ePublishing

WHAT'S YOUR STORY?

Pitch Your Book Idea To Agents & Editors

Have a great idea for a novel but are unsure if it's any good? Always longed to write your memoir but not clear if anyone else will find it compelling?

WHAT'S YOUR STORY? is a new special session at this year's SPBE, where aspiring authors will get to meet with some of the top editors and literary agents in the business to pitch them their book ideas. Pre-registered attendees for WHAT'S YOUR STORY? will have 10-minute one-on-one sessions — 3 minutes to make your pitch, and 7 minutes receiving instant feedback from your assigned publishing pro.

To be eligible, you must purchase a ticket to the panel sessions (attendance for all panels & lectures is included) and pre-register for this session. Once payment has been received, you will receive instructions on how to register.

AGENTS & EDITORS:

Betty Kelly Sargent is a veteran book and magazine editor who writes, co-authors and edits both literary and commercial fiction and general interest non-fiction. She has held several executive positions in publishing including Editor-In-Chief of William Morrow, Executive Editor at HarperCollins, and was the former book review editor at Cosmopolitan Magazine and for CNN Live. Most recently, she founded BookWorks.com for those interested in learning about self-publishing as well as marketing their books through Social Media.

Richard Marek started his career in publishing as an acquiring editor at Macmillan, and became Editor-in-Chief at The Dial Press. During that time, he acquired the manuscript by an unknown author named Robert Ludlum. He also acquired and edited books by more than 100 writers, including James Baldwin, Mira Rothenberg, John Yount and David Morrell. In 1978, he was given his own imprint at G.P. Putnam's, and moved it to St. Martin's Press where, among many other books, he acquired Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs and Robert Greysmith's Zodiac. In 1989, he became President and Publisher of E.P. Dutton. After Dutton he spent four years as Editor-at-Large for the Crown Publishing Group. In the past 10 years, he's edited over 120 books at the behest of publishers, agents and unrepresented writers (one of his current services is to pair books with literary agents).

Stacey Glick, Vice President, joined DGLM (Dystel & Goderich Literary Management) in 1999 after working in film and television development for five years. She has a wide-ranging and eclectic client list, and is interested in many subjects, including (but not limited to) narrative nonfiction, parenting, cooking and food, memoir, psychology, self-help, health/fitness, lifestyle, current events, pop culture, YA, middle grade, and adult contemporary fiction of all kinds.

Alan Rinzler has edited and published Toni Morrison, Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Robbins, Shirley MacLaine, Robert Ludlum, Jerzy Kosinski, Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, Clive Cussler, and others. He began his career at Simon and Schuster and then went to Macmillan and Holt as Senior Editor. He was Director of Trade Book Publishing at Bantam Books, Associate Publisher and Vice President of Rolling Stone Magazine, and President of the Rolling Stone Book Division Straight Arrow Books. He was also West Coast Editor for the Grove Press, Editor of the Berkeley Monthly, and for 18 years Executive Editor of Jossey-Bass. He was also Academic Director of Trade Book Publishing for the annual Stanford Professional Publishing Courses.

Victoria Skurnick has been an agent at the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency for three years. Before that, she spent almost twenty years at the Book-of-the-Month Club, where, for the last five, she was editor-in-chief. She was a senior editor at St. Martin's Press and Pocket Books, and has co-written seven novels under the name Cynthia Victor. Since she began her career as an agent, she has worked on fiction titles including Harry Dolan's Bad Things Happen, Alice LaPlante's Turn of Mind, Robert Rotenberg's Old City Hall, and Cynthia Keller's An Amish Christmas. Her nonfiction titles include Critical, by Senator Tom Daschle, When Money Was in Fashion, by June Breton Fisher, Terrorists in Love, by Kenneth Ballen, and The Dangerous Book for Dogs, by Action Five.

Paul De Angelis has over 30 years experience in senior editorial positions including Editor-in Chief, Editorial Director, and Editor at Kodansha, St, Martin's Press, and E.P. Dutton. He has also been project manager and editorial consultant for Bard Music Festival's series of annually published essays, he has co-published a quarterly guide to the Rhinebeck, NY area, and he co-authored the book Dear Mrs. Kennedy.

MANUSCRIPT EVALUATION SESSION

Get Instant Feedback in One-on-One Sessions

How can you maximize your book's sales potential and make it the best it can be? Get clear-eyed, objective feedback from professionals who've evaluated thousands of manuscripts and queries. In focused one-on-one sessions, the pros of the Consulting Editors Alliance (www.consulting-editors.com)— a group of highly skilled editors, each with a minimum of 15 years' New York publishing experience—will comment on the commercial appeal and marketability of your book's plot or subject matter, identify potential strengths and weaknesses, and brainstorm market positioning and strategy. Let us help your book take the giant step from worthy to absolutely compelling.

To be eligible for this session, you must purchase a ticket to the panel sessions (attendance for all panels is included) and submit a 1- to 2-page synopsis and a 5-page sample (double-spaced, 12-point type, 1-inch margins) in advance of the session. Once payment has been received, you will receive instructions on where and how to submit your work. All submissions will be accepted and appointments scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, October 17, 2011.

EDITORS:

Arnold Dolin held editorial and executive positions during five decades in publishing, most recently as senior vice-president and associate publisher at the Dutton/Plume imprints of Penguin. He has edited a wide range of fiction and nonfiction, including With Child by Phyllis Chesler, Parachutes and Kisses by Erica Jong, Stonewall by Martin Duberman, Inside Intel by Tim Jackson, and RFK by C. David Heymann.

Carla Jablonski is an author, editor, and ghostwriter, specializing in middle-grade and young adult fiction, as well as fantasy and science fiction. She has been an editor for packagers (such as Alloy and Parachute) and publishers (Penguin, Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, etc.) and for individual author clients.

Danelle McCafferty is a former senior editor at Bantam Books, who specializes in fiction and memoirs and works closely with authors on all stages of editorial development. 

David Groff is an editor, poet, and writer with more than 25 years' experience in book publishing. An editor for twelve years at Crown, as an independent editor working with authors, publishers, and literary agents, he focuses on fiction and narrative nonfiction and memoir as well as books of immediate practical benefit to readers.

Hillel Black is the editor of over twenty New York Times best sellers, five of which reached number one. He offers his editorial services to authors of nonfiction and commercial and literary fiction. He served as editor-in-chief of William Morrow, publisher of Macmillan trade books, and executive editor of Sourcebooks.

Jennifer Josephy has worked at major publishers, including Knopf, Holt, Little, Brown, and Doubleday-Broadway. She currently is a freelance editor and ghost writer. Among the authors she has edited are Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Dean Ornish, M.D., William Sears, M.D., and food-world stars Christopher Kimball, Mark Bittman, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Deborah Madison.

Joan Sanger specializes in mainstream commercial fiction, including mysteries, medical and legal thrillers and contemporary women's fiction. She has been a senior editor at Simon & Schuster, New American Library and G.P. Putnam prior to setting up her own editorial consultancy.

Toni Sciarra Poynter is a nonfiction editorial consultant and published author with more than 25 years' publishing experience, including senior positions at HarperCollins, William Morrow, and Simon and Schuster.

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER

As the self-publishing phenomenon has grown, traditional book publishers have passed through something like the five stages of grief: denial ("It's just vanity publishing."); anger ("It's an affront to quality!"); bargaining ("Don't you see how fruitless this is?"); depression ("They're selling thousands!"); and, finally, acceptance of the fact that the self-publishing market is big, influential and here to stay—and maybe not such a bad thing after all. Certainly there are advantages to publishing in either world. Much depends on the author's desired format, timing, marketability, and desire for complete control. Are there advantages for going one route over the other? Should one make the effort to try to be published by a traditional house before self-publishing? These are just some of the topics to be covered by this top-notch panel of experts who have worked 'both sides of the fence.'

MODERATOR:

Kelly Gallagher serves as VP of Publishing Services at Bowker. In this role he manages the implementation of a host of Bowker business intelligence services, including the PubTrack Consumer research panel reaching over 40,000 'e' and 'p' book consumers.

SPEAKERS:

Molly Barton, Vice President of Penguin in the US overseeing Digital Publishing, Business Development and Strategy, is also President of Penguin's new subsidiary Book Country, an online community for fiction writers. She has overseen the company from its inception. Always looking for better ways to serve writers and readers, she leads Penguin's efforts to publish apps, enhanced eBooks, and eSpecials, in addition to launching new business models, strategies, and partnerships. Molly started at Penguin in 2004 as an editor and she still edits a select group of fiction writers for Viking and other imprints. She previously held editorial and marketing roles at Oxford University Press.

Donald Newman, Sales Manager for Xulon Press, has over 20 years experience working with Christian authors and editors. Xulon Press, the largest Christian book publisher, provides publishing and book marketing services for print-on-demand Christian books.

Mary Cummings is Marketing Director for Diversion Books, an e-publishing company headquartered in New York City that combines the best of old and new publishing. Diversion offers the quality and care of traditional editorial and production services along with the efficiency, author empowerment and new revenue models made possible by the latest advances in electronic publishingg. Mary has been involved in all aspects of the e-publishing process and works directly with Diversion's authors on marketing and pr.

FIND MORE BUYERS & SELL MORE BOOKS IN NON-BOOKSTORE MARKETS

Finding sources of large-quantity sales in market segments outside of bookstores will give the author the ability to get around dwindling bookstore sales and add the benefit of selling books more profitably on a non-returnable basis.  Come learn about the two major opportunities among retail and non-retail buyers, and hear about the purchasing policies of each.  Get the latest information about techniques to get your fair share of sales for fiction and nonfiction alike.

SPEAKER:  Brian Jud, author, book-marketing consultant, seminar leader, TV host and president of Book Marketing Works, is also a partner in Premium Book Company that sells books on a commission basis.  Brian is the author of How to Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns) Beyond the Bookstore, and has also written and self-published five books on career transition. Brian is the founder of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association.

WHAT'S INSIDE THE PACKAGE? CHOOSING & EVALUATING THE RIGHT PUBLISHING PATH FOR YOUR BOOK.

Visiting websites of self-publishing companies can be informative, but can also be a bit confusing as well.  Most offer cover design, editorial, marketing and promotion packages, but do you really understand what you’re buying and whether the costs are reasonable?  Should you consider buying one service over another? How do the prices and services compare to those offered by outside sources? What does it all mean and how can you be certain to choose the right plan for your book's publication? Come hear from this experienced team as they help navigate the waters to help you choose the right path for your book. 

SPEAKERS:
 Sandi Gelles-Cole is the founder of Gelles-Cole Literary Enterprises, an editorial consultancy started in 1983.  In 2010 G-CLE launched a small indie publishing arm and has published Albany Scrapbook, Child Of My Child: Stories And Poems For Grandparents, And The Memoir Of Marilyn Monroe.  She is a judge for fiction, first novels and memoirs for the 2010 Next Generation Self Published Book Awards.

Kenneth Salzmann is a writer and arts administrator with experience in journalism, publishing, and programming. He currently works with Gelles-Cole Literary Enterprises, where he oversees marketing and distribution campaigns and plans for both G-CLE titles and the books of agency clients.

THE REVIEWS ARE IN: Why Book Reviews Matter

MODERATOR:

Julie Eakin is the Editor In Chief at Foreword Reviews, which has been advising librarians and booksellers nationwide of great titles by independent presses for fourteen years. She is a former Executive Editor of Architecture and Cite magazines and the author of Salons and Spas: The Architecture of Beauty, published in 2005 by Rockport. Her freelance writing has appeared in Business Week and the New York Times.

SPEAKERS:

Perry Crowe studied English and writing at the University of Iowa. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he wrote and self-published his first novel and worked as a journalist, covering city hall and eventually helping to launch The Los Angeles Times' multimedia Guide section. After reviewing nonfiction books for Kirkus, now edits Kirkus' Indie section.

Patti Thornis co-founder of BlueInk Review, a web-based company that reviews self-published books. She was formerly a 28-year veteran writer and editor at the Rocky Mountain News. She served the last 12 years of her tenure as chief book critic and editor of the book review pages. Thorn is also co-author of Fun Places to Go with Children in Colorado, published by Chronicle Books, a book that has enjoyed two printings and sold over 20,000 copies.

Cevin Bryerman is Publisher of Publishers Weekly, the leading international trade magazine for book publishing. He is a member of the advisory board for Books for a Better Life, Pace University, and Green Press Initiative. He has been a guest speaker at Northwestern University, University of Michigan, Columbia University on book and magazine publishing. Cevin is a former member of the Board of Directors and treasurer of IBPA.

EBOOKS 101

In a relatively short period of time, ebooks have taken over a great share of the book business and are a large part of the future. In many cases, it seems almost as if the industry is ahead of the writing community in terms of the knowledge and know-how for this unique brand of publishing. Come hear experts on the cutting edge of this new technology explain all you need to know about ebooks — costs, advantages, pricing — as well as how ebook publishing is changing the dynamics of how authors will pursue their careers well into the future.

SPEAKERS:

Tony Van Veen is the CEO and president of AVL Digital Group, the parent company of BookBaby and its sister companies CD Baby and Disc Makers. He has spent the past 23 years helping independent content creators publish, distribute, and promote their own books, music, and films. BookBaby offers eBook publishing, design, and distribution services to thousands of independent authors and publishers while paying 100% of revenues back to them.

Ami Greko manages vendor relations in the US for Kobo ebooks. She is a founder of Book Camp NYC, an unconference for publishing types and readers, and co-curates and hosts the Ignite-style lecture series 7x20x21. A member of the PAMA and DBW advisory boards, Greko also presents regularly on digital marketing, including at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the LA Times Book Festival, and New York University.

Dan Pacheco is the Founder and CEO of BookBrewer.com, a Web site that makes it easy for authors to create and distribute eBooks and Print on Demand titles through major booksellers, from their Web sites and through their own branded iPad and iPhone "AuthorApps." He has run social media operations for companies from America Online and The Washington Post to small indie newspapers and magazines. In 2005 the Newspaper Association of America granted Pacheco a prestigious "20 Under 40" award.

There's an App for That: Why Next-Gen Publishers are Catching Hold of the Long-Tail

The explosive growth in eBook marketplaces, eBook titles, and e-reader sales has spawned an incredible demand for independent and self-published content. With big fish like Apple, Google, and Barnes & Noble launching their own marketplaces to compete with the Kindle Store, the competition to build the largest, most diverse eBook catalog has grown even more fierce. Learn how next-generation publishers are harnessing niche market expertise and unique access to independent authors to a new breed of content creation and publication apps to corner the long-tail market and capitalize on exciting new market and supply chain opportunities.

SPEAKER:

Daniel Wideman is Director of Products at Lulu.com. He is driving the development of the world's first truly open publishing platform, marked by the recent release of Lulu's Open Publication APIs which enable authors, publishers, businesses, and developers alike to create customized publishing solutions, powered by Lulu, and marketed under their own brands. Wideman is also a widely published author of poetry, fiction, and essays, through both traditional and self-publishing outlets.

LET A PROFESSIONAL EDITOR BE YOUR BEST FRIEND

Your best friend isn't your best friend when it comes to your manuscript. A best friend can't be objective, and most likely isn't a publishing professional with years of experience.  Even the most seasoned writer needs an editor—a knowledgeable stand-in for the reader who can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses of your work and assist you in achieving your literary goals.  In addition to helping you develop, revise, and line-edit your manuscript, a professional editor can help you choose a publisher, provide cover art advice, write copy, and recommend other professionals (proofreaders, indexers, marketing experts).  This editors' panel of industry veterans reveals how to make sure you put your beset book forward!

SPEAKERS:
Moderator Nan Satter, has been an independent editor for the past twenty years, and has worked on several bestselling titles including Returning to My Mother’s House by Gail Straub and Social Change 2.0 by David Gershon, both award-winning and both self-published.

Danelle McCafferty is a former senior editor at Bantam Books, who specializes in fiction and memoirs and works closely with authors on all stages of editorial development. 
Hillel Black has over forty years of publishing experience and is the editor of over twenty New York Times best sellers, five of which reached number one.


Judy Kern has had a long career as an in-house editor with major publishers, working in all areas from literary fiction to celebrity chef's' cookbooks, Kern has spent the last ten years developing proposals, ghost-writing, collaborating, and doing substantive editing on a wide variety of subjects.

BUILDING AN AUDIENCE

Most authors are so focused on their writing that they don’t devote the time it takes to properly develop an audience.  After their books are published, authors suddenly find themselves faced with the challenge of building a platform to market and sell their books.

Learning how to strengthen your relationships, network with key members of your communities, identify the right media to approach, and develop a strong presence in your area of expertise, is essential knowledge for all authors.  Find out who can help you the most and how to reach them, from this outstanding group of panelists with a wide variety of experience in online book promotion, publicity, and marketing.

SPEAKERS:
Moderator Penny Sanseveri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. She is an Adjunct Professor teaching Self-Publishing for NYU.

Dan Blank is the Founder of We Grow Media, where he works with writers to help them build their author platforms and publishers to help them engage their communities. His expertise includes content strategy, online marketing & branding, social media, web analytics, and search engine optimization.

Seale Ballenger is a 23-year veteran of book publishing and currently Vice-President and Group Publicity Director for William Morrow, Avon, Harper Voyager and Cookbooks at Harper Collins Publishers.

Jennifer S. Wilkov is a best-selling, award-winning author, and freelance writer, a speaker and trainer, book consultant and Literary Agent Matchmaker™ who focuses on supporting writers with the essentials to become a bestseller: a great project, a strong platform and a well-polished pitch, presentation and hook for their book.

ASK A LAWYER:  The Legal Issues for the Self-Published Author

As writers and self-publishers you should be well informed about a number of legal issues — copyright, trademark, domain names, liable, slander, privacy and contracts. As an attorney with many years of experience managing intellectual property assets, Renee L. Duff’s experience gives her tremendous knowledge and insight on everything related to the commercial and legal sides of intellectual property.   Find out all you need to know to protect your rights in this informative and important session. 

SPEAKER: 
Renee L. Duff, Esq. currently has her own private practice specializing in US trademark prosecution, title and security interest issues, U.S. customs, domain name registration conflicts and strategies.  She also advises clients in connection with publishing contracts, and securing intellectual property rights.  In addition to the practice of law, she has taught paralegal education in intellectual property and has lectured widely on the subject.  She is the author of From Stress to Success about managing aspects of studying for the Bar Exam.  

THE SMARTEST THINGS I LEARNED FROM SELF-PUBLISHING: TIPS FOR SUCCESS FROM AUTHORS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU

Join us for a panel discussion featuring several successful authors who have used a variety of DIY publishing tools as a launching pad for success.

Moderator: Jon Fine, Director of Author and Publisher Relations, Amazon.com, coordinates outreach to the author and publishing communities, including the company's author giving program for non-profit literary organizations. He joined the company as associate general counsel for media and copyright in January 2006, and subsequently led business development for Brilliance Audio following its acquisition in 2007. Previously, he directed legal affairs for the Alfred A. Knopf division of Random House; served as counsel at NBC, and was a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York, where he focused on copyright, libel and media-related matters.

SPEAKER:

As President of Get Storied, Michael Margolis teaches entrepreneurs how to tell their story.  For the last decade, he's built a global platform for entrepreneurial storytelling, with how-to programs, learning events, and online courses for companies and self-starters. Michael is author of the book, Believe Me: A Storytelling Manifesto for Change-Makers and Innovators. His work has been featured in places such as Fast Company, Brandweek, and Storytelling Magazine.

WHY THIS IS THE BEST TIME EVER TO BE A WRITER

The advent of digital writing and publishing and the emerging democratic opportunities of social networking have revolutionized the book business, challenged and irrevocably changed how books are written and published, and shifted the balance of power from the commercial book publishers to the author.

Here's why: book publishers don't know what they're doing. Nearly all published books — conservative estimates range between 80-90 percent — lose money. Acquisitions editors, sales managers, publicity and marketing mavens can not really predict what will sell or not, nor do the old methods of selling, of marketing a book actually work any longer.

Authors today can connect with these readers through self-publishing and the new art of self-marketing which has its own etiquette and best practices, which does require time and effort, but which can be done powerfully and effectively while still in your pajamas.

Despite all these huge changes, however, one thing remains the same: You still have to write a good book. So keep in mind: self-publishing isn't a walk in the park but requires a great deal of work and professional help. The difference now, however, is you're the boss.

SPEAKER: Alan Rinzler has edited and published Toni Morrison, Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Robbins, Shirley MacLaine, Robert Ludlum, Jerzy Kosinski, Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, Clive Cussler, and others. He began his career at Simon and Schuster and then went to Macmillan and Holt as Senior Editor. He was Director of Trade Book Publishing at Bantam Books, Associate Publisher and Vice President of Rolling Stone Magazine, and President of the Rolling Stone Book Division Straight Arrow Books. He was also West Coast Editor for the Grove Press, Editor of the Berkeley Monthly, and for 18 years Executive Editor of Jossey-Bass. He was also Academic Director of Trade Book Publishing for the annual Stanford Professional Publishing Courses.

WEB SITE WOW:  Powerful Web Design to Reach Your Audience

Start thinking of your website as more than an online brochure—an effective web site will not only sell your books 24/7, it will build an online community that continues to sell via viral marketing.  Design, color, navigation, powerful headlines, and the ability to clearly convey The Message, are just a few of the elements you need to keep in mind.  Come hear how to engage your audience, write effective copy, create powerful call-to-action, develop your brand; understand message placement, and much more.

SPEAKER: 

Marketing Your EBook to Profit in The Digital World

In this session, learn how to launch your work as an eBook and the key steps you can take to market your work in the digital marketplace. Find out what works for eBook covers, how to handle your author bio, using social media without losing your mind, and how to connect with readers, and much, much more. Plus, hear what other authors are doing to profit and build their readership!

SPEAKERS:

Julia Coblentz is the Senior Marketing Manager for PubIt! by Barnes & Noble and has over ten years of marketing experience in trade publishing working at Random House, Inc. and Abrams.

Sarah Albrecht Battles is the Business Manager for PubIt!™ by Barnes & Noble, overseeing the growth and development of the platform. She is a member of the team that helped launch Barnes & Noble's eBook store as well as the company's eTextbook program and was a key team member in the development of Barnes & Noble's physical Newsstand business for B&N stores. Sarah has over 10 years experience in the digital and retail space having held several positions in the fashion industry.

Social Media: What Works And Why