On Used Bookstores

A lot of folks have been talking about used bookstores over the last day or two. Some of them have been talking about how used bookstores are detrimental to us working authors. Other folks have been speaking up in favor of used bookstores.

Here is my two bits.

I love used bookstores. A lot of them have closed here in Halifax. I miss them greatly.

I have always understood that a sale in a used bookstore does nothing for my pocketbook. But I also know that I have discovered writers in used bookstores and have gone on to hunt up their books in other bookstores – just because I wasn’t willing to sit around and wait to see if the rest of a certain author’s line-up showed up at one of the used bookstores that I frequent.

So – in the long of it I would say that used bookstores CAN sometimes benefit an author. I have quite a few friends whom I realize will NEVER buy one of my books – because they are too broke, or they don’t like booga-booga horror or they just aren’t big on reading. I don’t figure I should “unfriend” them just because they aren’t buying my books. So I stay friendly with used bookstores for that very same reason.

The fact is, I am NOT a business person. I would be if I were smarter at this gig of mine – but I am better at making shit up than I am at making a profit at it. I figure that doesn’t make me a lesser writer – just a less than rich one.

Anyways – I ought to be writing right now.

I need to make a little bit more money so that I can go and spend it at my local used bookstore.

yours in storytelling,

Steve Vernon