It has now passed, but as I write, it is Independent Bookstore Day. This is run annually (I believe on the last Saturday in April) by the American Booksellers Association. Sixteen hundred stores are taking part across America, and the day is a celebration of the important part they play both in the literary and the wider community.
ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway
What is interesting this year is that the event takes place against a backdrop of general discontent with large online bookselling corporations. You will remember that I reported on the impact of a general boycott of large corporations on February 28, for example. That event saw large-scale sign-ups for apps like Libro.fm, the audiobook platform that partners with Bookshop.org and allows people to buy audiobooks and have a cut go to local indie bookstores.
Bookshop.org itself is also on the rise, recently adding the ability to buy ebooks through its app. Both of these are, of course, open to indie authors, creating bridges to connect us with the independent bookselling sector. All of which makes this particular Independent Bookstore Day feel more like something we are all a part of together than it has done previously.
Linktree Adds New Monetization Tools
In other news, Linktree has become the latest platform to offer people the ability to allow fans to pay for creative work they love through their platform. Linktree started life as a very simple idea. It is the all-in-one “link in bio” platform. If, like me, you have activities online here, there, and everywhere, Linktree is the takeoff page that points people to all of them.
Linktree will now allow people to sell digital products such as ebooks directly from this takeoff page. Previously it had done so through a third-party provider. New features also include the capability to create and sell online courses on the Linktree page and to have affiliate links.
Thoughts or further questions on this post or any self-publishing issue?
If you’re an ALLi member, head over to the SelfPubConnect forum for support from our experienced community of indie authors, advisors, and our own ALLi team. Simply create an account (if you haven’t already) to request to join the forum and get going.
Non-members looking for more information can search our extensive archive of blog posts and podcast episodes packed with tips and advice at ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Center.
