IBPA Publishing University, Conference Wrap Up, Part 4

Each year the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) brings together its robust membership to share knowledge and resources, discuss challenges and opportunities facing indie publishers and authors, and network with like-minded professionals. This year we met in Denver, Colorado, and even a surprise snowstorm did nothing to dampen the excitement in the room!

Katie Versluis and Kristina Radke at IBPA Publishing University in Denver

The theme of this year’s event, “Rise and Disrupt,” resonated deeply with attendees grappling with the challenges posed by consolidation in the industry, slowing sales, inflation, the rise of new AI technologies, and more. This is an event that does not shy away from the tough questions and conversations, and yet the energy is always inherently positive. This year was no different. The conference centered around the idea that innovation is inherently disruptive, energizing participants while also sparking discussions about the state of the industry.

Saturday’s keynote, “Rise and Disrupt,” featured Oriana Leckert (Kickstarter), Joe Biel (Microcosm Publishing), Dhonielle Clayton (Cake Literary & Electric Postcard Entertainment), and Brooke Warner (She Writes Press & SparkPress). Much was said about the benefits of hybrid publishing, which does not rely on the publisher to fund advances. 

Leckert shared many examples of Kickstarter campaigns (and not just the ones we all know about), focusing on what makes a good campaign: a strong project image, a compelling personal video, appealing and creative rewards at different price levels. For instance, we heard about an author who offered to kill off a character named after the fan if they supported the project for $666… or to kill them AND bring them back for $777. Additionally, Leckert emphasized that it’s always better to get the money up front to pay for things like marketing, book design, and more. She told the audience about another author who wanted pink-gilded edges on her romance novel, and found a backer who would fund it!

Dhonielle Clayton from Cake Creative discussed using her own intellectual property (IP) to fill in gaps in the industry that she sees, related to diverse story-telling. She uses her experience and knowledge to bring fully formed ideas to life by connecting with authors who will write the books based on her IP, and then sell it to publishers using data to back up that there’s an audience clamoring for it.

Joe Biel from Microcosm Publishing inspired attendees when Brooke Warner pointed out that he’s one of the only publishers she knows who has completely stopped selling books on Amazon. Biel was matter-of-fact when he expressed that this was not a moral stance, but a financial one—he had looked at what it cost to sell via Amazon, and decided to instead put that money toward their own sales and marketing efforts, with great success.

Another standout panel, “AI (Artificial Intelligence): How to Use It, and What IBPA Should Be Doing About It” highlighted the dual nature of AI as both a tool for efficiency and a potential disruptor in the industry. Thad McIlroy (The Future of Publishing) delivered a cautiously optimistic presentation, highlighting the foundational aspects of AI and emphasizing the importance of understanding its potential dangers. Torrey Sharp from Faceout Studio offered valuable insights into strategic AI utilization, emphasizing the need to define clear guidelines for its implementation within businesses. Faceout Studio’s approach, utilizing AI to analyze book content and create AI-generated mood boards, but not final book cover designs (they leave that to the humans) highlighted how AI technology and human creativity can co-exist.

Dave Davis of Calliope Networks provided a unique perspective, highlighting the potential for publishers to monetize their content by licensing it to LLMs (large language models), citing Wiley’s successful $23M content licensing deal. Overall, the consensus among panelists emphasized the need for oversight and careful integration of AI into publishing workflows.

The “Reach Your Readers” panel, moderated by Kristina Radke (VP, Business Growth & Engagement at NetGalley, far right), addressed foundational questions for emerging publishers and authors. From the importance of early reviews to leveraging international rights, the panel offered diverse perspectives on connecting with readers from (l. to r.) Juliet Wills (VP Global Sales and Rights, Galaxy Press), Kim Schutte (Director of Consumer Marketing, Ingram Content Group), thriller author Marissa Vanskike, and Roseanne Cheng (Director of Business Development, DropCap Rights Agency).

IBPA Publishing University continues to honor the spirit of resilience and adaptability within the independent publishing community by hosting programs that are both informational and actionable, and creating a community that is open to learning, collaboration, and collective growth.

NetGalley is proud to partner with the IBPA and support independent publishers. Learn more about the NetGalley Member Benefits for IBPA members!

Read more of our 2024 conference wrap ups:

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London Book Fair

2024 Conference Wrap Up, Part 3

London Book Fair 2024 was the busiest in recent memory, with the floors noticeably crowded well into the traditionally much quieter Thursday. The many sessions, seminars and talks were hugely popular, often resulting in standing room only. If there were presiding concerns, they were the effect of TikTok and the phenomenon of the books it has amplified most successfully, as well as the applications, perils and possibilities of AI. 

Members of Firebrand Group (NetGalley, Firebrand Technologies, and Supadu) hosting meetings at London Book Fair

BookTok and Influencer Marketing

There were several panels specifically devoted to TikTok, and many more about the broad use of influencer campaigns, and we noticed how much TikTok-endorsed and popularized genres dominated the huge video screens of the bigger publishers. Romance, Romantasy and high concept thrillers were the dominant genres, and nonfiction was much less visible on these stands as in years before.

In the session “BookTok: Bridging Communities and Redefining Reading” presented by Esther Fung from PangoBook and Léa Crumpton, they illuminated how social media platforms are reshaping reading habits and fostering inclusivity within literary communities. With the rise of BookTok, they said readers are discovering diverse voices and narratives, transcending traditional boundaries.

Publishers received a valuable lesson on leveraging behind-the-scenes videos to provide glimpses into the fun inner workings of working in a publishing house, and the importance of collaborations with influencers was emphasized, with a reminder to allow creators the freedom to infuse their unique style into promotional content, therefore maintaining authenticity. 

This concept was reiterated again and again throughout various marketing panels. For instance, At the Byte the Book Drinks Reception, Kelly Weekes, Marketing Mentor & Author Coach, urged creators to prioritize building relationships over direct sales pitches, echoing the sentiment that social media is inherently about fostering connections. And in the session, “Spotlight on YA: Navigating a Crowded Market”, speakers emphasized the significance of genuine engagement over trend-chasing. In-person events and literary prizes emerged as potent avenues for garnering visibility and expanding readership, reaffirming the enduring value of community engagement in the publishing process.

By embracing trends and engaging with audiences consistently, publishers can forge meaningful connections in the digital sphere.

Artificial Intelligence

In terms of AI’s presence at LBF, there were many start-ups offering AI-enhanced or produced content. We observed stands that offered listening booths so attendees could hear AI voice renderings of classics like Alice in Wonderland, and heard from companies using AI to offer end-to-end advertising to aid book discoverability. 

In conversation with some of our clients, we came to understand that publishers recognize where AI can be useful (enhancing internal workflows, creating starter marketing copy to be revised by a human), and where it can be harmful – the publishers we spoke to acknowledged that their readers are against AI-generated art, including book content and cover images.

Sessions like “The Future of Audio in Publishing: Global Trends and the Impact of AI” leaned into the need for transparency with readers, especially if synthetic voices are used. As reported in PW’s London Book Fair 2024: The State of Audiobooks, From AI to Ads, Videl Bar-Kar, v-p of audio at Bookwire GmbH, stated, “There needs to be real transparency and trust. Consumers need to decide, and we talked about it as well. I think there needs to be very clear labeling on behalf of what’s going out there and presenting to consumers.”

Read more of our 2024 conference wrap ups:

And find us at the following events this spring!

  • April 12, Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Annual Meeting
  • April 12 – 14, Paris Book Festival
  • April 25 – 27, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Publishing University
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Audio Publishers Association Conference

2024 Conference Wrap Up, Part 2

This year’s Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) brought together audiobook-industry leaders to explore the evolving landscape of audio consumption. NetGalley was thrilled to sponsor and speak at this event. Across all sessions, attendees and presenters alike celebrated the continued growth of the audio market.

Darcy Piedmonte speaking at APAC 2024, demonstrating how NetGalley members express enthusiasm for audiobooks “out in the wild.”

Paul Abassi (Bookstat) reminded attendees of the huge growth in audiobook sales in recent years, from over $1.7 billion in 2018 to over $3 billion in 2023. Last year proved a substantial increase across both legacy and newer retailers, including publishers of all sizes and multiple genre categories.  Kristen McLain (Circana Entertainment Knowledge Group) positioned audio as a thriving market ripe for further innovation and expansion. Kristen pointed out that audio is the only category growing across all age groups, with some titles selling equal in (or more!) shares than other formats. Further, audiobook consumers are willing and ready to invest in their overall experience. 

Laura Ivy (Edison Research) shared that audiobook audiences are continuing to skew younger, supported by APAC’s own Sales & Consumer Data Survey conducted last year, which revealed: “The majority of audiobook listeners are young, with 57% being between the ages of 18 and 44, significantly higher than the 49% of the U.S. population that falls within the same age range.” Kristen McLain added, “Future listeners are living with current listeners!”

Darcy Piedmonte, Senior Sales Manager at NetGalley, joined Eric Barnett (Supporting Cast), Lizzie Breyer Bowman (Lemonada), and moderator Amy Metsch (Spiegel & Grau) on a panel titled, “Audiobooks in the Wild”, to discuss how forward-thinking approaches to audiobook and spoken word programming foster audience engagement and community. The conversation underscored the significance of dynamic content strategies in attracting and retaining listeners. Darcy delved into the thriving audiobook community facilitated by NetGalley, sharing case studies featuring an independently published audiobook side-by-side with a celebrity memoir (spoiler alert: both performed extremely well on NetGalley). She also spoke about NetGalley’s role in fostering interactions between audio publishers and enthusiastic listeners, providing updates about the NetGalley community’s growth and engagement. Be on the lookout for more about this!

A highlight of the event was Malcolm Gladwell’s keynote address emphasizing tremendous opportunities for internet-based audio. Gladwell brought attention to our collective chance to democratize production, highlight on-demand, recursive listening, and revolutionize access with few barriers to entry. However, there are significant limitations standing in the way related to fair- versus limited use, where limited use greatly sacrifices transformative experiences that can enhance listeners’ lives. Gladwell illuminated the downsides in the specific, story-driven way only he can. The audience was convinced: the industry is not currently able to exploit the full potential of the audio medium. However, as industry professionals we can band together for a “Fair Use” movement and coalition. Only then will we harness the power of our creative potential and realize the spoken word future we all want to see. 

Lastly, we are thrilled to congratulate this year’s Audie Award Winners! We’re honored that so many of these award-winning audiobooks were available on NetGalley.

Read more of our 2024 conference wrap ups:

And find us at the following events this spring!

  • March 12 – 14, London Book Fair
  • March 21 – 24, Leipzig Book Fair
  • April 12, Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Annual Meeting
  • April 12 – 14, Paris Book Festival
  • April 25 – 27, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Publishing University
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ABA Winter Institute

2024 Conference Wrap Up, Part 1

With over 950 booksellers in attendance, American Bookseller Association’s Winter Institute conference was filled with vibrant energy, fostering numerous opportunities for networking and collaboration both within and outside the conference sessions. Two members of the NetGalley team, Tarah Theoret (Senior Director, Community Experience) and Darcy Piedmonte (Senior Sales Manager), were in attendance to connect with our partners at ABA, as well as with booksellers, publishers, and industry professionals.

NetGalley team members, Darcy Piedmonte & Tarah Theoret

Booksellers were excited for the reminder that publishers can see that they are validated ABA members on NetGalley, ensuring quick approvals (and even auto-approvals) for their book requests. Popular formats were discussed, with comic store owners expressing gratitude for the collection of comics, graphic novels, and manga that publishers make available on NetGalley. They particularly appreciated the digital access to preview this content, as these books often lack full-color ARCs. Audiobooks garnered similar attention, and many attendees were excited to dig into NetGalley’s audiobook offerings.

We were thrilled to see more publishers using QR codes to make books available to Winter Institute attendees, especially in the Galley Room. Publishers are recognizing the benefits of offering digital copies, both in terms of the number of books they can give away and in terms of sustainability. Using QR codes, or following up with attendees to say, ‘Thank you,’ with a NetGalley pre-approval link to a popular book saves on printing, shipping, and overall carbon emissions. NetGalley is proud to be part of the solution.

Overall, Winter Institute 2024 was characterized by dynamic discussions and fruitful collaborations!

Read more of our 2024 conference wrap ups:

And find us at the following events this spring!

  • February 28, Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC)
  • March 12 – 14, London Book Fair
  • March 21 – 24, Leipzig Book Fair
  • April 12, Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Annual Meeting
  • April 12 – 14, Paris Book Festival
  • April 25 – 27, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Publishing University
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Conference Wrap Up Part 6 – IBPA Pub U

In March and April, the NetGalley team attended the Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC), London Book Fair, Festival des Livres Paris (Paris Book Festival), Leipziger Buchmesse (Leipzig Book Fair), and the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) annual meeting. This month (May), we have attended the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Publishing University and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Leadership Summit. We look forward to Publishers Weekly’s U.S. Book Show next!

Read all of our 2023 spring conference wrap ups:

Katie Versluis and Kristina Radke at IBPA Pub U

Independent Book Publishers Association Publishing University

Independent Book Publishers Association’s (IBPA) Publishing University is a vibrant gathering aimed at traditional and hybrid independent publishers, as well as author publishers, who gather to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies, solutions, and more. This year, the IBPA celebrated its 40th anniversary on Coronado Island in San Diego, with their nautical theme—”Navigate, Innovate, Elevate: Charting the Next 40 Years”.

In addition to the many conversations we had with the IBPA members at our table, and at our “Ask the Experts” sessions (where members sign up to speak to specific industry experts one-on one), the keynote programming was especially powerful this year. Friday’s keynote, “The Future is Independent – How Indie Publishers are Transforming the Industry” featured Rebekah “Bex” Borucki, founder of Row House Publishing, and Arthur Levine, founder of Levine Querido. Each of them shared their journey to founding their publishing houses, including challenges and wins. There was a lot of discussion about finding your community, filling a niche that larger publishers may not be focused on, and uplifting innovated voices. Both of the panelists emphasized that independent publishers have the books with this kind of targeted focus, which distributors may be missing from other large publishers. In many cases, getting a meeting with a distributor may be as simple writing an email to them.

Saturday’s keynote, “Legends of Black Independent Publishing: Learning from the Best”, was a wealth of knowledge. The panelists, Dr. Haki Madhubuti (Third World Press), W. Paul Coates (Black Classic Press),
Kassahun Checole (Africa World Press/The Red Sea Press), and Wade and Cheryl Hudson
(Just Us Books), and hosted by Troy Johnson (African American Literature Book Club), mentioned that they had about a hundred years of experience combined. Much of the focus of this panel was on the power of community—uplifting one another, coming together in support when, for example, an entire basement full of books is flooded, and unapologetically serving the needs of readers in their communities. From acquiring, to editing, to printing and distributing, these powerhouses of indie publishing shared their experiences and strategies with a roomful of rapt IBPA members.

Karen Pavlicin, founder of Elva Resa Publishing and IBPA Board Chair, and NetGalley’s Kristina Radke.

In addition to the amazing keynotes, panels, and conversations, the IBPA also celebrated NetGalley’s own VP of Business Growth, Kristina Radke, who has now completed two terms on the IBPA Board of Directors. Congratulations, Kristina!

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Conference Wrap Up Part 5 – Festival des Livres Paris

In March and April, the NetGalley team attended the Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC), London Book Fair, Festival des Livres Paris (Paris Book Festival), Leipziger Buchmesse (Leipzig Book Fair), and the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) annual meeting. This month (May), we—along with our Firebrand Group colleagues—look forward to the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Publishing University, Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Leadership Summit, and Publishers Weekly U.S. Book Show. Scroll to the end of this article to set up a meeting with our teams!

Read all of our spring conference wrap ups:

Maria Bodmer and Prudence Servan at the Paris Book Festival

Festival des Livres Paris (Paris Book Festival)

The Paris Book Festival (previously “Salon du Livre”) is designed to attract both professionals in the book publishing industry, as well as a general audience of book lovers. The festival celebrates literature and literary trends. For publishers, this is an opportunity to represent their authors as they participate in readings or interviews on various stages across the event, to network with colleagues across the industry, and meet directly with their audience.

Since this event is extremely busy for the publishers who attend, we took this opportunity to quickly connect with our clients. We were excited to hear positive feedback to recent updates we’ve made to NetGalley, including support for larger file sizes and the Profile Walkthrough to help NetGalley members update the details about how and where they promote books. Publishers were quick to tell us that they’d like our help launching debut authors, more resources to explain NetGalley to their authors, and even key points to help them bring more of their teams up to speed with the opportunities that NetGalley provides in terms of digital distribution, data, and book promotions. We can’t wait to dive in!

Number of publishers we sat down with: 11

Thank you to the nearly 60 publishers we’ve met with at these spring conferences! It’s always a pleasure to speak with the passionate members of our client community, and we’ve been inspired by our conversations. 

Read our next installment, covering the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Publishing University!

Find us here in May:

  • May 5-6: IBPA Publishing University
    • Meet with Kristina Radke (VP of Business Growth & Engagement) and Katie Versluis (Customer Success Manager), NetGalley
    • concierge [at] netgalley.com
  • May 9-10: ECPA Leadership Summit
    • Meet with Joshua Tallent, Director of Sales and Education, Firebrand Technologies
    • info [at] firebrandtech.com
  • May 23-25: Publishers Weekly U.S. Book Show
    • We are thrilled to sponsor this event. Find us at the NetGalley Pub Hub!
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