SPN Independent Publishing Conference 2017 program announced

The Small Press Network (SPN) has launched the program for its 2017 Independent Publishing Conference, which will run at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne from 16-18 November.

The three-day conference comprises an industry research day, a trade day and a ‘fundamentals of publishing’ day, as well as the presentation of the Most Underrated Book Award.

This year’s industry research day on 16 November carries the theme ‘Legacies of Publishing’, with a keynote from ANU academic Katherine Bode that explores 19th- and 21st-century Australian fiction publishing. Other highlights include Kim Wilkins on ‘Fantasy Fiction and Australian Small Press Publishing’; Beth Driscoll on ‘Literary Blogs as Tastemakers: Complicating the Professional/Amateur Divide’; and Mark Davis on ‘The Clash of Networks: Post-digital Literary Cultures and their Anxieties’.

Australia Council director of literature Wenona Byrne will reflect on opportunities for Australian publishers in her keynote on the trade day on 17 November. Other panels explore alternative approaches in publishing; international publishing trends; how to reach younger readers; and surviving burnout, among other topics.

The fundamentals day on 18 November includes sessions on publishing contracts; rights, permissions and licensing; distribution; metadata; book design; and marketing.

The conference includes a free evening event on 17 November for the presentation of this year’s Most Underrated Book Award.

For more information about the program and to book tickets, visit the SPN website here.

Category: Conferences Local news