The Small Press Network's annual Independent Publishing Conference starts next Thursday, 22 November – have you booked your ticket yet?

Here are just a few highlights from the program, which runs over three days from 22 November to 24 November. For the full program, go here, or download the PDF. You can attend one, two or the full three days. And if you've got colleagues or friends interested in going, there are also group packages available! So get your squad together to attend the only publishing conference in town (or Australia for that matter). 

Some highlights of the 2018 program...

Research Day, Thursday 22 November
DISRUPTING EXPECTATIONS Emmett Stinson (Deakin University) on ‘Self-publishing highbrow literature’, Alexandra Dane (University of Melbourne) on ‘The politics of eligibility and the laws of literary prizes’ and Beth Driscoll (University of Melbourne) on ‘Actions and reactions at the cardboard Frankfurt Buchmesse’

PUBLISHING PRACTICE Jan Zwar on ‘Key findings from a three-year study on the contemporary Australian book industry: Authors, publishers and readers in a time of change’, Laurel Cohn on ‘Education or entertainment? Effect and intent in books for the young’ Jodi McAlister on ‘Not quite YA, not yet adult: The short but complex history of “New Adult” fiction’

Trade Day, Friday 23 November
FINDING THE WRITERS Rebecca Lim (Voices from the Intersection), Sophie Black (The Next Chapter), Michael Mohammed Ahmad (Sweatshop), Hella Ibrahim (chair)
From philanthropic development, to volunteer initiative to community NGO, meet the non-publishers who are helping the industry discover and develop new voices.

AUSTRALIA AND THE WORLD Nathan Hollier (Monash University Publishing), Stephanie Siriwardene (Scribe Publications), Sam Cooney (Brow Books), Tim Coronel (chair) 
Hear from Australians who have taken part in fellowships and delegations to Asia, India, the UK and the United States: Nathan Hollier is researching opportunities for and obstacles to book publishing in the Asia Pacific region with a Copyright Agency fellowship; Stephanie Siriwardene has visited India as part of the Australia Council India Exploratory Program; and Sam Cooney’s research trips to the US and UK have informed his thinking on the not-for-profit model as a possible way forward for small press publishing in Australia.

BEST PRACTICE Robert Watkins (Hachette), Karen Tayleur (Garratt Publishing), Jonathan Seifman (Booktopia), Caitlin Yates (chair) 
Does your next junior hire really need a university degree? Does the industry’s growing reliance on freelancers present an opportunity to diversify our lists? Could your team be more productive working fewer hours? And what software out there is going to help you bring it all together?

Fundamentals Day, Saturday 24 November
FUNDING OPTIONS Nicola Evans (Copyright Agency), Wenona Byrne (Australia Council), Shaun Larkin (Creative Victoria), Karen Andrews (chair) 
Hear what grants and funding options are available to publishers and authors from the Australia Council, Copyright Agency and Creative Victoria, and get an overview of the arts funding landscape.

WORKING WITH AUTHORS Shalini Kunahlan (Text), George Dunford (Ferrous Digital), Leah Jing McIntosh (chair) 
Getting an author to be part of their own promotion is appealing to small publishers – but it’s not always straightforward. Get some guidance on how to get the best from your author.

GETTING INTO THE LIBRARY Patricia Genat (ALIA), Belinda Bolliger (Australian Standing Orders), Rachel Bin Salleh (Magabala Books), Rachael McDiarmid (chair) 
How do you get your books ordered by public libraries, into book clubs, included by Australian Standing Orders, or onto school curriculums? Our expert panel aren’t making promises but they will give you their best advice.

Book here