9.30 - 10.00 Registration/Coffee
10.00 - 10.40 Panel: Why Do We Do It?
What is the driving force behind independent publishing? What are the core goals and beliefs? What do independent publishers add to the literary landscape? Can you be commercial and have artistic integrity?
Panellists: Susan Curtis-Kojakovic (Istros Books),Valerie Brandes (Jacaranda Press),Tom Chivers (Penned in the Margins) & Andy Croft (Smokestack Books).
Chair: Ian Grant
10.40 - 11.20 Panel: More Than a Publisher
Bite-sized presentations from Inpress publishers on the other projects they run to enhance and support their publishing. In today’s market, is it vital to be more than a publisher?
Panellists: Pete Mortimer (Iron Press & Iron Age Festival), Kadija George Sesay (Peepal Tree Press Inscribe Programme, SABLE LitMag & SABLE LitFest), Peter Sansom (The Poetry Business & Writer Development).
Chair:Tom Chivers
11.20 - 11.40 Coffee Break
11.40 - 12.10 Presentation: GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force in May, what do you need to know and what do you need to do?
12.10 - 12.40 Presentation: Practical Audio Publishing
A strategic and practical guide to audio publishing that explains how independent publishers can make their mark. Jo Forshaw demystifies the secrets of audio publishing, outlining the publishing options with practical advice on topics including: how to make a brilliant audio recording, who to use, where to record and how to distribute.
12.40 - 13.40 LUNCH
13.40 - 14.20 Panel: A Road Less Travelled
Against a backdrop of widespread calls for greater diversity in publishing we ask how support for alternate routes to employment, attracting a wide range of voices from different backgrounds, can create a stronger publishing industry.What are these alternate routes and what are the advantages of engagement for independent publishers?
Panellists: Yen-Yen Lu (Creative Access / Freelancer / The Emma Press), Eleanor Holmshaw (Apprentice / The Poetry Business) & Sabeena Akhtar (Editor, Bare Lit Festival coordinator and Freelancer). Chair: Sophie O’Neill
14.20 - 14.50 Presentation: ACE Literary Fiction Report
Sarah Crown, Literature Director of Arts Council England presents the ndings of their commissioned report,‘Literature in the 21st Century: Understanding Models of Support for Literary Fiction.’
14.50 - 15.20 Presentation: Zed Books: A Case Study.
Kika Sroka-Miller uncovers the secrets of Zed Books, the world’s largest publishing collective.
15.20 - 15.30 Short Break
15.30 - 16.10 Panel: Marketing on a Shoestring
In the words of Samuel Beckett, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” In this panel independent publishers share their magnificent success stories and fabulous failures navigating the tricky world of marketing on a budget.
Panellists: Jamie McGarry (Valley Press), Rosie Johns (Seren) & Esther Kim (Tilted Axis Press).
Chair:Amanda Shipp (Senior Head of Adult Marketing and Publicity, Bloomsbury).
16.10 - 16.50 Panel: Writing Back
Our final panel of the day explores the notion of publishing as a political force and asks are we doing enough to challenge the status quo? Do independent publishers have a responsibility to give a platform to marginalised voices?
Panellists: Julia Kingsford (The Good Journal & The Good Literary Agency), Sarah Shin (Silver Press & Verso Books), Nathan Connolly (Dead Ink),Tamar Shlaim (Repeater Books).
Chair: Kika Sroka-Miller
16.50 - 17.00 Closing Remarks