The ultimate missed book marketing opportunity!

27th March 2025

The ultimate missed book marketing opportunity!

I was in London on the day that the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist 2025 of 16 titles was announced and as I scrolled through the books on my computer, I spotted a couple that really caught my eye.

I headed off in the early afternoon to a central London Waterstones and was eager to see the book stack of the nominated titles. Bookshops can be wonderfully creative when it comes displaying their wares. I began my search – I spotted a prominent stack of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Dream Count (set in USA/Nigeria) but could I find any of the others? No.

So I enquired of a book seller where I might find the collected titles, hoping for a wonderful grouping – I was really looking forward to seeing them all displayed together (at the very least a great photo opportunity). At first there was a blank look, then a dawning of recognition of what I wanted. And then the damning reality. Booksellers – apparently – are not alerted to the specifics of the titles, and only get to know which titles are on the longlist at the same time everyone else does, as I understand it.

If, indeed, this is correct, what a marketing fail. For sure, I understand that keeping the titles secret until the final moment is paramount. But the reality is that book shops may not have the requisite books in stock. I happened to find a single copy of one of the books I wanted from the list, but the other book was not on the shelf. So I went away empty handed. And, actually, I haven’t bothered to buy it since, other titles have wrestled themselves to the fore.

This was not the first time I was disappointed by the lack of availability of a book featured on a prestigious shortlist/winner list. Wild Houses by Colin Barrett (a 5* read set in Ballina) won the Nero Debut Fiction Prize 2025. I trotted off to my local Waterstones on the day of the announcement, in search of the title. I was met with a totally blank look and not a single copy was available in the branch. I didn’t have time to visit my local indie bookshop that day, but have subsequently managed to acquire a copy there (hello Forum Books).

This is devastating for smaller presses and debut authors and – ultimately – for physical book shops. It such a missed opportunity to really promote the books selected. If the title isn’t available in-store, where do potential readers head? We all know the answer to that one, of course. And I guess some readers will forget about the title and move on to something else (guilty as charged).

It beggar’s belief, really, that bookshops are not alerted to winners and the titles on shortlists in advance, so they can stock up and erect a showcase of books ready to sell to eager readers. I do understand that it is vital to keep the list of titles under wraps until the day of the announcement, but, come on, this isn’t some international diplomatic deal that needs ultimate discretion. Adults are involved, they can maintain their integrity, they can sign NDAs, they work together for the sake of authors, who have a big enough struggle to get their work in front of readers as it is.

This needs to change. Please circulate this piece so that we can bring this issue to the attention of people who can initiate change.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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