Inside Independent Publishing (with Ibpa)

There are many considerations for independent publishers wanting to sell books in the government, education, and healthcare markets. How is selling into these markets different from the retail trade? How do you get started? What are some reasons independent publishers may or may not want to pursue these markets? What are some tips for doing this well? IBPA Board Chair Karen Pavlicin, publisher of Elva Resa Publishing and owner of Military Family Books, shares tips and insights from her 25+ years of navigating bulk sales, niche markets, and community advocacy programs as a primary business model.PARTICIPANTSKaren Pavlicin is the founder and publisher at Elva Resa Publishing, a traditional publisher specializing in resources for and about military families. She also owns and operates Military Family Books, an independent bookstore and wholesale distributor specializing in bulk sales to the military, education, and healthcare markets. She served four years on the IBPA Board of Directors and is the current board

If independent publishers and author publishers optimize their books properly for Amazon, it could lead to excellent sales, but likewise, if they don’t, it could hurt a book’s chances of succeeding. Also, advertising on Amazon can be a powerful tool, but it can be a complicated process. Don’t fret, on this episode of “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA),” we invited Greenleaf Book Group’s Marketing Manager Chelsea Richards to share her expertise with Amazon optimization and ads!PARTICIPANTSAs Marketing Manager at Greenleaf, Chelsea Richards works with authors to create strategic marketing campaigns, build their author brands, and increase visibility and exposure for their books. She helps authors establish their authority as experts through developing their online presence, harnessing the power of their existing networks, and targeted advertising to both the trade and consumers. Chelsea holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Exeter in England, a BA in English and communications from Sout

IBPA is always looking for ways to set up independent publishers and author publishers for success, so we partnered with PubWest and Portland State University’s Graduate Program in Book Publishing to research five key issues facing publishing distribution today. Portland State University’s Director of Book Publishing and Assistant Professor in English Dr. Rachel Noorda and Rachel Done, who is one of the talented students who worked on this project and a freelance publishing professional, visit “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to discuss the findings of the project, which include ways for indie publishers to make their distribution more profitable, sustainable, and eco-friendly!PARTICIPANTSDr. Rachel Noorda is Director of Book Publishing and Assistant Professor in English. She researches twenty-first century book topics such as entrepreneurship, marketing, small business, national identity, and international publishing. Her book Entrepreneurship Identity in U.S. Book Publishing in the Twenty-First C

It’s a major goal of many independent publishers and author publishers to get their books carried in a bookstore, but as many have found, it can be a difficult market to break into. “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” invites Village Books & Paper Dreams Co-Owner and Steward Paul Hanson and Publishing Coordinator Chloe Hovind to share expert tips about how indie publishers can get bookstores to stock their books, and the reasoning behind why it’s so difficult to get their books carried in the first place.PARTICIPANTSPaul Hanson is one of three co-owners of Village Books in Bellingham and Lynden, Washington. He produces workshops and classes through the Chuckanut Writers Program in partnership with Whatcom Community College and has been a coordinator for the Chuckanut Writers Conference. Before arriving in Bellingham in 2011, Paul was the long-time manager of Eagle Harbor Book Company on Bainbridge Island. He is a writer and publisher, former President of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Associati

Marketing books can be overwhelming and discouraging, and to make matters more difficult, there are a lot of dependable strategies out there that wield excellent exposure for books but that does not necessarily mean that they lead directly to book sales. Book Launchers Founder Julie Broad joins us on “Inside Independent Publishing” today to go over some of the best book marketing tactics available and to explain the results publishers can expect from those tactics.PARTICIPANTSJulie Broad is the founder of self-publishing services firm Book Launchers and an Amazon Overall #1 Best Selling Author. Her popular YouTube channel BookLaunchers.TV teaches nonfiction authors how to write and market books people will want to read. An expert on writing with marketing in mind, Julie been speaking on stages across Canada and the US since 2009, providing the best approaches to get results, make an impact, and ultimately, make more money. Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independen

The U.S. has thousands of libraries, so if an independent publisher can get their books carried in the library market, it can be great exposure for their books and a lucrative endeavor. But, how does an indie publisher get libraries to carry their books? On this episode of “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA),” we invited Founder and Former CEO at BiblioLabs and Senior Manager of the BiblioLabs Division at LYRASIS Mitchell Davis to share tips for how independent publishers and author publishers can get their books into libraries!PARTICIPANTSMitchell Davis is a digital publishing and media entrepreneur with over twenty five years experience in the book publishing industry. He was the founder in 2000 of BookSurge, an indie publishing and print-on-demand technology platform which successfully exited in an acquisition to Amazon.com in 2005. BookSurge later became CreateSpace and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). After spending two years in senior management at Amazon he founded BiblioLabs which successfully e

Social media provides independent publishers with many incredible opportunities to promote their books, but it feels like new platforms pop up every day, which can make it overwhelming to figure out which platforms are the best. Today, Founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell Alexa Bigwarfe joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to give you the inside scoop on some of the most buzzworthy options available, including BookTok, Bookstagram, and BookTube!PARTICIPANTSAlexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author and the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors and small publishers professionally self-publish and market their books. Her courses and training focus on author platform growth and creative ways to market books, especially for those who know nothing about marketing. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit and owns two hybrid publishing houses, Kat Biggie Press and Purple Butterfly Press. Learn more at writepublishsell.com.Indepen

One of the topics that independent publishers and author publishers always ask IBPA about is Amazon. Amazon is a juggernaut in the publishing industry and publishers want to know how to succeed in that marketplace. Amazon has a feature called A+ Content, which, if used properly, can be a helpful tool for publishers. So Amazon expert and i30 Media Corporation founder Ian Lamont visits “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share advantageous tips. Ian also gives updates on other Amazon topics, including: whether Amazon Advantage will ever reopen registration; issues with third-party sellers winning the “buy” button over publishers; and more!PARTICIPANTSIan Lamont is the founder of i30 Media Corporation. His media career has spanned more than 20 years across three continents, including a stint in the British music industry and a six-year residence in Taipei, where he learned Mandarin and worked for a local TV network and newspaper. Returning to the Boston area, he shifted into digital media, building we

Selling the film or TV rights to a book can be a lucrative endeavor, but how does an independent publisher or author publisher sell their film and TV rights? Will Dreamly Arts Publisher Andreas John visits “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share expertise from his own experience selling the TV rights to a book series by one of this authors. Andreas shares tips about how to land a deal; how to attach the right people for the project; and more!PARTICIPANTSOver 25 years ago, Andreas John launched his career in the magazine publishing world previously as the GM of CdA Magazine and the North Idaho Business Journal.  In 2014, Andreas started the regional lifestyle magazine Nspire Magazine and shortly after became the publisher of Will Dreamly Arts Publishing. Past board chair of the CdA Arts & Culture Alliance and current board president of the CdA Men in Business Network, and is a winner of the Top 30 under 40 Award in 2013.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association f

Independent publisher Puppy Dogs & Ice Cream has had incredible success acquiring book sales through digital marketing, so founder Jason Kutasi visits “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share some of their most effective strategies. Jason shares which platforms have been most profitable to advertise on; why his indie publishing company rarely conducts promotions on Amazon; and much more!PARTICIPANTSJason Kutasi is the CEO of Puppy Dogs & Ice Cream – a children’s book publisher focused on the direct to consumer channel.Independent 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 3,700+ 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 he’s an author publisher himself, havin

Many authors would prefer to just write books and leave the marketing to someone else, but if a book is going to be successful, it is imperative that authors take an active role in marketing their books. Since a lot of authors feel uncomfortable with this, it’s helpful if independent publishers work with their authors as partners on this issue. On this episode of “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA),” founder of independent publisher Motina Books Diane Windsor shares tips about how indie publishers can guide their authors to market their books successfully.PARTICIPANTSDiane Windsor is the founder of the traditional publishing company, Motina Books. Her mission is to publish books by and for mothers, giving women the chance to release their stories into the world. Diane works hard to create a partnership with her authors. Throughout the publishing process, Diane works closely with the author every step of the way – editing, formatting, cover design, distribution, and marketing.Marketing, of course, is th

Want to learn how to get the most out of IngramSpark (Ingram Content Group’s publish-on-demand platform)? IBPA invited IngramSpark’s Business Development Manager Josh Floyd to "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)" to answer some of the most common questions publishers have about the popular platform, such as: When posting books onto the platform, should publishers make their books returnable or non-returnable? How does IngramSpark give publishers access to bookstores and libraries? Get answers to these questions and much more on this podcast episode!PARTICIPANTSJosh Floyd promotes the growth, sales, and brand of the IngramSpark platform to independent authors and publishers along with providing education to the industry about how best to utilize Ingram’s Publish-On-Demand services for bringing a new book to market or for breathing life into an out-of-print title. Josh received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies and a minor in Business Administration from Midd

A lot of independent publishers and author publishers focus a great deal of time and energy trying to get their books sold in bookstores, but there are many other places to sell books that could be a perfect fit for various target audiences. In this episode of "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)," publisher and founder of The Collective Book Studio Angela Engel discusses the success she's achieved getting her authors’ books into the retail market.PARTICIPANTSWhen Angela Engel launched The Collective Book Studio she wanted to build a different kind of publishing business, one that adhered to the author’s vision every step of the way. Her experience in traditional publishing allows her to introduce beautiful books into the world, and she brings her passion for reading and sharing new ideas into every new project she undertakes.Angela grew up in Minneapolis, MN, and now calls Oakland, CA, home. For many years she worked in sales and marketing for nationally known category leaders in publishing, including

What encourages people to buy a book? How do people discover books? Knowing book consumer buying habits can be a huge help in creating successful book marketing campaigns, so IBPA co-sponsored a research project to get an advantageous look at the answers to these questions and more! Portland State University Director of Publishing Dr. Rachel Noorda co-authored the report, so she visits the podcast to give independent publishers and author publishers all the details.PARTICIPANTSDr. Rachel Noorda is Director of Publishing and Assistant Professor of English at Portland State University. Dr. Noorda holds a PhD degree in Publishing Studies from the University of Stirling and has published peer-reviewed research on various book publishing projects including book subscription boxes, independent publisher mission statements, the Portland Book Festival, and online book blurbs. She is currently writing a book (contracted with Cambridge University Press) about entrepreneurship in twenty-first century US book publishing.

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