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- How do I submit titles to Biblio?
- How long will it take before I get an answer?
- What is the Biblio review committee looking for in a prospective publisher?
- How long will it take for my books to be in the bookstores if I sign up with Biblio?
- How do I send inventory once I'm on board with Biblio?
- Why wouldn't a distributor want to represent me (my company/book)?
- Why do most distributors only want publishers who have more than 10 titles?
- My book is great. Why wouldn't a distributor think so?
- How can I make my company and books attractive to a distributor?
- Once I get a distributor, what are some ways to best work with them to ensure the relationship is profitable for both of us?
- Does Biblio distribute magazines?
Submission Requirements FAQ
- How do I submit titles to Biblio?
Titles submitted to Biblio for consideration must include the following:
- A completed online application.
- A brief cover letter explaining your reason for wanting distribution and any special circumstances concerning your program.
- Samples of your books, bound galleys and sample covers, and a catalog if you have one.
- Your marketing plan: how you plan to support your books once they are on bookstore shelves. (Publicity, advertising, promotion, reviews, etc.).
- Your future publishing plans: how many books do you publish per year, how many do you plan for next year. Include the subject categories you are publishing in.
This does not need to be a huge document; a simple bulleted list describing the highlights of how you plan to promote your book to customers and a short description of your current and future publishing plans is sufficient.
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the high volume of submissions we receive, we will be unable to return your book to you once it's been submitted to us for review.
- How long will it take before I get an answer?
(This assumes you're referring to the package submission, not the online application.)The submissions process takes about 2-4 weeks. You will be contacted via phone, email or letter with our decision. We thank you in advance for your patience while we assess your program.
- What is the Biblio review committee looking for in a prospective publisher?
- A quality product (this means the book has a spine, is not POD and is similar in quality to books put out by major publishers)
- An active, professional, promotion plan
- A publisher looking to grow their business by publishing more titles
- A publisher willing to learn our schedule and work within our system
- How long will it take for my books to be
in the bookstores if I sign up with Biblio?
It will take 4-8 weeks for all the databases to be updated with your title information. Your books are "available" from us as soon as we receive them, but many accounts source through the wholesalers (esp. Ingram and Baker & Taylor) so it's important that you plan your promotion according to our schedule. Please see our Planning Your Promotion (pdf) chart to get a better idea of our sales schedule.
- How do I send inventory once I'm on board with Biblio?
New publishers will receive full instructions on how to proceed once their contract is received and processed. Please do not send inventory until your title is set-up in our database.
- Why wouldn't a distributor want to represent me (my company/book)?
Distributors need to know that the books they represent will be well received by their customers. To do that, books must look and feel like the "real" books already sold in bookstores. First, a book must meet the most basic of industry requirements. The book must have a copyright page, an ISBN, and a Bookland EAN barcode and price printed on the book.
Beyond that, the criteria are more subjective: members of the review committee must feel the book's content or subject matter is saleable and that the look of the book represents high production value. The review committee looks for a fantastic cover including back cover material that sells the book, a quality design both inside and out, and text that reflects if has been professionally edited and proofed. Last, but very important as well, is the publisher's plan for supporting the book with marketing and promotion and the publisher's future publishing plans. Distributors like to know that there will be more books to sell!
- Why do most distributors only want publishers who have more than 10 titles?
Every facet of the industry (publishers, distributors, wholesalers, bookstores) depends on volume: more books sold means more money. If it costs the same to rep 10 books as 1 book, the odds are that much better with more titles. We in the book industry--publishers, distributors, printers, packagers, wholesalers, retailers and distributors--want and need to make money.
Having said that, Biblio is willing to consider publishers with even just one book in print if the book meets the requirements mentioned above and the publisher plans to support the book and publish more books in the near future. We're new and growing and wish to grow our publishers with us.
- My book is great. Why wouldn't a distributor think so?
While industry production standards are very objective, judgments about a book's worth, value and future sales are much more subjective. Distributors and wholesalers have a good idea of what is currently selling in bookstores and what bookstores are asking for more of. Their decisions to represent your book may have to do with one or more of these factors. Properly timing the release of a book can also have a big impact. If you offer a Christmas book to your distributor in October, that is far too late to get the book into stores in time for the Christmas selling season. Distributors may also turn down a publisher if they feel the publisher cannot produce books according to the industry's selling schedule. Another factor is how and how much a book will be marketed. A well funded, well-rounded, complete media campaign (print, radio, television, online) could make the difference for a distributor.
- How can I make my company and books attractive to a distributor?
Make sure that the book is professionally produced--using editors, interior designers, cover designers, indexers and printers that are knowledgeable and experienced in the book industry. Make sure that you have a complete, appropriate and thorough marketing campaign planned.
Submitting to a distributor is like applying for a job: publishers should make the best possible presentation reflecting their company, their products, and their plans.
- Once I get a distributor, what are some ways to best work with them to
ensure the relationship is profitable for both of us?
Read and understand your contract with the distributor. Read, understand and comply with all the distributor's specifications regarding submitting book data, shipping, etc. Have realistic expectations and plan for the lead-time needed by your distributor. Despite advances made in electronic data transmission and just-in-time inventory, it still takes time to notify accounts, receive purchase orders, ship the orders, receive and stock the orders. Know the industry and how it works (read Poynter, Ross, Kremer, Wolls, Publishers Weekly, and join SPAN, PMA, etc.) Give your distributor as much notice as possible about major upcoming media appearances. (For example, an article in Newsweek, an appearance on the Today Show, a review in the Washington Post.)
- Does Biblio distribute magazines?
No, we do not, we only distribute books. You should contact Ingram about their periodicals division at http://www.ingramperiodicals.com.