People judge books by their covers every day. Your cover has a very important job to do, so are you sure it’s up to the job? For this year’s annual cover design event, we invited Steve Rustad, long time graphic designer and illustrator. We had our usual cover design contest, and there was a panel of Steve Rustad, John Byrne Barry, and David Kudler who provided live feedback of over six BAIPA authors’ book covers. [...]
There’s been an explosion of interest in self-publishing, and with it, a tremendous amount of confusion about the various options available to authors who want to self-publish. Some advocate hiring a full service self-publishing company. Others say “hybrid publishers” are the way to go. Still others suggest that it’s best to find your own team of freelancers. Who’s right? It depends. There’s no right way to self-publish and each author will make a different decision [...]
Ruth will cover the latest news from Amazon/KDP etc, as well as with IngramSpark, including best practices for self-publishing your book. BAIPA chat 7.15.25_Ruth Schwartz Ruth's Slides Key Takeaways include: Changes with KDP royalties and color print pricing KDP is making it a bit more challenging to talk or chat with a real person. Increase in IngramSpark print pricing IngramSpark only allowing three categories (like KDP) About Our Speaker: Ruth Schwartz Ruth Schwartz Ruth Schwartz is [...]
Whether you already have an audiobook or wish you did, this program will provide you with the key information you need to make your audiobook investment a success. – Learn how to leverage your audiobook through a strategic pre-production process. – Find out how to launch and sell your audiobook to massively increase your royalties and retain control over your pricing. – Discover the secrets of increasing sales with promotions and discount codes. – Build [...]
The Business of Being a Writer To earn a living from writing and publishing, most writers must look beyond book sales. BAIPA chat_5.3.25 Few authors are transparent about their book sales and some take offense if you ask. But most aren’t earning a living through book sales alone. So where does the money come from? Find out. Getting a book published is a major milestone that every author should celebrate, each and every time it [...]
AI for Authors with Bob Heyman In AI for Authors, you will learn how authors can use AI tools to outline, research, create illustrations, cover art, and voices, write press releases and social media posts, and more. All of the tools are in compliance with content being AI assisted rather than AI created. The handout will include 100 tools and links all authors should know. By the end of the presentation, you will know what [...]
Copyright in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Dr. C. Daniel Miller, “The Copyright Detective” 3.1.25 CHAT_Miller_AI_Copyright In a world increasingly shaped by AI-driven innovation, how do we navigate the complexities of copyright law? In this presentation. Dr. C. Daniel Miller will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property, addressing pressing questions about authorship, ownership, and accountability. Through real-world case studies, legal insights, and ethical perspectives, we will examine the challenges and opportunities AI brings [...]
The Buck Starts Here: How to Sell More (Non-Returnable) Books Brian Jud, author of How to Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns) CHAT: BAIPA_2.1.25_Jud_chat Most authors sell through bookstores — bricks and clicks. But you can sell more books, in large, non-returnable quantities to non-bookstore buyers. These can be through retailers (airport stores, supermarkets, discount steres, etc.) or to businesses, associations, schools, the military and more. Brian Jud will show you how you [...]
Use Amazon Tools to Sell More Books with Penny C. Sansevieri Amazon is a great place to sell books, but most authors (and publishers) underutilize the free tools that Amazon offers. Metadata, keywords, editorial reviews, and Amazon’s backend systems are also something that are often misunderstood, and underused. This deep dive class will dig into all of the pieces that Amazon has to help you sell more books. BAIPA 1.18.25 chat Slides: email to request: [...]
One of my favorite things about BAIPA is its culture of generosity, the willingness — even eagerness — to share what we have each learned in the process of bringing stories to life. We provide educational programs, networking, marketing opportunities, encouragement, and information on industry vendors and services. And lots of one-on-one advice and mentoring.
We welcome all who have an interest in making connections within the world of independent publishing and learning more about how to publish and sell their work successfully. Together we are raising the standard of independent publishing and helping our members thrive.
Do join us!
—Becky Parker Geist, BAIPA Board of Directors, President
Quick Resources
Current BAIPA members do not need to register for our monthly meetings. The night before the meetings, they will receive the Zoom info. For workshop registration, members can buy a member ticket and will receive the Zoom info the night before the meetings, as well as in the confirmation email.