Do You Want to Sell Your Genealogy or Family History Book?
Nancy Barnes
Are you trying to figure out how to sell your genealogy or family history book? It’s not just a matter of putting your book up on Amazon. Books of this sort are not generally of mass market interest. They are classic examples of niche books whose market consists of genealogy libraries, professional genealogists, and family researchers interested in the details your book can provide about your lineage. How can you sell books in such a specific and limited market?
Connecting with specialized booksellers can offer a way to reach potential readers. How do you find these genealogy booksellers? Here are some places to look for booksellers who might be interested in your book.
Biblio.com Bookstores Specializing in Genealogy This is a very complete and current list of links to genealogy booksellers.
Books & Publications: Genealogical Materials This list is a bit jumbled and requires you to look carefully for useful links booksellers. Make sure to scroll down to the Marketplace – Genealogy & Family History Related Materials.
Cyndi’s List This site has a good list of Books- Used Books, Rare Books and Book Search Services. Again you’ll need to sort out the booksellers who may be of interest.
When deciding which booksellers might be willing to stock and sell your book, consider local or regional interest, ethnicity, etc. to make sure your book is a good match for the bookseller. Contact the bookseller with a pitch for why they should want to sell your book. Your pitch should include a good description of your book (limited to a page or less) and an author biography.