John Clayton's Blog

Responding to my post about independent bookstores, Mike Shay writes:

In WYO, we'd be sunk without the independent bookstore because that's almost all there is. Second story Books in Laramie, Two Ocean Books in Dubois, The Book Shop in Sheridan, Book and Bean in Rock Springs. I could go on and on. They always are very supportive of writers in the state and around the Rocky Mountain region. Most prominently feature shelves devoted to WYO and Western writers. They can make local decisions about which books to stock, and they can make it right on the spot because usually you are talking to the owner or co-owner when you walk in the door. Often these places are fixtures of their towns, located right downtown, even if that's just a two-block stretch along a state highway (as in Dubois). So, in a way, they represent literacy and economic development in small towns across the West.

There are drawbacks. Hours are short, usually 9 a.m.- 5 pm. Some are closed on Sundays and even close during "off-seasons." Selection is limited. Lots of competition from the Net and superstores, even large urban indies like Powell's and Tattered Cover.

Mr. Cowen concerns himself mainly with urban bookselling. The rural and small-town market seems to be another case altogether. Perhaps you, as a recovering economist, can expand on the issue?

One other thing. The West seems to defy the norm in so many ways. In WYO, everything is personal. When my book of stories came out in the spring from a small press, I visited the local bookstores in Cheyenne and all decided to stock my book, "The Weight of a Body" (Ghost Road Press). That included City News, which acts like an indie but really is part of a very small chain out of Colorado; the Wyoming State Museum Store, where they do a great job stocking books by western writers and about the West; and Barnes & Noble, the only one in the state. The B&N folks ordered ten copies and continue to stock them. The staff includes some "book people" but even if they aren't, they support local writers. It's the personal contact that makes the difference.

Can a writer visit every bookstore in his/her state? Do writers want to do this? Maybe not, but if the independent bookstore owners can maintain reputations as people who care about books, writers can show them some respect. You can nurture them by dropping by to buy a book or mag or even a latte. Meet the owner and introduce yourself as a writer, even if you don't have a new book that needs promoting.

Mike's thoughts are right in line with mine: that bookstores offer more than commercial transactions. I was thinking of a variety of bookstore experiences, but Mike valuably points to one of the most interesting ones in rural areas: the community of writers and readers.

Economists are great at pointing out rational solutions. But the end of my time as an economist coincided with my realization that few of my life's most memorable experiences were tied to rationality!

I'm always interested in feedback, via info at johnclaytonbooks...