First, congratulations on publishing your book! That’s no small achievement, and it deserves to be celebrated.

Now that the writing is done, the real work of getting your book onto shelves begins. Booksellers across the country receive pitches, catalogues, and calls every week, so it helps to understand how they make decisions. For a bookstore, it usually comes down to how well your book fits their readers. Mostly it is always a yes. Your book has a strong chance of earning a place on their shelves. But that’s only part of the equation. Bookstores must also weigh practical considerations such as available shelf space, pricing, sales potential, and cash flow. Even a well-written book can struggle to stay on display if it doesn’t make commercial sense for the retailer.

It helps to remember that an bookstore isn’t a neutral shelf waiting to be filled. It’s a curated space built around a specific community of readers it has come to know over time. The owner or buyer has spent months or years learning what their regulars ask for, what sells during school term versus holidays, which genres their neighbourhood responds to, and what gap they’ve deliberately chosen not to fill because a bigger retailer already covers it. That’s why a pitch that works brilliantly at one store can fall flat at another just a few kilometres away. Your job isn’t just to convince a bookseller your book is good, it’s to show them it belongs with the specific readers they already understand better than anyone else.

Before we get into the practical steps, it’s worth clearing up a few assumptions many first-time authors carry into these conversations. Getting these right will save you disappointment and make you a better partner from the start.

A few myths worth clearing up first

Myth: “I have a publisher, so my book will be in every bookstore.” A bookstore is a retailer, not a warehouse. It only has so much shelf space, and a buyer chooses stock based on what fits their store’s identity and their customers’ tastes, the same way a boutique doesn’t carry every item from every supplier. Having a publisher or distributor makes your book easy to order and return, which matters, but it doesn’t guarantee a place on any particular shelf. If you’re self-published, this is even more reason to understand consignment terms and speak the language of the trade confidently when you approach a store.

Myth: “If I introduce myself, they’ll want to stock my book or host my event.” Simply showing up isn’t a pitch. Bookstores hear from far more authors than they can accommodate, so come prepared with what actually matters to them: why your book fits their specific readers, whether you can genuinely draw a crowd if you’re proposing an event, and a sample copy they can look through. A small generous gesture, branded bookmarks, a thoughtful note, even treats for the staff, can help you stand out for the right reasons.

Myth: “An bookstore will automatically want to support a local or independent author.” Independent bookstores in Kenya, like anywhere, run on thin margins. Hosting an event costs them real money, staff time, marketing, space and a poorly attended one is a loss they remember. Be realistic about the turnout you can bring, always close an event by asking attendees directly to buy a copy, and importantly, shop at the store yourself before you ever ask it to support you. Goodwill flows both ways.

Myth: “The bookseller will automatically see how special my book is.” Every author feels their book deserves attention, and understandably so…… but booksellers are managing shelves full of titles from equally passionate authors. Lead with what matters to them: your book’s fit with their audience, its themes and appeal, and your genuine commitment to promoting their store, not just your book. A little humility and a lot of respect for their expertise go further than enthusiasm about your own work.

One more thing: be deliberate about where you send readers. If your website or social media links straight to Amazon, instead of that bookstore, you’re quietly working against the very stores you’re asking to carry your book. Avoid naming a big international platform while you’re standing inside someone’s shop.

Now, here’s how to give your book the best shot at getting stocked by an independent bookstore in Kenya.

Where do I start, and how do I find and approach bookstores?

Kenya has a growing community of independent bookshops, each with its own character and readership, from literary-fiction specialists to shops built around children’s books, academic texts, or Kenyan and African writing. Before you approach anyone, do your homework. Visit the store if you can. Walk the shelves and picture where your book would sit, does it match a section the store is already known for?

Who should I contact at the bookstore?

Most bookstores have a designated staff, the owner or manager who makes stocking decisions directly. Start with a phone call or a visit rather than a cold email,  it goes a long way in a market where relationships matter. Be ready to describe your book briefly: genre, audience, and where it would sit on the shelf. Larger stores may ask you to book an appointment like Text Book Centre and Soma nami.

When you do meet, expect questions about how your book is being promoted and how it’s distributed. Is it available in another bookstore in town, Kenya Literature Bureau, or an online platform? Are you self-distributing copies by hand? Having this information ready on a simple one-page sell sheet, printed or on your phone, makes the conversation easier.

If I want a bookstore to stock my book, what terms can I expect?

If you’re distributing the book yourself, ask whether the store works on a consignment basis, which is common for self-published authors. Consignment means the store shelves your book but only pays you once copies sell.

A split of around 70-30 or 60-40 in the store’s favour is typical, though terms vary from shop to shop, so always confirm before leaving books behind. If your book is print-on-demand, keep expectations modest: stores tend to order fewer copies of Print on Demand (POD) titles since they usually can’t be returned. Whatever the arrangement, agree on a check-in date, commonly every three to six months, to review sales and restock or collect unsold copies.

How do I propose a reading or book signing?

Bookstores love hosting authors, whether you’re a first-time writer or already well known. Hosting events help stores connect with their communities and gives you a platform to reach readers directly.

Call ahead and ask how the store prefers to receive event proposals. Some want a phone pitch, others prefer an emailed press kit. Suggest a few possible dates and be flexible; smaller stores often run on lean staff and need lead time to plan.

What should I include in a publicity kit?

• Your contact details (phone and email)
• A short press release with the book’s title, price, publisher (or “self-published”), and a brief description
• A short author biography
• A copy of the book
• A publicity photo of yourself
• Any reviews or excerpts of reviews you’ve received
• A proposed event date and format
• Notes on your target readership and how you plan to market the book
• Details of any promotion already underway (social media, radio, press), can you can collaborate on
• If a signing is confirmed, an estimate of how many friends, family, or followers are likely to attend

How can I reach independent bookstores across Kenya and the wider region?

Beyond individual visits, look into organisations that support the book trade regionally, such as the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) and the Kenya Booksellers Association, both of which run events, book fairs, and industry initiatives.

For distribution beyond Kenya’s borders, the African Books Collective helps African-published books reach international libraries and retailers. It’s also worth reaching out to bookstores in neighbouring countries: Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda all have growing independent bookshop scenes open to East African authors.

Consider working with online platforms that support local bookstores rather than relying solely on large international retailers. Some Kenyan bookshops now take orders through WhatsApp, Instagram, or their own websites, offer to promote these channels instead of your amazon link, especially if your preaching to Kenyans to buy your book.

What can you and the bookstore build together?

A stocking deal doesn’t have to be the end of the relationship, it can be the start of one. Some ideas to raise with a store once you’ve made a connection:

• Book clubs. Offer to join a store’s existing book club discussion, in person or by video call, when they feature your title. Many independent stores run monthly clubs and are always looking for authors willing to engage with readers directly.
• School and campus visits. If your book suits students, ask the store to help connect you with nearby schools or universities for talks, readings, or workshops, stores often have existing relationships you can tap into.
• Co-hosted launches. Instead of hosting your launch in a hired hall, ask the bookstore to host it. They gain foot traffic and book sales on the night; you gain a built-in audience and a venue that already stocks your work.
• Window and table displays. Offer the store artwork, a poster, or bookmarks they can use for a display. A well-designed display costs you little but gives your book visibility beyond the shelf.
• Local author spotlights. Many stores run “Kenyan authors” or “local voices” tables and social media features. Ask to be included, and offer to reciprocate by tagging and promoting the store on your own platforms.
• Cross-promotion online. Tag the store in your social media posts when you announce readings or new stock, and ask them to do the same. This kind of mutual shout-out costs nothing and builds goodwill on both sides.
• Bulk or gift-season partnerships. Around the festive season, graduation periods, or gift-buying days spikes, propose a themed table or bundle deal with the store. A small discount or signed-copy promotion can boost sales for you both.
• Feedback and reordering. Check in with the store even after the initial batch sells. A quick call to ask “how did it do, and should we restock?” shows you’re a reliable partner, not just someone who dropped off books and disappeared.

The goal is a genuine, ongoing relationship: the store gets a local author who shows up, promotes actively, and treats them as a partner rather than just a sales outlet, and you get a champion who hand-sells your book to customers long after the first order.

Your book has been on the shelf a while, what now?

Getting stocked is only the beginning. If your book has been sitting in a store for a few months and sales are slow, don’t just blame the store or wait quietly. Take an honest look at what might be within your control:

• Are you actually visible? A book spine-out on a back shelf sells very differently from one face-out near the till. Visit the store and see where your book actually sits. If it’s buried, ask, politely, whether it could be moved, even temporarily, or paired with a display.
• Have you stopped promoting it? Many authors push hard around launch week and then go quiet. Sales usually need sustained effort: mentions on social media, a mid-run event, a review request, not just a one-time push.
• Does the store even know it’s there? Staff sell books they’re excited about. If the bookseller hasn’t read it or doesn’t remember the pitch, they won’t recommend it to customers. Drop by, reintroduce yourself, and remind them of the story: a quick, friendly refresher goes a long way.
• Is the price or format working against you? Compare your book’s price to similar titles in that section. If it’s noticeably higher with no clear reason, that alone can slow sales.
• Have you asked for the sales numbers? Don’t wait for the store to update you, call or visit and ask directly how many copies have sold. This tells you whether the problem is visibility, pricing, interest, or simply that the book needs more time.
• Are you bringing new readers in, or just hoping the shelf does the work? A book rarely sells itself. If you haven’t sent friends, followers, or fans to that specific store to buy a copy, the store has no way to know demand exists.
• Have you offered anything new? A slow patch is a good moment to propose a fresh angle: a themed display, a reading, a bundle with another local title, or a seasonal tie-in — rather than letting the same unsold copies sit untouched.
• Is it time to rotate stock? If, after a genuine effort, a title truly isn’t moving in one store, ask whether it makes more sense to reclaim those copies and place them somewhere better suited to your readership, rather than leaving them to gather dust.

The honest question to ask yourself is simple: in the weeks since your book went on that shelf, what have you done to help it sell? A bookstore gave you space and took a risk on your work, the partnership only holds if you keep showing up for it too.

A Final Word

My advice to authors is to get bookstore-minded. Send your readers to bookstores, not Amazon. On your author site, don’t list Amazon. List your local bookstores where you book is shelved, then Amazon. You can’t expect indie bookstores to support you when you’re pouring all of your efforts into Amazon. At the very least, make them co-equal efforts. Booksellers notice, and they know who to keep supporting and who to let quietly fade off the shelf.

Bookstores are often the first believers in a new Kenyan voice, willing to take a chance on a title before it has a track record. Treat that relationship with the same care you gave your manuscript: show up prepared, follow through on your promises, and remember that a bookstore’s goodwill is built one respectful interaction at a time.