And Beyond)
By Stephanie Lawson @a_writer_stephanielawson
COVID-19 continues to change lifestyles and restrict in-person contact. People may not be able to shop at their favorite bookstores (or any stores) without potentially waiting in a line outside the brick and mortar or needing to proactively set an appointment. A box of books and other goodies being delivered can bring the bookstore vibes to readers’ homes, and can keep us consuming the titles that flood our wishlists and the titles we had no idea we needed.
How Goodreads Helped Me Find My Memories
By Elle Klock @elleklock
My “2019” shelf sat, neatly and chronologically ordered for me to peruse. Month by month, the books I had slogged through and the books that shone brilliantly awakened in my memory, but something else happened too. I began to remember other parts of my life in those months.
A Marketing Tool for Indie Publishers and Authors Alike
By Hannah Boettcher
Goodreads allows users to keep track of books they’ve read, books they want to read, and the reading journeys of other registered users. While Goodreads is a wonderful resource for readers, it also houses a very lucrative market for indie publishers and authors. Through the Goodreads author program, Q&A groups, word of mouth, and the Goodreads recommendation engine, indie publishers and authors are able to establish a presence among the bigger five guns in the publishing world.