Years ago, when I worked at F+W Media, I had the opportunity to be involved in guiding the first year of Digital Book World (DBW) programming, in 2010. To give you a sense of just how long ago that was in technology terms, Apple’s announcement of the iPad coincided with the first DBW event. Kindle Unlimited didn’t exist. Borders was still in business.
I left F+W that same year, but later returned to Digital Book World as a panel moderator, addressing the role of self-publishing and indie authorship as part of (or outside of) the larger industry.
Digital Book World is going through a top-to-bottom refresh for 2017, and—in partnership with Porter Anderson—I’m working with them on the third, new day of the conference devoted to indie authorship. You read more about the new vision for the entire event in this official announcement.
I can’t give you any specific details yet on the programming since it’s still being sorted out, but Porter and I seek to offer both an overview of trends and useful nuts and bolts information on marketing, publicity, and distribution.
Registration will open soon, and once we have an official program to share, I’ll let you know.
Jane Friedman (@JaneFriedman) has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet, the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2019.
In addition to being a columnist for Publishers Weekly, Jane is a professor with The Great Courses, which released her 24-lecture series, How to Publish Your Book. Her book for creative writers, The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), received a starred review from Library Journal.
Jane speaks regularly at conferences and industry events such as BookExpo America, Digital Book World, and the AWP Conference, and has served on panels with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund. Find out more.