It’s the moment you’ve worked so hard for—your edits are DONE and all that’s left is releasing your novel to the world! It’s an exciting time that prompts a lot of questions. Where can my book be published? What sites do I use? Is there a special format required for different wholesalers? How and where do I publish my paperback? Oh my, where should I even start? In this buzz session, you’ll learn the answers to all these questions and more as we deep dive into the different publishing platforms and their requirements. We’ll talk about third-party distributors, KDP, iTunes Producer and iTunes Connect, Kobo Writing Life, Nook Press, Ingram Spark, Google Play, and more*. Whether you’re thinking about publishing in Kindle Unlimited or publishing wide, we’ll review it all and include some hidden benefits to each along the way.

The biggest brands all have large, generally cohesive universes. If you look at what fans love to read, and love to love, they are universes like Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jack Reacher, and the like. But these massive universes that draw fans in from all walks of life don’t need to be run by huge companies. It is possible for indies to build these as well. Get fans invested, and you will have a base of readers that you can grow old with. Best of all, learn how to hook readers with one book and have them read on to dozens more without additional advertising.

It’s all in the story.

You've finished your manuscript--what's next? All books should go through a professional editor before publication, but there are some simple things you can do that will clean up your writing and maybe save your editor some gray hairs and you some money. Before you hire an editor, work your way through the tips that USA Today Bestselling author, Kerry Adrienne, has compiled from twenty years of freelance editing and wearing many different editing hats at Entangled Publishing and Decadent Publishing. In this Buzz session, you'll learn the tricks to make your manuscript shine--and come away with both a list of action items you can use immediately and ideas on how to tweak for your own specific issues.

Everyone says review, review, review! Do you know why they asked you to review? Join us as we tell you why authors need some reviews, how to write a review, and where you can review.

(This breakout session is focused on a reader's point of few. However, authors are welcomed to attend too.)

Mandie Stevens, a renowned blogger and author, trains virtual assistants and works directly with authors on daily basis. In this smart and engaging workshop, Mandie will help you figure out which tasks to have your VA take off your plate to save you time and money. If you don't have a VA yet, find out what you could be paying someone to help you cover so you can do what you should be doing - write!  

Instagram is a great platform to help you connect with readers. But how does it work? Authors Melanie Karsak and Erin Hayes share with you the tips and tricks on how to grow your Instagram followers, create beautiful photos, and market yourself in Instagram without being too salesy. Bring your books with you to this informative and fun workshop! We’ll have hands-on bookstagram stations where you can arrange your own displays and take great photos.