with online sessions from industry pros. Webinars are limited to 100
A new series of webinars will launch May 21, addressing the many ins-and-outs of book publishing. Created by the Writers & Publishers Network (W&PN), the twice-monthly webinars will cover topics on book marketing and publicity, editing, self-publishing, pitching agents, websites and social media courses, and a group of master writing sessions. Kathleen Kaiser, W&PN’s president, is the program’s host. The first three-part series, “Book Marketing 101” will run three consecutive Thursday, and then the following webinars every other Thursday. Speakers and sessions are booked through August. W&PN was formerly the Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network (SPAWN). “Our goal with the webinars,” said Ms. Kaiser, “is to bring more writers and small publishers in contact with leading industry professionals. Through the webinars, they can hear what is happening right now that is working to drive sales, how to find their way through the self-publishing maze that exists, and for those just starting, best writing practices. And they can have their questions answered.” Full details at WPNWebinars.com. “I’ve been a marketing professional most of my career,” said Kaiser. “When I first started speaking to writing groups twelve years ago, I realized most people had never dealt with marketing in their lives. The concepts were totally foreign. So, I came up with a simple way to explain the various moving parts, how they relate to each other, which tools deliver the best bang for your buck, and how to create a realistic budget. So I created Book Marketing 101 as three parts so people have time to absorb and be ready for the next week. “Many writers believe writing is 100% of what they must do. I’ve discovered it’s only 35%. Then 15% of their time is spent on editing, and the book’s production. The final 50% is marketing the book, finding their audiences, gaining visibility, and making sales. To many, this fact is shocking. “However, with my author clients, the ones who put effort into blogging, Facebook, Instagram, running ads, taking part in eBook promotions, they are the ones who sell books. And it’s an ever-evolving marketplace. What I did for clients five years ago doesn’t compare to what we do now. These are the facts I want to bring to writers through the three segments. I don’t want to have their eyes glazing over as I try to jam into one hour.” Ms. Kaiser runs Kathleen Kaiser & Associates, a marketing firm focused on the arts and specializing in authors. KathleenKaiser.com.
Among the presenters will be (top left to right): Alex Carroll, Deborah Daly, Kimberly D. Basso, Mike Bowker, Jackie Lapin, Diana Raab, Sabrina Ricci, Leann Garms and Penny Sansevieri.
All topics will focus on The Business End of the Pen, including radio publicity, cover design, social media, speaking opportunities, hybrid publishing, metadata, and more. Many of the talented speakers from the 805 Writers Conference will be conducting webinars. One of the goals of W&PN is to deliver the tools, skills, and resources to writers and small publishers, so they have a better chance of selling their books. All of the people providing the webinars have years of experience in book editing, production, marketing or whatever is their area of expertise. Many have worked for the Big Five in New York or smaller publishers. To learn more about W&PN Publishing Webinars, visit WPNWebinars.com. The webinars are produced by W&PN, a California nonprofit whose mission is to provide education, information, resources, and a supportive networking environment for creative individuals and small business owners interested in the publishing process.