How Filipino Self Publishers Can Find Their First Readers
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When we first started Hot Tropiks, the big Philippine networks like TFC/ABS-CBN, GMA, and TV5 mostly decided which Filipino stories got out. I noticed the same thing back when we started Kumu. Hardly anyone was championing indie Filipino media, so we started Hot Tropiks to do it. We specialize in books originally published in the Philippines, mainly komiks, sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, speculative fiction, and children's books.
Now, as a small bookstore owner, I get asked all the time if we'll carry, sell, distribute, or market someone's book. We find readers for the books we carry, but we can't do it for everyone.
If we say no, it's not because your book sucks. We're a really small team, and every book we carry takes time and money to stock, list, ship, and market, so we have to be picky. Most of the time a no just means we don't have the bandwidth, or your book is outside what we focus on.
Writing the story was hard enough, but finding that initial audience is super difficult too! If you're an indie Filipino creator, nobody is going to hand you an audience. You have to build it yourself, so here's some advice for anyone just starting out.
1. Build your audience online
Social media is free, so use it. Tell people your story… who you are, why you made this book, and what you're trying to do. Show the process too, like sketches, drafts, your proof copy showing up, or you packing orders.
Keep posting even when nobody's watching yet. It takes time, but your content will find people. Reply to every comment and DM, because those people are the beginning of your community.
Don't just wait for people to find you, either. If you see people talking about your book's genre, drop them a DM. You can also promote your book and share your POV in the comments on those posts. And once people buy your book, ask them to post it and tag you so their friends see it too.
Build your own community and nobody can stop you.
2. Sell on your socials first
You don't need a website to start selling. Post your book with the price and tell people to DM you to order. Take payment however your followers already pay, ship it yourself, and post a picture when orders go out. When enough people keep asking where they can buy it, then build a website. I dont know much about Tiktok, most of my audience was built on Instagram.
3. Start an email list
Every person who buys from you is someone you want to be able to reach again. So get an email list going as early as you can. Your social accounts can get shut down or buried by the algorithm, but your email list is owned media. It's yours, so you can always stay in contact with your people. Put a sign-up link in your bio and have a sign-up sheet at every event. I use Klaviyo but I think most people start with Mail Chimp.
4. Do the circuit
This is the big one. Go out and sell your book in person, and collab with other creators whenever you can.
Every event gets you sales, feedback from real readers, new followers, and proof that people actually want your book. Stores pay attention to that.
Start small
Don't start with the big festivals. Tables there can be expensive, and you're up against a lot of other vendors. Start with local zine fests, small press fairs, and zine meetups. Check your library's event calendar and local coffee shops. You can try reaching out to Fil-Am student groups at nearby colleges too, but honestly I never get replies from them, haha. Church fiestas, community markets, and Fil-Am cultural nights are great too. Split a table with a friend to save money, or throw your own reading, pop-up, or reader meetup.
Once you've done a few small events and know what sells, then work your way up to the bigger festivals and cons.
Also try looking at adjacent audiences. Your readers aren't only in the Filipino community. If your book is a mystery, look up mystery communities, like book clubs, online groups, and mystery events. If it's fantasy, look for fantasy and gaming crowds. Go where readers of your genre already are.
5. Use IngramSpark and Amazon
It would be nice to get picked up by a big distributor, but you don't need to wait for that. In the US and Canada, you already have access to IngramSpark and Amazon KDP. IngramSpark lets bookstores and libraries order your book through Ingram, and KDP puts your print and Kindle editions on Amazon.
We use both for our key titles. The print quality isn't always the best, but it works, and it means anyone who wants your book can get it.
6. Other stores to reach out to
People always ask who else might carry their book. Honestly, you can just google Asian American bookstores and comic shops. But here are five Asian American bookstores to start with. Just read the next tip before you reach out.
|
Store |
City |
Why reach out |
|---|---|---|
|
San Francisco, CA |
Filipino specialty bookstore in the SOMA Pilipinas district |
|
|
Long Beach, CA |
Indie bookstore founded by Filipina American poet Jhoanna Belfer |
|
|
Seattle, WA |
The Pacific Northwest's only independent Asian American bookstore |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
Focuses on Asian American and Pacific Islander authors and hosts book talks and signings |
|
|
New York, NY |
Asian American woman-owned bookstore in Manhattan's Chinatown |
7. How to pitch a store
Before you reach out, look at what they already carry and see if they have submission guidelines. Send one email with your title, cover, a short description, the price, and where it's already sold. If you don't hear back in a few weeks, follow up once. After that, let it go and keep working on your audience.
Sell it out the trunk
I always looked up to Master P and No Limit. They sold their music out of the trunk of their car, built their own fan base, and then the major labels came to them for licensing and distribution deals.
Build the audience first and the deals come later. I've always been a fan of doing things independently and figuring it out as I go, and you can do it too.
So start small. Post your story, try selling a few copies on your socials, and sign up for one event. I know a lot of people don't know where to start, so hopefully this helps.
Angelo Mendez, co-founder of Hot Tropiks
