What You Can Expect From E-Book Publishing

(WEDNESDAY, 1:00-2:00) Now that digital publishing has become mainstream, there are tons of opportunities to take advantage of in the e-book market and lots of different e-first houses to choose from. Hear directly from both publishers and authors when they discuss which digital first publishing company might be right for you and what you can expect from joining the e-book revolution.

The Truth About Self-Publishing

(WEDNESDAY, 1:00-2:00) Self-publishing seems to be all the rage these days, but what does it really take to become your own publisher? In this informative session, three authors who’ve been there and done that will give you an unvarnished look at the business of self-publishing, from the real costs and risks (in both money and time) of producing and marketing a professional product. We'll cover a variety of topics, from choosing distribution outlets to what you can expect in terms of return on your investment. If you’ve been wanting to explore this brave new world but aren’t sure if it’s really for you, this is the session for you.

Digital DIY: The Pros & Cons of Digital Self-Publishing

(WEDNESDAY, 2:15-3:45) Today anyone can self-publish digital books for mass distribution, and royalty percentages can be considerably higher for authors who cut out the “middleman” — a publisher. But who can best utilize this mode of publishing? What are the benefits of doing it yourself? What are the pitfalls? What can publishing houses offer to make it worthwhile to publish with them? What are the contractual issues to consider when e-publishing works that have been previously published? How do option clauses impact what you can release digitally? These questions and others will be addressed in this comprehensive, unbiased 90-minute roundtable Q&A.

Money, Money, Money — Facts and Figures for Financial Payoff

(WEDNESDAY, 4:45-5:45) Does a $.99 e-book move more units than a $2.99 e-book? Which of the two usually earns the author more money? Smashwords founder Mark Coker, who has extracted extensive data on the subject from the hundreds of thousands of titles publishing through the self-publishing site, will answer these questions and more as he discusses how e-book prices, book length and other factors impact overall sales and unit volume. For example, if you've written a 200,000-word epic romance, would you do better to break it into two or three novels as a series? What would happen if you broke it into 10 novellas of 20,000 words each? How do series books perform compared to stand-alone novels? Do authors who change their prices frequently earn more or less? These burning questions and more will be addressed, based on statistical data mined from Smashwords.com.

What's Coming Next: The Future of Self-Publishing

(THURSDAY, 10:00-11:00) Self-publishing superstars Joe Konrath and Blake Crouch (with a combined total of over more than one million e-books sold) will discuss the current state of self-publishing, along with what the future holds. Topics will include library e-book sales, foreign e-book markets, apps, enhanced multimedia and e-stributors. Kindle is just the beginning ...

Push the E-Envelope: Write Hot Without Getting Burned

(THURSDAY, 11:15-12:15) Is it taboo, or just tasteless? Are you going to the edge or hitting the wall? In e-publishing, erotic romance authors can explore topics that are off limits in traditional publishing, but writing sexy isn’t as easy as it sounds. Join a diverse panel of erotic romance authors who have pushed love scenes to the limit, and survived to tell the tale.

How to Top the Bestseller Lists With Self-Publishing 

(THURSDAY, 11:15-12:15) Smashwords’ Mark Coker offers strategies for how to maximize retailer sales ranks to top those lists with your self-pubbed book.

Backlist Reboot

(THURSDAY, 1:30-2:30) An in-depth look at the many ways to resurrect your precious backlist and reach a whole new audience. Learn from the pros, who will share the various ways to self-publish your backlist, depending on how hands-on you want to be. Do you do it yourself with companies like Kindle or Smashwords? Or do you have have a service take care of everything for you, like e-Pub, for a price? These authors will break it all down for you and give you the pros and cons of each based on their extensive collective research and experience. They will also discuss editing your backlist books for today’s sensibilities as well as discuss marketing and cover treatment. Learn about how to get your rights back as well as how to secure them in new contracts. This information took these authors months to collect, and they will share it with you in a one-hour session! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to get a snapshot of all the options available for publishing your backlist online. 

Beyond the e-Book UPLOAD: How Do You Sell It?

(THURSDAY, 2:45-3:45) It’s easier than ever to “publish” a book, and there are many out there who will take your money to do it for you. Also, there are many out there offering boilerplate “marketing plans” for your book. But what is the reality? How did Bob Mayer’s company go from selling 347 e-books in January 2011 to selling over 100,000 in July of the same year? What techniques and tricks of the trade did he learn through his experience? This workshop will help you develop marketing strategies for yourself as an author, and for your books. He’ll also look at various social media outlets, Google and Facebook ads and other ways you can widen your reach as an author.

Sale the Seven "C"s to Self-Publishing

(FRIDAY, 10:00-11:00) Thinking of exploring the brave new world of self-publishing? There’s a lot to navigate! Our panelists have launched themselves on this career course from a variety of perspectives, publishing more than 150 total backlist and original titles. Panelists will cover the seven "C"s of self pubbing - Craft, Content, Copy Editing, Covers, Consistency, Community and Caution ...

In this fact-based, open forum, they’ll share and discuss what they’ve experienced, practical things they’ve learned and what they wish they’d known before taking the plunge and “sale-ing” off in this direction. 

E-BOOKS: E-Publishing Plus New York Print: Strategies for Getting the Best of Both Worlds

(FRIDAY, 11:15-12:15) Will NY print publishers ever speak to you again if you self-publish or go with an independent e-publisher? Is it possible to do both at the same time? Are there ways in which these strategies can be compatible — and even more effective together?
As part of St. Martin's HeroesandHeartbreakers.com website team, two veteran authors, Liz Edelstein, aka Liz Maverick, and Megan Frampton (who have published 13 novels with New York publishers, are self-published in both original and backlist material, and worked with small start-up publishers) will share their experiences and expertise from inside of the “house” AND from the outside. Join them to explore and discuss the opportunities a talented author has to maximize her exposure using a variety of distribution options.

Self-Publish Salacious Shorts 

(FRIDAY, 1:30-2:30) One of the fastest growing areas of self-published books is erotica short stories, often referred to as "nooners" because fans can easily read a story during their lunch hour on an smart phone or an e-reader. Several authors who have successfully self-published these ultra-shorts will discuss the art of how to write in this very short format (in erotica and other genres), and how to keep readers coming back for more.

Self-Publishing & Digital Publishing: A Different Perspective

(FRIDAY, 2:45-3:45) Join in this informal discussion on traditional publishing, e-publishing, self-publishing and the future of publishers, authors, bookstores, online retailers and the format of the book itself. Also discussed will be transmedia, which is where Bob Mayer says the future of entertainment is headed.