Books guide

Get your book stocked in bookshops and libraries

Make your self-published book easy to order, then approach local bookshops and libraries with a professional pitch and realistic trade terms.

Estimated time: 2–3 hours plus visitsUpdated: 28 September 2026

Use this guide when your self-published paperback is available and you want it on physical shelves, not just online. Have your ISBN, a finished copy, your trade price details and a one-page information sheet ready.

Step by step

  1. Make the book orderable through the trade

    Bookshops and library suppliers usually order through wholesalers using the ISBN. Check that your print distribution option makes the book available to the book trade, and that your title's details are correct in the bibliographic data. If a shop cannot find the book in their system, they are unlikely to stock it.

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