I recently attended the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) annual conference, PubU, in Portland. IBPA serves the independent publishing community through advocacy, education, and tools for success. With over 3,100 members, IBPA is the largest publishing association in the U.S. and their annual conference has become one of my must-attend events of the year.
IBPA has long been a champion of independent publishers, both big and small. Changes in the publishing industry in recent years have created enormous opportunities, but that’s come at the cost of a deepening divide between how traditionally published and self-published authors are treated.
“Too often, IBPA has noticed a bias against self-published authors, independent publishers, and hybrid presses when it comes to choosing titles or authors for review consideration, book award contests, association memberships, and inclusion on independent bookstore shelves,” said Angela Bole, CEO of IBPA.