It's one of those funny things, you are meandering around the Op Shop when you come to the book section and there is your book on the shelves. In some ways it's great - it's still that thrill to see a book you wrote in print on a shelf for sale. But it's definitely not as thrilling as seeing it in the New Release section of Dymock's (Insert your own local bookshop). In fact it can even feel a little bit embarrassing.
Of course there is ego involved in this reaction. Things in an op shop are essentially unwanted - items past their prime, or simply surplus to needs. You know yourself when you are having a clear out and just want to get rid of things, commonly referred to as "junk". It stings just a bit to think that your book, that once graced somebody's bookshelf, has been looked at, considered and then turfed into the "donate" box. Once you get past this little dagger to the heart, however there is a more positive way to look at featuring on an op shop shelf.
Of course there is ego involved in this reaction. Things in an op shop are essentially unwanted - items past their prime, or simply surplus to needs. You know yourself when you are having a clear out and just want to get rid of things, commonly referred to as "junk". It stings just a bit to think that your book, that once graced somebody's bookshelf, has been looked at, considered and then turfed into the "donate" box. Once you get past this little dagger to the heart, however there is a more positive way to look at featuring on an op shop shelf.
Let's face it, being on a bookshelf in any shop is visibility. It means that any number of people wandering past will see your book. It means that these same people who may never have heard of your or your book (especially if it's a few years old) might just pick it up and have a look. They might even buy it and pass it on to a friend of family member. These same people may enjoy the book so much they look you up, see you have written other books and seek out ways to buy your other titles. They might recommend you to their book club, resulting once again in more sales (lucky the op shop only had one copy).
In the same vein, being recycled to an op shop means your book is getting a new life. As much as we like to think our books are dog eared from being re-read on a regular basis, the reality is a majority of readers do only read books once and they probably sit untouched for years at a time on a home shelf. Worse still they may be stuck in a cupboard, or in a box in the garage. At least in an op shop they have a chance to be opened, flicked through and hopefully read cover to cover. It means your words are released into the world one more time.
Some writers may feel that seeing their book sold second hand anywhere is lost revenue, and, of course, this is true to some extent. But the other side of that equation is that you are supporting another business, generally either a charity which is helping the less fortunate or a small, local business. It is actually an honour to have something that you have created seen as worthy to sell more than once, whoever gets to financially benefit after the first sale. And, on the bright side, all the best selling authors in the world feature heavily in second hand book sales. So at the very least you are in good company.
By all means feel that small stab of rejection when your see your book being sold secondhand somewhere but then take pride it's still out there and considered saleable in the fist place. And feel happy it didn't end up in the recycling bin.
In the same vein, being recycled to an op shop means your book is getting a new life. As much as we like to think our books are dog eared from being re-read on a regular basis, the reality is a majority of readers do only read books once and they probably sit untouched for years at a time on a home shelf. Worse still they may be stuck in a cupboard, or in a box in the garage. At least in an op shop they have a chance to be opened, flicked through and hopefully read cover to cover. It means your words are released into the world one more time.
Some writers may feel that seeing their book sold second hand anywhere is lost revenue, and, of course, this is true to some extent. But the other side of that equation is that you are supporting another business, generally either a charity which is helping the less fortunate or a small, local business. It is actually an honour to have something that you have created seen as worthy to sell more than once, whoever gets to financially benefit after the first sale. And, on the bright side, all the best selling authors in the world feature heavily in second hand book sales. So at the very least you are in good company.
By all means feel that small stab of rejection when your see your book being sold secondhand somewhere but then take pride it's still out there and considered saleable in the fist place. And feel happy it didn't end up in the recycling bin.
