I’m looking forward to soaking up some wisdom at the Independent Book Publishing Association’s Publishing University in Austin, Texas, this month. Attending this annual conference will give me a chance to learn from some of the most successful writers, publishers, marketers, and distributors in the world of independent publishing.
Because I’ve been awarded the WPN affiliate scholarship for the April 10–11 event, I feel I represent all WPN members this year. I’m looking forward to sharing all the tips, tricks, and information that I can gather at PubU, an annual meeting that focuses on issues important to indie publishers and self-publishing authors.
IBPA is the largest professional publishing association in the country. It serves the independent publishing community by providing advocacy, education, and tools for success. Nearly 300 book-publishing professionals from across the country are expected to attend this year.
I attended PubU in 2012. At that time, I’d worked as an independent editor for a little more than a year. I signed up for PubU to learn more about the rapidly changing publishing world. Walking away after two days of lectures, small-group sessions, and one-on-one meetings, I realized that I had set up shop in an industry that was just beginning to re-create itself. That knowledge was both frightening and energizing, but information I learned and contacts I made at PubU have helped me find paths to keep my business going and growing.
This year I plan to attend sessions on editing, of course, since that’s my primary business focus. I’m also eager to learn about book sales, publishing contracts, copyright laws, print-on-demand services, marketing tricks, and more. I work with many self-publishing authors and small presses, so the more I understand about the industry, the more I have to offer to my clients.
I plan to provide daily updates to WPN members from this year’s PubU, probably in the form of Tweets and Facebook posts, and maybe even in a video chat. Look for me at @eDitmoreEdits and on the WPN Facebook page.
I’d love to hear from you too. Take a look at the PubU schedule. If you have questions for any of the presenters or about any of the specific material, you can contact me through Twitter or by email at tammy@editmore.com. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to get the answers you’re looking for, but I’ll try!
Tammy eDitmore Editorial Services
tammy@editmore.com