Inside Independent Publishing (with Ibpa)

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

The city of Portland, Oregon, is one of the centers of Pacific Northwest publishing. Laura Stanfill of Forest Avenue Press discusses her own journey and describes how the special bond among Portland publishers, readers, and booksellers leads to the small victories that can get us through these tough times.Topics Coveredthe story of Forest Avenue PressNAB (Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association)engaging with local booksellers for advice, events, advance orders and buzzfocusing on regional authorsthe role of Powell’s bookstore as a sales powerhouse and community gathering spacethe Espresso Book Machine (no longer but a great tool for local events and galleys!)the challenge of launching books when no bookstores are open or ordering booksgetting by with online orders and curbside deliveryare books an “essential” business?publishers connecting with readers the story of The Royal Abduls and its online launch (the virus hit just when the book was headed for an important pre-release launch!)will NY publishers win

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed American life overnight. How are booksellers faring, what kinds of issues do they face, and what measures are they taking to survive? John Mutter of industry newsletter Shelf Awareness makes some initial observations.Topics CoveredThe plight of booksellers and their employeesIs relief in sight?Do stores already doing online selling have an advantage?The logistical challenge: you can sell, but can you ship?Resources at hand: the ABA, BINCHow can authors and booksellers support each other?Virtual author tours and events and other strategies for staying afloatIs bookselling an “essential” business?Ingram’s major role in sales and fulfillmentLinkshttps://www.shelf-awareness.com/Shelf Awareness newsletterhttps://www.bincfoundation.org/Book Industry Charitable Foundationhttps://www.bookweb.org/American Booksellers Associationhttps://www.ingramcontent.com/retailers/direct-to-homeIngram Direct to Home shipping servicehttps://www.aer.io/Sell your books online with Ingram fulfillmentht

Getting the look and content of your book right is priority 1. But looming changes at Amazon may be beyond your control. What to do? This is part 2 of our interview with Ian Lamont of i30 Media.Topics Covered3 keys to success: a great cover, powerful keywords and metadata, solid contentUsing social media to drive traffic to AmazonHow Amazon is changing: increasing costs of advertising and, surprise, Amazon may no longer consider books very important to its business modelAny other competitors on the horizon? (um, not really)But, you can use other platforms to sell books: Shopify, Ingram Spark, Aerio among othersLinksLean Mediahttp://leanmedia.org/Lean Media YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsYGJf9h3mJHS9KP6H5ldYQ/videosAmazon Deep Divehttp://deepdive.leanmedia.org/IBPA Publishing University: Using Metadata and Amazon to Expand Your Business, Thursday, April 2, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm (Redondo Beach, CA )https://sched.co/YAAXIngram Sparkhttps://www.ingramspark.com/Aeriohttps://www.aer.io/Shopifyhttps

Amazon advertising can be a great way to boost discoverability, but you have to know what it costs and how to manage Amazon issues that arise from time to time. This is part 1 of our interview with Ian Lamont of i30 Media.Topics CoveredAmazon AdvertisingCustomer supportKeeping an eye on costsDiscoverabilityAmazon as a test laboratoryKDP, Audible, and other programsIs Amazon Advantage being phased out?Seller CentralProblems with Amazon customer serviceLinksLean Mediahttp://leanmedia.org/Lean Media YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsYGJf9h3mJHS9KP6H5ldYQ/videosAmazon Deep Divehttp://deepdive.leanmedia.org/IBPA Publishing University: Using Metadata and Amazon to Expand Your Business: Thursday, April 2, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm (Redondo Beach, CA)https://sched.co/YAAXParticipantsIan Lamont is the founder of i30 Media Corporation and the creator of the Lean Media framework. He started his publishing business in 2012 with a single how-to guide on Amazon KDP. The company has since expanded to a complete li

CEO Angela Bole of IBPA summarizes some of the key issues facing book publishers and authors in the coming year—hint: there are challenges, but lots of opportunities (and lots of great books!)important issues, some old, some newAB5 (the gig economy law)windowing ebooks to libraries (the Macimillan controversy)the CASE Act, on the way to passage?tariffs: not here yet, but not off the table eithera continuing challenge: diversity in the publishing workspace and contentBarnes and Noble: a new owner, but will it make the company more responsive to its community and local publishers?the challenge of reaching independent booksellers without a distributorachieving profitability by publishing more!LinksIBPA Comments on proposed tariffs on printed bookshttps://www.ibpa-online.org/news/456983/Updated-IBPA-Comments-on-Section-301-Investigation--Proposed-Tariff-on-Printed-Books.htmIBPA’s own source of news and updates on the Audible lawsuithttps://www.ibpa-online.org/news/467194/Updated-News-Related-to-Audible-Captions-P

Topics covered include:Marketing into the US from overseas: conforming with schedules and promotionUsing Ingram Spark to serve world marketsBrexit: what happens next? Customs and VATUK rules and regulations, loosening libel lawsComplying with EU privacy standardsLinkshttps://camphorpress.comhttps://twitter.com/camphorpressParticipantsMichael Cannings is one of the three founders of Camphor Press, an independent publisher focusing on East Asia. Now back in his native England after eleven years living in Taiwan, Michael has a background in marketing and design which has proven invaluable in getting Camphor Press off the ground, though he still describes himself as a publishing amateur. Outside work he will invariably be reading; sometimes alone but nowadays more often with his two children. Michael is keenly interested in Taiwanese history, and also follows the not-so-mighty Torquay United football club.Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing care