How I Build a Cozy Bookshop, One Workflow at a Time - Part 1
Running an indie bookshop is a little bit magic and a lot a bit spreadsheets—and I love both sides of it!
As Imaginary Adventures grows, I’ve been refining the systems that keep everything running smoothly: preorder workflows, author communication, inventory tracking, and the quiet daily rituals that make the shop feel grounded and not overwhelming.
A lot of people have asked how I organize everything, so I thought I’d start sharing small glimpses into the way I run an indie bookshop. Bonus! I’m both neurodivergent and have Narcolepsy so conserving as many spoons as possible is key to success, so hopefully some of my tricks will help others with ADHD, etc. as well.
Right now, my days look like a mix of:
planning preorder timelines with authors
building out fulfillment workflows
organizing incoming books and events
updating the shop’s many many Notion dashboards
keeping track of payments, shipping, and communications
setting up all of the needed faff for owning a small business
making sure everything feels cozy, intentional, and human
I’m a big believer in systems that feel good to use and support creativity instead of fighting it. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about the tools, templates, and processes I rely on, including:
how I structure my product pipelines
the checklists I use for everything
how I track inventory and my own author copies
the way I plan my shop’s weekly and monthly rhythms
how I keep everything organized inside Notion
the tools, taxes, and tricks I’ve learned along the way
If you’re a fellow small‑business owner, author, or just someone who loves a good behind‑the‑scenes look at how creative shops run, I hope these posts feel helpful (and maybe a little inspiring).
More soon and thank you for being here while this little bookshop grows into itself.
