It was almost like living in 2010 again (but not quite) when we saw the latest announcement about Books-A-Million’s BAM! Publish program. Through a partnership with FastPencil—an existing self-publishing service provider—Books-A-Million claims that it offers not just a way to self-publish, but an “integrated in-store book placement program.”
This isn’t a new venture, as BAM has offered a publishing services portal since spring 2015. But this is a formal relaunch of the program, with a new name and branding, and with in-store placement as the newest selling point. Here are the quick facts:
- All services provided by BAM! Publish are fulfilled by FastPencil. Structurally, the arrangement is similar to how Author Solutions has partnered with a variety of businesses (such as Thomas Nelson’s WestBow) to offer self-publishing services.
- The minimum cost to the author for wide distribution is $279–$329. Do not be fooled by the “free” plan on their site—it does not include distribution and is extremely misleading.
- Authors receive 80 percent of net royalties on all sales.
- The author’s cost per print book is $7 plus 3 cents per page. This is not even remotely competitive with leading service providers, such as CreateSpace.
- Regardless of the service package purchased, there is no guarantee that BAM will stock an author’s book in BAM stores—it must first be reviewed and approved by BAM staff. If BAM does stock the book, it may only be in a few outlets, and there’s nothing to prevent quick returns if the book doesn’t sell.
BAM is based in Birmingham, Alabama, where a local newspaper reported on the partnership, but in a misleading way; authors might’ve easily concluded that, by publishing with BAM, they could automatically get placement on store shelves. Not true. Always read the fine print.
Bottom line: Obviously, BAM and FastPencil feel that their self-publishing platform and distribution is worth a few hundred dollars, plus 20 percent of author profits, but we take serious issue with the value proposition. There’s nothing in the announced arrangement or service plans that makes BAM! Publish any more author-friendly than what you’d find through Author Solutions and its partners. Why it was launched at a time of such maturity in the self-publishing market is a mystery to us, although perhaps the recent efforts of Barnes & Noble inspired it.
Editor’s note: The BAM! Publish program was closed on March 1, 2019. Read more at Publishers Weekly.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
