Inside Independent Publishing (with Ibpa)

Marketing books is one of the most important (and difficult!) tasks for independent publishers and author publishers, so IBPA invited book publicity expert FSB Associates Founder and President Fauzia Burke on the podcast to share expert advice about how to land media opportunities to sell books, including television interviews, podcast interviews, and print/online articles! PARTICIPANTSFauzia Burke, author of Online Marketing for Busy Authors, is the founder and president of FSB Associates, an online book publicity firm, co-founder of Pub Site, a platform for building author websites, and a consultant and coach for authors who need help navigating the book marketing and publicity landscape. Before starting FSB, she worked for book publishers, Henry Holt and John Wiley. Fauzia has promoted books by authors such as Alan Alda, Arianna Huffington, Deepak Chopra, Melissa Francis, S. C. Gwynne, Mika Brzezinski, Charles Spencer and many more. She is based in San Diego, California.Independent Book Publishers Associat

There is a lot of buzz about how booming the audiobook market is, so should independent publishers make audiobooks an essential part of their business model? What types of books have a better chance succeeding as audiobooks? What are helpful tips to market audiobooks? Audiobook industry expert, Michele Cobb (Partner at Forté Business Consulting and Executive Director for the Audio Publishers Association) gives advantageous insight to answer these questions and more! PARTICIPANTSMichele Cobb is a recognized expert in the audio industry and a Partner at Forté Business Consulting. Formerly Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the British Broadcasting Corporation audiobooks division, she has served on the Audio Publishers Association (APA) board since 2001 as a director, an officer, and as the current Executive Director. A sought-after consultant in the audio industry regarding PR, sales, marketing, and business development through Forté, she often works with strategic partner Tavia Gilbert to support the

Landing traditional distribution can be one of the most difficult things for independent publishers and author publishers to achieve, so Independent Publishers Group’s Vice President of Publisher Development Richard T. Williams shares invaluable advice about how indie publishers can increase their chances of being accepted, explains reasons why they would be rejected, and much more. If you’re interested in landing traditional distribution, you don’t want to miss this episode!PARTICIPANTSRichard T. Williams is the vice president, publisher development at the distribution company Independent Publishers Group (IPG), where he reviews publisher submissions, pursues new publisher business, and manages a team of experts to help existing clients plan and develop their lists. He is a former sales rep at IPG and was the director of IPG’s Small Press United program from its inception in 2009. Also a former operations manager at an independent publisher, Richard is uniquely positioned to understand the needs of publisher

SCBWI’s Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer April Powers joins host Christopher Locke for a candid conversation about actions independent publishers can take to bring about real change for marginalized communities, and actions that are unhelpful. Plus, what does April have to say about people who complain that companies shouldn’t get “political” by supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and antiracism? Also, what can independent publishers learn from the American Dirt controversy?PARTICIPANTSApril Powers is the chief equity & inclusion officer for the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, SCBWI.org. A highly-rated trainer for Fortune 50, government and non-profit organizations, she is also the Managing Director of First Impression Rx, a full service consulting firm that helps companies manage differences through training and diversity and inclusion strategy.Her client work includes LGBTQI+ bench-marking through the Human Rights Campaign, project managing a cultural dexterity r

What are some of the ethical conundrums that hybrid publishers fall victim to, and how can they overcome them? Why do some publishers think it’s controversial for hybrid publishers to be considered publishers? Hybrid publisher Wonderwell CEO Maggie Langrick shares her expert insight on these issues; why she loves hybrid publishing, and more.PARTICIPANTSMaggie Langrick is the founder and publisher of Wonderwell, a hybrid publisher of nonfiction books that help, heal and inspire. Since the company's launch (then known as LifeTree Media) in 2013, the company's books have won numerous peer-reviewed awards, placed on national bestseller lists, and been translated into more than seven languages. Maggie is an IBPA Board Director, and a member of the Advocacy Committee that developed IBPA's criteria for hybrid publishers. Having worked as an editor for more than 20 years, Maggie brings a strong editorial focus to her role as a publisher and was shortlisted for Editors Canada's Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellen

A new season of “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” starts Thursday, January 28! In this short intro, find out what new host IBPA Member Liaison Christopher Locke has in store for upcoming episodes of the podcast. Will this new season make you the most successful independent publisher the world has ever known? You’ll have to tune in to find out!Check out the YouTube video version of this intro here: New episodes are posted the last Thursday of every month everywhere you download podcasts and on YouTube. Learn more about IBPA at https://www.ibpa-online.org/PARTICIPANTSIndependent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Member Liaison, Christopher Locke helps guide the 3,600+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers’ titles. He’s also passionate about indie publishing, because h

Topics CoveredFor Peter Goodman's final episode as host, new host Christopher Locke asks Peter about his experience as an editor and publisher. From working in Japan and the UK for ten years to running his own publishing company for over thirty years, Peter has seen a lot of technologies and trends come and go. But some things are still fundamental, and among them is the motto Peter learned in Japan: "Let's have publishing fun!"Christopher Locke will be reintroducing Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA) in a new format starting monthly in January 2021. Stay tuned!Thanks to all the guests for sharing their wisdom and expertise!LinksIBPAhttps://www.ibpa-online.org/Stone Bridge Presshttps://www.stonebridge.comParticipantsChristopher Locke is the Member Liaison for IBPA, ibpa-online.org. He will be assuming host duties of the podcast in January 2021.*Peter Goodman** (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of

The Frankfurt Book Fair was a completely virtual event this year. Licensing and permissions expert MaryJo ("MJ") Courchesne of Gryphon Publishing Consulting reports on her experience, and also discusses the CASE Act, fair use, and piracy.Topics CoveredFrankfurt Book Fair roundup, physical vs. virtualWhen to start prepping for next year's FrankfurtDo you need a rights and permissions manager?How is the rights business these days?Update on the CASE Act, a small-claims court for settle rights-infringement disputesThe scourge of book piracyThe IBPA Advocacy CommitteeSome thoughts on fair use and permissions, and why you need to make informed decisionsLinksCASE Act (summary with IBPA links)https://www.ibpa-online.org/news/518209/A-CASE-Act-Call-to-Action-for-IBPA-Members.htmFair Usehttps://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.htmlDMCA notice and takedownhttps://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/DMCA_Good_Bad_and_Situational_Practices_Document-FINAL.pdfFree 30 min consultation for IBPA members: https://ca

Every book has to earn its place in Amazon’s discoverability queue. Does yours? Penny Sansevieri of Author Marketing Experts tells you how to optimize your book’s visibility and relevance using keywords, your author page, and more.Topics Covered• Amazon, a force for good or for evil?• How to make Amazon work for your book• Remember, at its heart, Amazon is just a giant search engine• Why you should avoid long preorders• Amazon advertising and keywords: keywords strings vs. single words, which is better?• The Amazon book page, crucial but how do you make it work to your benefit?• If you have Author Seller Central . . . controlling the back end• The super-secret and barely understood Amazon Relevancy Score: what is it? how do you boost it?• ads: is a call to action enough or do you need more?• work the Kindle side, not the pbook sideLinksAuthor Marketing Expertshttp://www.amarketingexpert.com/Penny on Twitter: @bookgalPenny on Instagram: therealbookgalHow to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon - 2020 Updated

Topics includehow the publishing world has changedthe explosion of virtual eventsa hybrid approach to trade showsPub-U online!a new focus on diversityindie publishers: adventurers and innovatorswhy interns need to get paid betterthe emergence of bookshop.orghow long can brick and mortar bookstores hold on?difficulties faced by publishers without distributionare author publishers still blocked by traditional media gatekeepers?the continuing importance of long lead timesLinksIndependent Book Publishers Associationhttps://www.ibpa-online.orgPublishing University 2021 (a fully virtual online event): April 7-10, 2021https://www.publishinguniversity.org/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A BISG Town Hallhttps://bisg.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1415616&group=### ParticipantsAngela Bole is chief executive officer of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), the largest book publishing association in the U.S. serving independent publishers and self-published authors.Prior to joining IBPA, Angela served

Topics CoveredWhat is IngramSpark?Templates to make layout easier and books look more professionalThe importance of a unique cover designOn-demand books for retail and wholesale marketsHow has publishing changed in the past 10 years and what trends will continue? POD manufacture lets anyone be a publisherPower of AmazonEase of bringing books to marketIs distribution getting too consolidated?The rise of Bookshop.orgBenefits to working with established publishers as partnersLinksIngramSparkhttps://www.ingramspark.com/ParticipantsRobin Cutler has led the development of IngramSpark as an Ingram Content Group service for indie authors and publishers since 2013. During her career, she has published over 1,000 books as Assistant Director at USC Press, and CEO and founder of her own trade imprint, Summerhouse Press. Robin most recently worked for Amazon/CreateSpace. She has broad knowledge of indie, academic and trade publishing and is an expert in content creation, distribution, on-demand models, and author strategi

### Links2019 Readers’ Advisory Activities Surveyhttps://www.panoramaproject.org/2019-readers-advisory-activities-surveyPublic Library Events and Book Sales Surveyhttps://www.panoramaproject.org/news/2019/12/9/public-libraries-book-events-panorama-project-surveyImmersive Media & Reading 2020https://www.panoramaproject.org/immersive-media-reading-2020 ParticipantsGuy LeCharles Gonzalez is project lead for the Panorama Project and chief strategist for Free Verse Media. Previously, he was publisher & marketing director for Writer’s Digest; director, content strategy & audience development for Library Journal & School Library Journal; and founding director of programming & business development for Digital Book World.The Panorama Project is focused on promoting data-informed conversations about public libraries and their impact on book discovery, author recognition, and consumer sales.Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career

Diversity in book publishing begins with young readers finding books that speak to who they are and a diverse population of young professionals finding jobs in every aspect of the industry. Nicole Johnson, executive director of We Need Diverse Books, talks about programs and philosophies that are changing, literally, the face of book publishing in America today.Topics Covered• How We Need Diverse Books got its start• Where does the real work in achieving a diverse industry have to be done?• Advocating for diversity in publishing is nothing new• The WNDB internship program• What small indie publishers can do• Resources for small presses and authors• Creating stories that reflect a diversity of readers• The importance of diversity in children’s bookso In educationo Leading the way in multiculturalismo Creating a market for YA and adult books as they get older• Getting representation rightLinksWe Need Diverse Books media linkswww.diversebooks.orghttp://www.twitter.com/diversebookshttps://www.facebook.com/diverse

Some books lend themselves to creative collaborations and multimedia treatments. Lindy Ryan of Black Spot Books and Vesuvian Media Group outlines the key issues facing publishers today and talks about what makes some stories suitable for dramatic performance and other nonprint media.Topics CoveredTop issues for publishing todayConnecting books and readers while still supporting local indie booksellersOpportunities in digital publishing and other technologiesEmbracing and developing diversity in all areas of publishingNew media and ways of getting storytelling content to readersHow do stories break into new media?What makes a book suitable for adaptation into different media?Literary and visual qualityA fresh and unique voiceEnhanced ebook experiencesGrowth of the ebook and audiobook marketsThe challenge: making these expensive projects profitableWhy smaller is better: innovation and visionAdvocacy on the IBPA BoardLinksVesuvian Mediahttps://vesuvianmedia.com/ParticipantsLindy Ryan is an entrepreneur, award-wi

Victoria Sutherland, founder/publisher of Foreword Reviews magazine and a new member of the IBPA Board of Directors, looks at indie publishing, virtual trade shows, reviewing, libraries, and diversity.Topics CoveredCoping with COVIDHow the pandemic may change publishingThe future of trade shows (hint: it’s going virtual)Can the face-to-face meeting be replicated online?The continuing importance of book reviewsFee-based reviews for indie publishersAre author-publishers still stigmatized?Improving standards of indie publishersWhy traditional publishers aren’t going awayHow are libraries holding up?The increased emphasis on digital at librariesIs digital-only viable?The importance of mastering social mediaA commitment to diversity: in the content and in the staffingLinksForeword Reviews magazinewww.forewordreviews.comIBPA’s COVID-19 Resource Centerhttps://www.ibpa-online.org/page/ibpa-covid-19-resource-centerThe IBPA Industry Standards Checklisthttps://www.ibpa-online.org/page/standardschecklistParticipantsVicto

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing publishing around the world. Bridget Shine of the Independent Publishers Guild talks about issues, partnerships, and the role of indies and author-publishers in the UK.Topics CoveredWhat is the Independent Publishers Guild?How are publishers coping with COVID and the changing retail and distribution landscape?Audiobooks and ebooks in the UKDifficulties of access and perception faced by small publishers and author publishersPartnerships between larger and smaller publishersthe role of Amazon in the UKLinkhttp://www.independentpublishersguild.com/ParticipantsBridget Shine is chief executive of the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG), a flourishing trade association with more than 650 members from all areas of publishing, including trade, children’s, education, academic, professional and specialist sectors. Members range in size from one-person start-ups to long-established international companies and have a combined annual publishing turnover of more than £1bn.The IPG provides r

Topics CoveredThe Internet Archive and why its position is wrongThe Open LibraryWhat is fair use?Update on the Case ActLinksFrom the Authors GuildAppeal to readers and librarians from the victims of Controlled Digital Lending (CDL).https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/cdl-appeal-to-readers-and-librarians/“Controlled Digital Lending Is Neither Controlled nor Legal”https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/controlled-digital-lending-is-neither-controlled-nor-legal/“Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library Harms Authors”https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/internet-archives-uncontrolled-digital-lending/Open letter demanding “National Emergency Library” be shut downhttps://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/ag-sends-open-letter-demanding-national-emergency-library-shutdown/For ReferenceFact sheet from ControlledDigitalLending.orghttps://controlleddigitallending.org/faqInternet Archive Blog on the closing of National Emergency Libraryhttps://blog.archive.org/2020/06/10/temporary-n

The IBPA Advocacy Committee is making plans for this coming year to lobby, write, and campaign for better awareness and fairness for independent publishers. Committee member Mel Corrigan discusses some of these initiatives, from distribution to piracy to copyrights.Topics Coveredmission of the Advocacy Committeeinitiativespiracyaccess to distributioncontent protectionthe CASE Act, Internet Archive, Audible Captionsadvocation for indie publishers in broader terms, such as inclusiveness and diversitychanging perceptions of indie publishers by review mediahow to join the committeeLinksScribe Publishing Company https://scribe-publishing.comMel’s' profile on Scribe Publishing Company's website https://scribe-publishing.com/melAbout the Internet Archivehttps://controlleddigitallending.org/whitepaper https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/books/internet-archive-emergency-library-coronavirus.htmlAbout the CASE Acthttps://www.ibpa-online.org/news/479123/IBPA-Members-Encouraged-to-Join-CASE-Act-Social-Media-Campaign-Nov-25

All the conventions of book publishing have been disrupted in just a few months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. How many of these changes are permanent, and how is indie publishing likely to evolve as a result? Podcast host and book publisher Peter Goodman takes a pause in his regular interview format to speculate on our emerging future.TOPICS COVEREDNew Reality #1 Greater adoption of ebooks by readersNew Reality #2 Fewer indie booksellersNew Reality #3 Corollary to #2: Increased influence of wholesalers and online vendorsNew Reality #4 Second corollary to #2: More competition for AmazonNew Reality #5 A vast new world of virtual book marketing and promotionNew Reality #6 A proliferation of author publishersNew Reality #7 The domination of print on demandPARTICIPANTSPeter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press (www.stonebridge.com) in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair

What kind of virtual author events are successful in getting the word out, supporting booksellers, and developing enthusiastic online communities? Maria Dismondy of children’s book publisher Cardinal Rule Press has had recent success and discusses strategies and goals.Topics Coveredonline book launches and book “tours”partnering with bookstoressign-up events vs public streaming on Facebook and other platformsadvance sales before the eventsponsored and partnered events with giveaways as a way of developing and sharing contactshow to find partners for a virtual event: be sure to match the audience to the missionkeeping pitch letters effective and succincthow the pandemic crisis may be creating new and permanent opportunities for new kinds of book promotionadvice: pick 1 platform and be consistent with your message and timingbe sure to spend more time “giving” than “selling”; you may not have a direct ROI but you will be building communityhow far in advance should you contact sponsors? participants?the growing i