Exploring Flights of Foundry, A Virtual Sci-Fi Convention
On April 14, I moved my favorite houseplant to the edge of my desk and clamped my backdrop behind my office chair, adjusting my lights and setting up my webcam. I was not the only one. Writers, podcasters, and artists across the world were doing the same, preparing to appear at the annual online Science-Fiction […]
Sun, Sand, and Getting Schooled: 2023’s IBPA Publishing University in Review
The Independent Book Publisher Association (IBPA), which recently celebrated its fortieth anniversary, chose a resort and spa nestled on beautiful Coronado Island, located just across the bay from downtown San Diego, as the landscape for its 2023 Publishing University conference. With catered meals, complimentary drinks, and first-class hospitality, the resort was the perfect location for […]
Everything You Might’ve Missed at 20Books Vegas 2022
Everything You Might’ve Missed at the 2022 Conference, From Official Events to Connections Made at the Cake Machine IAM Staff Five days. Fifty-two vendors. Nearly eighteen hundred in-person attendees, with even more tuning in virtually. By many accounts, the 20Books Vegas 2022 conference that took place November 14–18 at Bally’s Events Center in—you guessed it—Las […]
2023 Author Events to Mark on Your Calendar for the New Year
More than a month has passed since 20Books Vegas 2022 came to an end. The nearly two thousand authors who attended have returned home and come down from the high of participating in the biggest indie author conference in the world. But for those same attendees, the lessons and new friends that came from the […]
Meet the Volunteers Behind 20Books Vegas 2022
Volunteers Behind This Year’s 20Books Vegas Say Giving Their Time Is Its Own Reward At the 20Books Vegas 2022 conference, the 6 a.m. volunteer shift buzzes with energy. People from all corners of the world run off in groups to unload swag from vehicles, unpack notebooks, and prepare their stations. I was lucky enough to […]
Frankfurt Book Fair Showcases a Bigger World for Indie Authors
Going to the Frankfurt Book Fair is a jolt of adrenaline for book lovers. For the past seventy-four years, from all the regions of the world, publishers have been coming together to show off their beautiful work for readers, and as an indie author, you are part of the trade. Each year, the six-plus buildings […]
All Work, Plenty of Play: The 2022 NINC Conference in Review
Books on the beach sounds like a relaxing summer pastime—or maybe a cliché online dating profile, depending on who you ask. But in the case of the annual conference hosted by Novelists, Inc. (NINC), the concept has become a productive, professional five-day event that balances traditional and indie spheres, business and fun. And this year, […]
20 Essentials for 20Books Vegas
Ahead of 20Books Vegas, the annual four-day indie author conference hosted by 20BooksTo50K® creator Craig Martelle, a renewed era of travel has arrived—and it’s safe to say it’s more inconvenient than ever. In 2022, long lines, delays, and short staffing have all contributed to higher levels of stress and frustration as travelers return to in-person […]
SPS Live from a Volunteer’s Point of View
Susan Odev When Mark Dawson made his clarion call for volunteers to help backstage and front-of-house for the Self Publishing Show Live event, held June 28 and 29 in London’s South Bank, I hesitated to raise my hand. The inaugural event, back in 2020, heralded the start of lockdown, and there was an excellent chance […]
20Books Madrid 2022 in Review
Breaking Bread (and Churros) across Europe: 20Books Madrid in Review There is no substitute for in-person events. “You’ll learn a few things from the books, you’ll get quite a bit from the professors, but where the real knowledge and experience comes from, what you really need to make an effort to focus on, are your […]