Authors See Your Books on Fitger's Shelves
First of all, Congratulations!
Writing a book is a significant accomplishment and we appreciate that you’re reaching out to us to get your book available for our customers. We love to support local and regional authors. If you are interested in seeing your book in our store please carefully read this information sheet.
First of all, Congratulations!
Writing and publishing a book is a remarkable achievement, and we appreciate your interest in partnering with The Bookstore at Fitger’s in Duluth, Minnesota. We are proud to support local and regional authors by showcasing their work on our shelves. Whether your book is independently published, traditionally published, or written in a language other than English, we welcome the opportunity to consider it for our collection.
Our customers enjoy discovering stories rooted in our region and voices that reflect the diversity and creativity of our community. If you’re interested in having your book carried at The Bookstore at Fitger’s, please take a moment to review our submission guidelines. Once you’ve had a chance to look things over, feel free to reach out through the form below with any questions. Our friendly team is happy to help, and we look forward to hearing from you and learning more about your work!
Book Criteria
- Please don’t stop by The Bookstore at Fitger’s without an appointment and expect your book to be reviewed on the spot. Our Store Manager is the person who reviews books and will not review them on demand. We don’t intend that to come across as unfriendly or harsh, but it’s very awkward for us to review books while the author is in the store waiting for an answer – and we are more likely to give your book a careful consideration if we can take time to review it thoughtfully. Thank you for understanding.
- Please make sure that your book fits our criteria.
a. We do not sell books with AI-generated content, including cover artwork. We do this because we feel strongly that our shelf space should go to books that feature the creative process at all stages of development.
b. We do not sell books on consignment.
c. We prefer books to be available from Ingram. Distribution. If your book is not available on Ingram it may be considered if it has a wide appeal.
d. We like to see an active Social Media presence and evidence that you are supporting Independent Bookstores and not just sending people to Amazon to purchase your book.
e. Do not send us links to reviews on Amazon or tell us how many friends you have in the Duluth area. Our Booksellers make determinations on what we’ll put on our shelf based on the publication itself and we do not appreciate being guilted into stocking your publication. - In order to have your book considered for The Bookstore at Fitger’s please Email bookstore@fitgers.com
with “Author Inquiry” in the Subject line. If we’re interested in seeing a printed copy we’ll invite you to drop one off. It’s preferred that the complimentary copy be a finished copy, but we can also review Advanced Readers Copies (ARC). - If we decide to carry your book we will let you know. We’ll either place the complimentary copy on our shelf or order one from Ingram. If the book doesn’t sell in 90 days we’ll remove it from our shelf and either return it to Ingram or donate it to a non-profit organization.
- If we do stock your book please remember that that we now have a partnership. When you post on Social Media or write in author newsletters it’s expected that you’ll promote our store and tell your friends and family members that it’s available here. People who continue to promote Amazon as opposed to supporting a locally-owned business are not returning the support to us that we’ve been asked to provide. 67% of every dollar spent in an independent bookstore remains in the local community compared to less than 25% spent online.
Submission Inquiry
If you and your book meet our criteria and your title appears to be a good fit for our readers, please complete our Author Submission Form.
We kindly ask that you do not call or stop by The Bookstore at Fitger’s to request a submission. Our Store Manager personally reviews each inquiry and is not always available for in-person or over-the-phone evaluations. To give your work the thoughtful attention it deserves, we review submissions outside of busy store hours.
We truly value the passion and effort behind every book, and we want to be sure we give each submission fair and focused consideration. Thank you for thinking of the Fitger’s Bookstore!
Partnering with Authors
After a full review, and if we decide to carry your book at Fitger’s, we’ll be in touch to let you know! We will either place the complimentary copy on our shelves or order a copy through Ingram.
New titles typically remain on our shelves for 90 days to allow time for discovery and sales. If the book does not sell within that timeframe, we may return it to Ingram or donate it to a local nonprofit that supports literacy and community programs.
When your book is successful and we choose to stock your book, we view this as the beginning of a partnership. We ask that you help spread the word, whether that’s mentioning us in your social media posts, newsletters, or letting your friends, family, and fans know that your book is available here at The Bookstore at Fitger’s in Duluth!
As a proudly independent bookstore, your support makes a difference!
67% of every dollar spent at an independent bookstore stays in the local community, compared to less than 25% from online purchases. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and help your book reach more readers, right here at home.
Book Criteria
Before reaching out, please take a moment to ensure your book aligns with what our customers are looking for and what we typically carry on our shelves.
- At the Fitger’s Bookstore, we thoughtfully curate a selection that reflects the interests of our readers, including regional titles, quality fiction and nonfiction, children’s books, cookbooks, and works by local and regional authors.
- We do not sell books on consignment, and we strongly prefer titles that are available through Ingram Distribution. However, if your book has strong local or regional appeal and is a good fit for our customer base, we may still consider it.
- We love working with authors who actively support independent bookstores like ours. A visible and engaged presence on social media, especially when you’re encouraging readers to shop local rather than only directing them to Amazon and large box stores, goes a long way.
- When submitting your book for consideration, there’s no need to send Amazon reviews or share how many friends you have in the Duluth area. Our booksellers make decisions based on the book itself and what we believe our readers will be excited to discover.
We truly appreciate your interest in having your work carried at our store and look forward to reviewing submissions that align with what our readers enjoy.
Submission Inquiry
If you and your book meet our criteria and your title appears to be a good fit for our readers, please complete our Author Submission Form.
We kindly ask that you do not call or stop by The Bookstore at Fitger’s to request a submission. Our Store Manager personally reviews each inquiry and is not always available for in-person or over-the-phone evaluations. To give your work the thoughtful attention it deserves, we review submissions outside of busy store hours.
We truly value the passion and effort behind every book, and we want to be sure we give each submission fair and focused consideration. Thank you for thinking of the Fitger’s Bookstore!
Partnering with Authors
After a full review, and if we decide to carry your book at Fitger’s, we’ll be in touch to let you know! We will either place the complimentary copy on our shelves or order a copy through Ingram.
New titles typically remain on our shelves for 90 days to allow time for discovery and sales. If the book does not sell within that timeframe, we may return it to Ingram or donate it to a local nonprofit that supports literacy and community programs.
When your book is successful and we choose to stock your book, we view this as the beginning of a partnership. We ask that you help spread the word, whether that’s mentioning us in your social media posts, newsletters, or letting your friends, family, and fans know that your book is available here at The Bookstore at Fitger’s in Duluth!
As a proudly independent bookstore, your support makes a difference!
67% of every dollar spent at an independent bookstore stays in the local community, compared to less than 25% from online purchases. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and help your book reach more readers, right here at home.