Secrets of a Jedi Bookseller

Gary Denton on his blog the Easter Lemmings Liberal News lamented that my "Geeks With Books" column "Secrets of the a Jedi Bookseller" was no longer available online. After reading Geek Confidential, Gary wanted to share the piece with some friends.

So rather than make Gary buy books for all his friends (though it does make a fine present and some quality bathroom reading), I've decided reprinted the essay here.

Secrets of a Jedi Bookseller

“I need some help. I’m going on a trip and need a good book to read.” A lot of my conversations start this way. In this case, it was a woman who was a fan of fantasy fiction. She was at a lost.

“What books have you enjoyed in the past?” I quizzed her.

She shot me an incredulous look, “Fantasy.”

I smiled at her. “I know that. I meant which books did you most enjoy reading?”

“I really liked Neil Gaiman’s novels but don’t want to spend hardback money for American Gods. And I enjoyed George R. R. Martin’s fantasies.”

I have this sort of conversation many times a week. It’s one of my favorite discussions. I love to sell books. Some might even say I have a mutant power of sorts; this uncanny ability to match a person to the perfect book, which they didn’t even know they wanted. I argue it’s a less an innate ability but rather a learned response based on few skills that can be taught. Allow me to illustrate my point.

One key to becoming a good bookseller starts long before you approach a customer. The first is to learn something about as many authors and titles as possible while developing an expertise in a select few subjects. And how do you do this? No one can read everything so it’s important you read reviews but even more important is listening to readers. Find out what they like; what they don’t. Ask everyone you know for critiques. I can sell any type of book, but my speciality is genre fiction. (For those of you not into book lingo, genres are novels that are not just classified as fiction. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, romance, and espionage are all genres.) Okay, I fibbed a bit. I’m not too good at selling romance novels. Though I’m particularly proud of my ability to sell westerns. Nothing beats the looks I get from a sixty-something good ole boy when he realizes this long-haired-superhero-t-shirt-wearing-hippy knows a thing or two about westerns.

Years ago my mother and I struck a deal. I would get her advanced reader copies as long as she critiqued the book for me.(Advance reader copies or galleys are usually softbound uncorrected copies that are given to booksellers and reviewers prior to publication.)She told me what she thought of each one. Thanks to her, I know all about Robert Ludlum, John LeCarre, Lillian Jackson Braun, Sue Grafton, and a host of other writers that I would never read.

My mother is not the only person I listen to. I’ll ask any reader what they think. I have cultivated an ability to remember what a person thought about a book. This especially helps with repeat customers. I’ve made several good friends this way.

Once you’ve started devouring the New York Times Book Review, Locus, various internet review sites, and other available information, you are almost ready to sell books. Now you need one more skill: Listening. Listening is the most important thing a young bookseller can master. Let the customer tell you what they like. Pay attention. Their will be a quiz. Coax information out of them. Find out what they enjoy reading. Ask about their occupation, their hobbies, anything that might point you in a direction. Engage the customer in conversation. The last thing someone wants to feel is like they are being sold to.

This method also applies to customers buying gifts. I cannot tell you how many times I have found books for Uncle Chester who is a lawyer, loves science fiction, reads Tom Clancy, and voted for Bush (both times!). Or for the 15 year old niece who loves Harry Potter and Narnia, but is ready for something new. (And my selections? Uncle Chester gets either a Turtledove or a Weber Honor Harrington novel. If I feel the need to expand the scop of his reading, I’ll introduce him to everyone’s favorite ex-Troskyite Libertarian Ken MacLeod. The niece is getting Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight or perhaps the fantasies of Philip Pullman.)

Once you get a feel for what they want, don’t hesitate to make as many recommendations as possible. Give them an armful. The key here is to suggest what THEY will like, not what you like. What you like is inconsequential. Select each book and place it in their hand. This is essential. Make the experience tactile. There is something about the feel of a good book between your hands. (You can always spot the serious book affeciando. They will carefully hold the book in both hands, gently running their fingers over the cover; reveling in the matte or glossy finish, noticing every nuance and imperfection. If it is a hardback, they will remove the dust jacket and look over the binding and cloth cover. And the way you know you are dealing with a REAL book fan? They will open the book and sniff the pages. Yes, smell the book. A well made book has this distinct smell. Old yet enticingly fresh and new. There are only a handful of things that smell better than a book.) As the customer holds the book, explain why you think this book is perfect for their needs. Make the explanation brief, a minute or less then move onto the next title. Do not give them time to decide just yet. My philosophy is to pile them up with as many titles as they can stand and then leave them alone. This is important. Give them room to decide. Some people choose quickly. Others take what seems like hours.

Whatever the customer decides, do not take offense. If they pass on some or all of your selections, it is nothing personal. Often they will return later to buy the same books you recommended. An interesting side benefit from this selling method is that others often overhear your pitch. I cannot tell you how many times I have sold books to interested third parties.

When dealing with a customer, remember that politeness is your best weapon. Greet everyone. Thank the customer for shopping. Say goodbye and if they are shopping for someone else, wish them luck.

Bookselling is a lot like chess. A moment to learn but a lifetime to master. It took me a long time to learn when enough is enough. When it was time to back off and leave the person alone.

And what happened with my traveling, fantasy reading friend? She left with 6 books: two Jonathan Carrolls, two Charles De Lints, a Moorcock fantasy, and Gaiman’s American Gods. She changed her mind on the hardcover. On her way out she stopped to ask for my name, and to tell me she would be back. One final note: Of the six books, I had read only two of them. The others I sold based on what others had told me or reviews I had read.

There you have it: some of the many secrets of bookselling. Now I have to kill you.