May you write through interesting times…
Warning: this is a long piece.
You may have heard about the problems at IBS-STL. I’ve not written anything on it so far – even though I was teaching on a course run by Authentic Media when the storm broke, so knew something was happening, but I’ve been thinking that someone ought to pipe up for the writers.
For those of you who don’t know what’s happening, Phil Groom’s excellent blog has all the info. The short version is that IBS-STL, which comprises Wesley Owen Bookshops, Authentic Media and STL distribution, is up for sale. The official line is that the problems began with a new computer system which led to orders not being fulfilled, invoices not being processed and a general melt-down at the most crucial time for the booksellers – the run up to Christmas. And the fact that this took place in the credit crunch made recovery incredibly difficult.
However, the book trade – the Christian book trade in particular – has been struggling for some time. The collapse of the SPCK bookshops from 2006–2008 cannot be blamed on the credit crunch. They went pear-shaped long before that came along. And the problems being faced by Wesley Owen Bookshops are being faced by the whole industry. The latest news is that Borders is up for sale and the their website has stopped supplying books altogether.
So what does this mean? Well, for the staff of IBS-STL – many of whom are friends of mine – it means a lot of uncertainty and fear. The people I know in the business – particularly those in Authentic – are good, creative people, people who care about books and good writing and who do a lot to support and develop UK talent. As I understand it, Authentic is in pretty good shape, but even so, finding a buyer in this market could prove challenging. My prayers are with Keith and all the people in the business.
But they are not the only people involved. The IBS-STL situation has a knock-on effect for all of us in the industry. I note that the Bible Society has called for a conference in January to discuss the issue. But we need to be aware that there are more people involved here than just in the main book trade. There are the small publishers, of course, but also charities, designers, and, of course, writers.
The impact on Christian writing in this country could be disastrous. It’s hard enough making a living as a writer without losing a load of shops and one of my favourite publishers. And these days very few UK writers make much of an impact in the states. It’s pretty much one-way traffic as far as that is concerned: we buy their authors, they don’t buy ours. In an attempt to stop the American market ignoring me, more and more of my books are published straight into what is euphemistically called ‘International Spelling.’ As far as I can see, all that has happened is that America still ignores my work. Only now its spelt wrong as well.
Anyway, leaving my bitterness aside, at least in the UK I have five or six people who buy my stuff. But if the business goes under what’s going to happen? There are many challenges on the horizon for all of us in the book trade, whether publishers, booksellers or writers. Internet bookselling is ubiquitous. The e-Book lurks on the horizon. So maybe the end is here for the traditional bookshop.
Well, I don’t think so. Not yet. But I do think that the business has to do some long, hard thinking. So here, for what it’s worth, is my perspective – that of a writer and book buyer – on what’s needed…
1. People who love books.
There is a future for bookshops. But they will have to be really good bookshops. ‘Average’ is no longer an option. And they will have to be run by people who both love books and, crucially, love selling them.
I hear a lot about ‘bookshop ministries.’ There’s no doubt that, because of the type of books they sell, Christian bookshops can certainly be a ‘missional space’ as Simon Jones puts it so well. But I’d suggest that in order to be a successful missional space, I’d suggest it first has to be a successful bookshop. Sometimes, I can’t help feeling that the more we’ve called them ministries, the less they’ve acted like bookshops.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying selling. One of my favourite Christian bookshops used to be run by a friend of mine who had once been a market trader. It showed. His shop was piled high with great bargains, but also stocked some wonderfully obscure, appealing titles as well. He wanted to sell books. That was what he was there for.
You have to love the product. I don’t think anyone should run a bookshop, or work in a bookshop who doesn’t love books. But so many Christian bookshops I go into show little or no love of books, as such. There are no personal recommendations. No sign of independent selection. This was certainly true of my experience with SPCK before they imploded.
I went into a local Christian bookstore the other day and it was a really depressing experience. I was looking for a mainstream title, by Tom Wright, but it wasn’t there. Nor were many of his other books. I’ll tell you what there were, though. There were lots of pencils and pens and erasers with Christian slogans on. There were cases for your Bible and racks upon racks of greeting cards. It wasn’t a book shop. It was a Christian novelty shop with some books in the back.
2. States of independence
It’s significant that, when I think of the Christian bookshops that have impressed me – and they are out there – most of them are run by independents. They’re not part of a chain. And here’s the thing: independents are in it for the love of books and bookselling. Independents have to work harder, think more creatively, know more. Independents can stock the books that they want to stock. Promote the authors you care about, not just the ones that sell in big quantities.
I’m not sure if Wesley Owen chains were centrally stocked, but I think that central command is the death of interesting shops. Take away the ability of the manager to choose their stock and respond to their market and you take away all the things that make a bookshop different: individuality, eccentricity, charm. I want something different; I do not want one-size-fits-all.
3. Great places to go
You have to make the place memorable. Make it an exciting, fascinating place. Give me some coffee, sure. Hold events. Encourage reading. Show me what you like, tell me what you think. Make your shop unforgettable. Give it a personality. Again, when I think about the bookshops I like, they all have a certain personality. I like going there. There is pleasure in actually visiting the place. I was in a bookshop in Penrith the other day and it was wonderful. It had a coffee shop upstairs (selling organic bread); it hosted art exhibitions, it had hand-made signs and comfortable chairs. No doubt the owner has to work incredibly hard to make it work, but it seemed to me to be a great place to spend time.
4. Great products to sell
Hmmm. Well, here we have to bring the publishers into it. As anyone who sees my royalty statements would know, I am not the best judge of what sells. And I am nothing if not prolific (poverty being a great spur to productivity). But I do have to question the sheer amount of crap that the Christian world produces. It’s not just the gimmicks and the novelties; it’s the endless stream of cheap, imported, second-grade writing from some perma-tanned Mega-church pastor with a TV ministry, nuclear-white teeth, a bottle-blonde wife and a healing ministry. Or the Bibles with nothing different about them except that they have been bound in fluorescent yellow Yak-hide. Or the endlessly repackaged Worship greatest hits. Or, what I call ‘me too’ publishing, where one publisher produces exactly what another publisher has produced for no other reason than they want a slice of the pie. I think there are some very exciting talented people working in this industry, but too often they are working under enormously difficult constraints – usually to do with budget. Maybe if producers worked together a bit more, maybe if there were less duplication, it would help the creative talent – and, indeed, the bookseller.
5. A combined effort
I think there has to be more contact between all the different parts of the publishing world. If the Bible Society does call this conference we don’t just need publishers there: we need publishers and editors and books shop owners and authors and artists and, yes, book buyers, there. We are all in this thing together. I always love talking to the people who buy my books and also to the people who sell them. You learn stuff that way. We need to find ways for all the parts of the jigsaw to come together.
I said at the beginning of this enormous rant well thought-out essay that the impact on Christian writing in this country could be disastrous. So it could be. But it could be positive as well. It could be that we are forced into a rethink of what Christian books are for and what Christian bookselling is really all about. It could be that we will be forced to be more inventive, more collaborative, more passionate and more professional in our approach.
Christianity has always been a religion of the Book: but also a religion of books. There’s a case for arguing that Christians actually invented the book as we know it. Certainly they adopted the form way beyond any other significant group in the Roman empire. When the others were still using scrolls, the Christians were reading their paperbacks. Or papyrus-backs to be precise.
Looks like we’re going to need to be inventive again. Interesting times, indeed.
Amen brother! Well said.
Great stuff Nick you have said what’s been on my mind.
Here’s the deal – Christian media / bookshops sell to “Doris” a 55-65 year old lady from a local church, plus 80% of Christian books are sold to women, ouch – i write men’s books!
The credit crunch took businesses that were below average or failing and the Christian industry is and should be no different.
We have to be more interesting and creative to survive.
BTW STL isn’t and shouldn’t be a charity – it’s a business – it needs to sell more units of better stuff at better prices. Business is simple.
When I visited the STL offices a few months back – it was great to meet the guys, but there was no receptionist! How did that make me feel, do you know a big biz without a smiley face at reception – these things matter, the little relational things really do matter in business.
This is a tough time, but it’s also an exciting opportunity for something new to rise up, and I really hope my friends at Authentic will be part of that.
Lee Jackson
(Co-author of three books on Authentic / STL)
amen to all the above, brother Nick
Great piece, Nick…so agree with you about bookshops and personality… been in some very sniffy bookshops, no atmosphere or joy. Long live the book, the good bookshops and the booksellers who LOVE their books!
very thought-provoking Nick. As a life-long booklover I would hate to see the death of books.
Nick – in addition to your five British readers, you have at least one in the US. However, I disagree a bit with your premise. The decline of bookstores does not mean the death of books or publishers, Christian or otherwise. Book brick-and-mortar retailers and record shops have been on the edge of extinction in the US (the land of uber-Capitalism) for the last 15-20 years. Why? Well, primarily, most have never figured out this whole, wacky "internet" thing. Heck, most Catholic bookstores I've visited couldn't even tell you what Paypal is. I would venture to say that Nick Page today probably sells more books online than from buyers entering brick-and-mortar bookstores. Is it a sad thing? Perhaps. The local neighborhood bookstore is a romantic, nostalgic idea. Heck, I'm like all Americans. We loved "84 Charing Cross Road". We took dates to see "Notting Hill" – even if our dates just wanted to ogle Hugh Grant (for some mysterious reason, American women love Hugh Grant). But the death of books, Christian or otherwise? I doubt it. More likely, a call to arms for the religious publishing industry to wake up, realize the 1970s are over, and embrace the idea that most publishing and bookselling in the future will involve the internet, United States Postal Service, and/or the Royal Mail (when they are not on strike).
Sorry if that was written like a true, market-focused, dollars-and-sense American. Sometimes we can't help ourselves. It comes from living in the greatest country on earth (just kidding).
Tom – you're right. Although some of the online UK Christian retailers have been hit as well. However, I think there's room for both types of buying. I'm certainly driven by an old-fashioned belief in the bookshop. My point is that bookshops can still work in the marketplace, they just have to work harder – and in a different way. And my point was that many Christian bookshops fail because they lose sight of the fact that they are a business. And there's nothing wrong with being a business. As to the internet, I don't think that we in the publishing industry have begun to come to to terms with the changes that are coming. I've been meaning to blog something about e-books for a while, so maybe I ought to do that! It's not clear if people are buying less books. Book sales, I think, fell in the UK last year, according to value (although the number of units sold may be the same). According to the booksellers association, independent bookstores sales dropped by 16%, while internet retailing rose by 183%. And supermarket book sales rose by 90%.As to living in the 'greatest country on earth', I didn't realise you'd moved to England…
Tom – you're right. Although some of the online UK Christian retailers have been hit as well. However, I think there's room for both types of buying. I'm certainly driven by an old-fashioned belief in the bookshop. My point is that bookshops can still work in the marketplace, they just have to work harder – and in a different way. And my point was that many Christian bookshops fail because they lose sight of the fact that they are a business. And there's nothing wrong with being a business. As to the internet, I don't think that we in the publishing industry have begun to come to to terms with the changes that are coming. I've been meaning to blog something about e-books for a while, so maybe I ought to do that! It's not clear if people are buying less books. Book sales, I think, fell in the UK last year, according to value (although the number of units sold may be the same). According to the booksellers association, independent bookstores sales dropped by 16%, while internet retailing rose by 183%. And supermarket book sales rose by 90%.As to living in the 'greatest country on earth', I didn't realise you'd moved to England…
I found your 'rant' very interesting, and the challenges the christian book industry faces much the same as christian mission in general, I work with Tom Wright in the diocese, and I know how indebted the christian publishing world is to his output! but it also amazes me how many of my friends manage to get their books published into what is an increasingly small market…
Dear Nick,
Warning: this is a long reply to a long piece
As a bookseller and fan of your writing, when I saw that you had blogged on the STL situation back in November, I was keen to read your piece and see your point of view, as you often write with insightfulness and humour. But the more I read the blog post, the more disappointed I got with your the inaccurate and contradictory analysis of the Christian trade. A friend recently tweeted about this post and asked me if I had read it, yes, I replied but dismissed it because it failed to see past the generalisations of a beleaguered trade, but he encouraged me to reply. So I offer my response to you, with respect for your work but with frustration at your lack of awareness about Christian stores.
You make some fair and obvious points about bookshops, but you fail to understand that these stores are not just bookshops, they were up until 10—15 years ago, but the demise of the Net Book Agreement & the internet changed that world. Bookshops reacted by selling emerging products and resources that churches and Christians were looking for, such as music, Church requisites, cards, gifts and software. This was not dumbing down, but responding to what their customers were looking for, now over a third of sales will come from non-book product, and that product has a much better margin allowing them to carry on stocking books. So I agree that stores need to have staff that love what they do, and excel at what they do, but the novelty shop with books at the back jibe is incorrect, and fails to understand what the people who uses the stores want from them.
I’ve had the experience of working in an independent and chain stores, I’ve seen the good, bad and ugly of both. You are incorrect in your “states of independence” section, and I would argue unkind, to assume that a chain of shops rather an independent care less about their stock range, their selection or customers. One of the many the strengths of a group is that stores share knowledge, expertise & passion. Central control is never absolute, in the group I worked in the local store always had permission to develop it’s local market and identity. Whereas in a independent the selection revolves around one person or small group of staff, and they can become very narrow and blinkered in their selection. Publishers used to comment that the chain I worked for, supported new titles & authors in a way that the independents couldn’t and wouldn’t, and they were very grateful. So there are strengths in both models, but it seems you’re not well enough informed about how chain stores operate.
I also know the bookshop run by your market trader friend, and whilst I admire it’s eclectic nature and celebrate all it has been and done over the years, I remember when one of the trustees of that shop came to our group to ask if we would buy it because they could no longer make it viable. We had to say no because it’s stock was so old, slow selling and over-valued that we would have had to write off so much of it. I’m pleased the store is still just hanging in there, but know from local contacts that it is still having a really hard time.
I do agree that we need more great products to sell, and if you despair at what you see, you won’t believe what is rejected. Most stores will try and be objective on their selections, and wish that publishers would produce far less and work more on quality. My good friend says of Christians “we’re all somebody’s weirdo”, so you are guaranteed to have to walk past walls of books that you dislike before you finally see a book you approve of, I’ve given up trying to pass the heresy police test and wish that Christians would be a little more graceful to one another and to booksellers.
If you’ve reached this point in my reply, I’m grateful, and please know that I’ve responded because I normally like what you have to say, but this piece got me riled because, I believe, it has misrepresented the world of Christian stores, but mixed in enough wisdom to make it sound plausible. However your post missed the real story that the STL stores went down not because of their retailing but because of the global ambitions of their parent company. Now there’s a subject for such a well regarded author such as yourself to get your teeth into.
With respect
Iago.
Hi Iago,
Thanks for posting the piece. I’m glad to have it on the site.
I’m sorry if I riled you, although, to be fair it is a gift of mine. As Paul wrote, ‘Some are evangelists, some pastors and teachers, others are just plain irritating.’ Or words to that effect. OK, let’s get down to some serious points, and I’ll try to keep it reasonably brief!
First, the point about it being a novelty shop was not a general jibe, but a point about a specific shop. (And it really is true.) I’m not saying that all shops are like that, or that they shouldn’t sell such stuff. Just that this one didn’t. Anyway, the main point of that section I would defend wholeheartedly, and that’s that bookshops should have a passion for selling books. And I’m sorry, but I never saw enough evidence of that in Christian bookshops. Maybe I never went into the right ones enough! But speaking as a customer, that was my experience. I didn’t see these places as places which really loved selling and were really passionate about books. This is not something that I haven’t said before. I said it to the assembled Wesley Owen managers, etc. at a speech I gave to their conference in 2006, I think.
Second – independents – yes I stand corrected. Looking at those paragraphs I think they’re rather condescending and make sweeping generalisations about those who work for the chains. I apologise. However, again, as a customer, I have to say that if I make a list of my favourite bookstores, they are all independent. Perhaps what independence gives you is the chance to give your shop more character? But it’s the case. (In fact, now I come to think of it, virtually all my favourite shops are independents. With the exception of my chosen clothes retailer – Oxfam.)
I think what I was trying to say in the piece is what I, as a customer and booklover, would like to see in a bookshop. Whether that is enough to make them financially viable I don’t know. Did the removal of the Net book agreement have a massive effect on Christian bookshops (I didn’t see a lot of other shops suddenly discounting Christian books!) I know it hit the general trade, with supermarkets and the big chains suddenly creaming off the bestsellers. It also had an effect for authors, who suddenly found themselves deep discounted, but that’s another story. What has had far more effect is obviously the rise of internet selling and the cost of business rates.
Third, your final point about IBS-STL and Biblica, well, I really don’t know the ins and outs of that one, but I suspect you do! I’m quite prepared to believe that the problems have a lot of their roots there. I do know a bit about American takeovers. I was a HarperCollins author when Zondervan took over and look what’s happened there.
I suspect that if you read the piece again, and glaze over during the independent bit, you’ll find we agree on more than might first appear. At least I hope so.
cheers,
Nick