Question
What is the best way to get Borders and Barnes and Noble to carry a self-published book?
Answer
The big retail chains are a terrible channel for self-publishers. Simply not worth the marketing effort to even get on the shelves. You should instead optimize for Amazon. Try Aaron Shepherd's "Aiming for Amazon." http://www.amazon.com/Aiming-Ama...
If you are at as basic a level in thinking about self-publishing as you seem to be, you really need to read up on the fundamentals. Read the books of Dan Poynter and John Kremer. Try this trail of basic resources on "How to Self Publish" http://www.trailmeme.com/trails/...
If you are set up as a publisher (as opposed to a single author), you can get an account at LightningSource which will then enable retain chain distribution. You still have to convince individual stores to stock copies. Huge effort. And mostly a complete waste, since you'll be buried in some back shelf that 1 person will see in 1 week. If you aren't in the highlighted titles section or something, the whole effort is pointless. The big chains are optimized for the J. K. Rowlings of the world. It achieves nothing for self-publishers other than vanity bragging rights.
If you are at as basic a level in thinking about self-publishing as you seem to be, you really need to read up on the fundamentals. Read the books of Dan Poynter and John Kremer. Try this trail of basic resources on "How to Self Publish" http://www.trailmeme.com/trails/...
If you are set up as a publisher (as opposed to a single author), you can get an account at LightningSource which will then enable retain chain distribution. You still have to convince individual stores to stock copies. Huge effort. And mostly a complete waste, since you'll be buried in some back shelf that 1 person will see in 1 week. If you aren't in the highlighted titles section or something, the whole effort is pointless. The big chains are optimized for the J. K. Rowlings of the world. It achieves nothing for self-publishers other than vanity bragging rights.