PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2016 by Deb Vanasse, IBPA Independent staff reporter As any publisher who has attended an industry gathering can attest, there’s indeed power in numbers. Those who seek to learn, network, and market their books at publisher meetings and conferences can choose from myriad options, each tailored to serve the industry in different ways. …

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2016 by Deb Vanasse, Staff Reporter, IBPA Independent Independent book publishers know that, despite the familiar expression, books are judged by their covers – as well as their interiors, and just about everything else. Author Kwame Alexander, recipient of the coveted John Newbery Medal, knows a thing or two about reaching an audience—he …

PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2016 by Deb Vanasse, IBPA Independent Staff Reporter Contracts, copyright, trademark, permissions—the legal challenges of publishing can seem overwhelming. But by taking a proactive stance and making the most of available resources, savvy publishers confront legal issues head-on. The Dotted Line At the heart of publishing is the author-publisher relationship. Clear, enforceable contracts …

Innovation rarely happens in isolation. Publishers who aim to discover new and better ways of doing business find success when they join forces to forge new realities from shared visions.

Editor’s Note: Last month, IBPA Independent reporter Deb Vanasse gave us “Updates from the Digital Frontier.” The topic was so vast, we couldn’t address everything in one installment. Part two of Vanasse’s May 2016 cover story continues the digital publishing dialogue, this time with a focus on format, containers, and the larger question of customer …

PUBLISHED MAY 2016 by Deb Vanasse, IBPA Independent staff reporter As the e-publishing landscape continues to evolve, agile and innovative independent publishers are thriving When the Association of American Publishers reported in 2015 that the meteoric rise in e-book sales was beginning to taper off, sighs of relief echoed from many corners of the industry. …

PUBLISHED APRIL 2016 by Deb Vanasse, Reporter, IBPA Independent magazine — Even in this era of online retailing, publishers covet shelf space in brick-and-mortar bookstores. There’s just no substitute for a sales venue where the reader can pick up the book and leaf through it. “Shopping for physical books in a physical space offers an …

PUBLISHED MARCH 2016 by Deb Vanasse, IBPA Independent staff reporter To the casual observer, publishing seems to be all about the new—new releases, debut authors, new lists—an impression created by a prevailing model that emphasizes frontlist sales over seasoned titles. But publishers who embrace this model miss substantial opportunities for sales. Without much fanfare, independent …

PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2016 by Deb Vanasse, IBPA Independent staff reporter How to overcome challenges and grow your readership Independent publishers succeed with nonfiction by targeting niche markets and pursuing special sales opportunities. But finding an audience for fiction can be—quite literally—a different story. “With an oversaturated market, it becomes tremendously daunting to stand out, especially …

PUBLISHED JANUARY 2016 by Deb Vanasse, IBPA Independent staff reporter Journals, stationary, music, posters, plush toys, and other products — some packaged with books, some not. With these products, booksellers enhance their bottom line. Should book publishers do the same? A peek inside the book-plus trend. At the 2012 American Book Producers Association Conference, panelist …