The holidays sort of broadsided me this year, hence, the unexpected hiatus. I could wax all poetic on Christmas in a bookstore, but I'll hold off on that. Christmas is over. It's January, which means resolutions.
Although, I thought I gave up making New Year's resolutions for Lent a few years ago. Hmm.
Ah, well. Semantics making all the difference, I won't call them resolutions, but instead...housekeeping.
1. Time to take a serious look at finances - I know that I have three years to go on my student loans and almost two on my car, and then comes everything else. Things aren't getting paid off any faster through sheer willpower (wouldn't that be a great superpower, though?) - what can I put more money towards, and what can I start saving?
2. Suck it up, get out a highlighter and a cup of tea, and start reading those books I bought on small businesses.
3. Mailing lists. Newsgroups. They're out there, filled with booksellers talking shop. I just have to find them. "Shelf Awareness" and "PW Daily" are great starts, but bookselling is about communities. If you're going to make it, you need the support of not only the community in which your store is built, but of other bookstore owners as well. I could, very easily, ask two or three of my buyers to mentor me. When I'm closer to actually opening the store, I will. But for now, a place to lurk and see what other indie storeowners are saying would be good.
4. It follows from #2, but... write a business plan.
5. Attend BEA or a regional show as a bookseller, not a publisher rep. Go to the workshops and classes for booksellers. The question is whether or not my work schedule will allow for that. This year? Outlook seems hazy for BEA. Soon, though.
Just a handful to get working on. I'm sure there are more things that will occur to me, but I don't want to get overwhelmed, either. Number 1 is scary enough as it is.
However - I can dream of the future and sigh over old memories all I want, but not much will happen if I don't start doing something tangible.
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