AAP Smaller and Independent Publisher Conference

When Dennis Loy Johnson said, “small publishers get together and say ‘nobody could possible understand us,’” after receiving The Fourth Annual Miriam Bass Award for Creativity in Independent Publishing, the room seemed to nod in singular agreement.  While this doesn’t seem particularly ironic, take into consideration that Johnson was saying this to a room full of small and independent publishers, all who agreed to feeling misunderstood. But, as the afternoon would soon prove, it was a room full of small and independent publishers that all seemed to at least understand each other.  They also seemed perfect willing to help each other out, and learn from each other.  I suppose it’s a very specific kind of misunderstanding that can make you feel completely understood. 

Taking this supposed misunderstanding and steamrolling ahead, The Association of American Publishers (AAP), held their Ninth Annual Meeting for Smaller and Independent Publishers on March 7^th.  The conference brought together 80 people to meet, talk and hear panels dedicated to helping and teaching each other to “Take it to the Next Level.” The conference was broken down into seven panels, each representing one of the “Seven Approaches To Make Your House More Successful.” 

The lead off panel of the day was concerning creating a brand.  Linda Cunningham of Meredith Books explained that the best way to build a brand is to define its core values, create a design that reflects the values, be consistent, and transcend as many mediums or platforms as possible, citing examples such as Rachel Ray, The Home Depot and Harry Potter.  Cunningham’s peer on the panel, Charles Ardai of Hard Case Crime, summed successful brands up with a single quote from a satisfied reader:  “I know you guys pick good books.”  This kind of claim, according to Ardai, is proof that the brand is a success. 

Finding a niche and creating one based on your lifestyle were the topics of the second and third panels respectively. Both panels agreed with Johnny Temple of Akashic Books, who said, “it’s not about finding a niche, it’s about discovering the niche in which you inhabit.”  Niches and lifestyle publishing shared many qualities because each was about satisfying a specific need, whether that need be travel, spirituality, do-it-yourself or sporting (which all seem to be both niches and lifestyles).  The most important point that was repeated over and over was to not sit at your desk and wonder:  “be intimate with your market,” Jim Childs of Taunton Press said.  It’s important to know what’s going on.

The fourth panel, which explained special markets, showed the range that books can reach, and how to reach them:  Clothing stores, music stores, coffee shops, business, gift shops, toy stores, you name it, books can get there.  Bloomberg Press’ Judy Sjo-Gaber pointed out how important it is to be familiar with your product line, and most importantly, be creative.

Sub-rights was the topic of the fifth panel, and in describing this “gold mine,” the value behind exhibiting at shows like The Beijing Book Fair, Frankfurt Book Fair, London Book Fair, Bookexpo America, and other international shows around the world.  Jan Yager described sub-rights as “found money,” pointing out that you can make even more money by just selling a product your already selling if you expand your customer base.  Carol Lazare, of The Other Press, “found” ten rights deals and an extremely substantial reprint deal while in Frankfurt inside the American Collective Stand.

The final two panels focused back on specific forms of marketing:  Internet marketing, getting press, and booking author events.  All three forms of marketing required a lot of connection with the author of a given book:  what websites would be good to market to?  Would you like to tour?  Would you do interviews?  Internet marketing specifically brought out the importance of being connected with your readers:  should you create a MySpace?  (Of course, who doesn’t have a MySpace these days?). 

As each speaker made his or her key points, attendees took notes, nodded in agreement and commented to their fellow listeners on the quality of the advice.  Each panel ended with time for questions and every question was answered with vigor and willingness.  Each speaker was not just an expert, but a coach, cheering his or her team along and saying not to be intimidated by “the big guys” (a term perhaps less than affectionately given to large houses like the oft referenced Random House and Simon and Schuster).

AAP’s conference proved to be not only a resource for all of those involved, but it also demonstrated that no matter how misunderstood each publisher may have felt in the big world of publishing, there was this community of others just like them, willing to dole out advice and lend a hand.  Taking the advice of their peers, each publisher was able to leave the meeting with an enhanced knowledge, a new bag full of ideas, and maybe some more confidence that they can succeed, regardless of what “the big guys” do.  After all, “the big guy’s” books are just like any other book on the shelf, no more or less special than those by smaller presses.  When next to each other, they were equals.