PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2016 by Kristen McLean, Director of New Business Development, Nielsen Book Doesn’t it seem like every time you open your inbox, there is another conference announcement, trade show reminder, or early-bird invite? These events are an important part of our culture, but conferences and trade shows can be expensive propositions for publishers, especially …

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 NOVEMBER 2016 by Jim Azevedo, Marketing Director, Smashwords For most indie publishers, a great conference offers superb faculty, attracts attendees and industry professionals you want to network with, and travel and registration costs are reasonable. In this article, I’ll address a few best practices to help you navigate conferences like a veteran. If You’re …

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2016 by Robin Cutler, Director, IngramSpark — I’ve been going to professional publishing conferences for nearly 35 years. When I think back on the hundreds of conferences I’ve attended, they all have a familiar structure. The conference model is comprised of two parts: providing education and bringing people with common interests together. Whether …

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2016 by Alexa Schlosser, IBPA Independent managing editor Below, five members of IBPA’s newly formed Editorial Advisory Committee share their thoughts on and stories about conventions and conferences. Elizabeth Turnball, Senior Editor, Light Messages Publishing Georgia McBride, Owner, Georgia McBride Media Group Peter Goodman, Publisher, Stone Bridge Press Jim Azevedo, Marketing Director, Smashwords …

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2016 by Lynn Rosen, IBPA Independent consulting editor I’ve enjoyed getting to know your vibrant indie publisher community in the past year while serving as the editor of this magazine. I admire your drive, your commitment, and your talent. In addition to being an editor, I co-own an independent bookstore, and it has …

PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2016 by Lynn Rosen, IBPA Independent consulting editor Three legal mavens give us a perspective on the important issues independent book publishers should be aware of. Jonathan Kirsch Founder and principal, Law Offices of Jonathan Kirsch, APC What are some of the important legal issues at play in the book publishing industry today? …

PUBLISHED JULY 2016 by Mark Wesley, Founder, me+mi publishing & IBPA Board Member — Knowing your customer should be the foundation of all that you do with your marketing and, for that matter, your company. Unfortunately, people skip this part and proceed to do a lot of activities that may be detrimental to their bottom …

PUBLISHED AUGUST 2016 by Lynn Rosen, IBPA Independent consulting editor BookTubing. It sounds like the perfect thing to do on your summer vacation, right? Actually, BookTubers run the gamut of ages and backgrounds, as well as categories of books they like to read and dissect. And it seems clear that having a charming English accent …

PUBLISHED JUNE 2016 by James Patterson, Author Editor’s Note: Indie publishers know that innovation is the key to thriving and surviving. In fact, it’s the indie ability to innovate that has made the IBPA community so active and so successful. Well-known author James Patterson, who has published almost too many books to count, has used …