I no longer go into bookshops very often - in fact it's been a couple of years since I was in a big bookshop - so when I found myself in the centre of Bristol recently I went to visit the new Foyles. What a shocker! It hardly had any books in it! It seemed to consist mostly of floor. And I was the only customer in it, for ten minutes, on a Saturday afternoon.

One of the major advantages for an author of getting a publisher, as opposed to self-publishing, is supposed to be that publishers can get your books into shops where people will see them and buy them (unless they think you'll be a best-seller and get loads of promo).

For midlist authors, has that advantage already disappeared because people aren't going into bookshops much any more?

Or was it just a bit quiet that day?

Waterstones in Hemel Hempstead and Aylesbury are usually quite busy. So are the two in Milton Keynes.

Perhaps, it's either that branch of Foyles in Bristol or, perhaps, Bristol itself - or perhaps you went there at the wrong time.

Too many perhaps!

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Oh, you mean big-big bookstore, as opposed to big bookstore.

I always think of the average-sized Waterstones' branches (now where does the apostrophe sit now they've removed it?) I've been in as being big compared with the small market town independent bookstores.

But, I've never been in a massive bookstore.

I had very similar observations and thoughts when I went into the big Waterstone's in Birmingham. I think there's a 'sweet spot' of location, size, rates, and focus that makes a bookshop work, and I'm not sure the big book warehouses have it any more.

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I suppose the thing is, I used to think: I want specific book. I'll go into town and buy it. Now I think: I want specific book. I'll go online and buy it.
If I'm in town anyway, I'll browse.