IBPA Publishing University 2026

For author publishers and micro publishers who are figuring out the business of publishing 
 
Are you full of literary dreams, visions, and goals that are bigger than your budget? Don't get discouraged because in this workshop, you will be empowered and equipped with the resources, systems, strategies, and techniques to help you achieve, manifest, and reach them. If you are an author or publisher looking to build, scale, and grow your publishing business, and would like the resources you need to do so, then this is the workshop you don't want to miss. 
 
To help you maximize the workshop, consider investing in the following companion curriculum and resources: 
 
Make a Living as a Writer (hardcopy curriculum):  
https://www.pathtopublishing.com/conferencestore
 
Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business: Ways to Achieve Financial Literary Success: https://www.pathtopublishing.com/actlikeanauthorbook

Session description and faculty TBA.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

The audio file is attached. Note the attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!

If you're planning to attend, please take our brief pre-conference session survey here: https://wkf.ms/4sH1bpb

Do you want to extend your brand's reach through rights licensing? Join a panel of rights experts for a conversation on best practices, tips, tricks, trends, and tools that you can use to reach new audiences! In this collaborative session, you'll not only learn how you can build and grow your licensing program with insights from rights professionals working in the industry, but you'll gain perspectives from your fellow session attendees, too! You'll walk away with not just new knowledge, but actionable steps that you can take tomorrow to push your rights program into new markets domestically and internationally.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

The audio file is attached. Note the attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!

Indie publishers love indie — and national — bookstores! But with more titles than ever competing for shelf space, the challenge to get booksellers to discover, champion, and reorder your books is real. And how do you manage returns? This breakout session dives into the ins and outs of effective trade sales, from positioning your titles for success with independent bookstores and national retailers to crafting compelling offers and merchandising strategies. We’ll explore how sales reps and retailers evaluate new titles, how to partner more strategically with your distributor, and how to align your pricing, packaging, and timing with the realities of the sales cycle . Expect a candid, practical conversation packed with insights you can apply right away to strengthen your retail relationships and drive sell-through.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

The audio file is attached. Note the attached transcript was generated by AI and has not been reviewed by a smart human. If you’d like to volunteer to review and make corrections, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!