News, Advice & Skill-Sharing
Keep up to date with the latest news, opportunities and expert perspectives through SPN’s discussion groups, emails, and networking events.
Documents & Resources
Get access to documents that help you as a writer or publisher, including the ASA Model Publishing Agreement for Full Members.
Discounts & Services
Discounts on core services like advertising, digital distribution, B+P subscription, Australian Booksellers Association membership and Australia Post discount —
Welcome to SPN
Small publishers: a vital component of Australian literary culture
Australia’s small publishers produce award-winning fiction, critical non-fiction, acclaimed journals and magazines, and serve as the launching pad for some of our favourite authors.
Booksellers, librarians and readers: find out what’s new from Australian small and indie publishers!
Awards
SPN Book of the Year Award
Uncovering and celebrating the hidden gems of Australian publishing.
The winner of the 2020 Book of the Year is ‘Forgotten Corners: Essays in Search of an Island’s Soul’ by Pete Hay, published by Walleah Press!
The Shortlist
Find out more about this year's award
Upcoming SPN Events
Day one – Academic day program, 25th November
On the first day of the IPC conference 2021, we will hear from our keynote speaker, Laura Jean Mckay, who recently won the Victorian Prize for Literature 2021 winner for her book The Animals in That Country. The day will feature industry professionals on multiple panels in which we will hear about a range of […]
Independent Publishing Conference 2021
The 2021 Independent Publishing Conference will be held over three days from 25–27 November. At this stage, we’re expecting to hold the conference entirely online, allowing remote participation from across Australia and around the world. However, we’re keeping a close eye on Covid restrictions and haven’t ruled out the possibility of an in-person component. Thursday […]
News
In Conversation with Robbie Egan
In the lead up to this year’s Love Your Bookshop Day, Associate Producer Chloe Agius sat down with Robbie Egan, CEO of the Australian Booksellers Association, to talk all things bookshops.
The Small Press Network Interviews: Terri-ann White, Upswell Publishing
As she prepares for her keynote speech for this year’s 2021 SPN Independent Publishing Conference workshop day, Terri-ann White speaks to Holly Hendry-Saunders on launching Perth-based publishing house Upswell Publishing during a pandemic. Her life before Upswell’s inception White, a veteran in the book industry, began her career as a bookseller at eighteen, and at […]
The Small Press Network Interviews: Laura Jean McKay
As she works on her keynote address for the 2021 SPN Independent Publishing Conference, award-winning author Laura Jean McKay talks to Emma Kellaway on animal superpowers, humans’ relationship with them, and why now is a better time than ever to address publishing and the environment. McKay’s debut novel The Animals in That Country (Scribe 2020), […]
Podcast & Audio
In Conversation with Robbie Egan
In the lead up to this year’s Love Your Bookshop Day, Associate Producer Chloe Agius sat down with Robbie Egan, CEO of the Australian Booksellers Association, to talk all things bookshops.
Listen: #IPC19 Industry Research Keynote: Mary Poppins’ Publishing Compass
Professor Claire Squires, University of Stirling Inspired by a scene from PL Travers’ Mary Poppins (1934), in which a magical box opens up perspectives to the north, south, east and west, this keynote goes on a journey structured around four points of a ‘publishing compass’, responding to the following questions (not necessarily in this order). In so […]
Members Only
Templates & Fact Sheets
Guidelines for ethical publishing of Indigenous authors and stories
The following sets of guidelines from the Australia Council and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) outline key considerations in the ethical publishing of Indigenous Australian writers: Protocols for producing Indigenous Australian writing (Australia Council) Guidelines for the ethical publishing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and research from […]
Members OnlySign up or login to access this document
SPN publishing terms glossary
Commonly used acronyms and terms of the book industry Acknowledgement/sources: Publish It! (Thorpe-Bowker), Style Manual (Wiley), Australian Booksellers Association, Australian Publishers Association, Australian Copyright Council, American Publishers Association, student research/contribution. Additional contributions are welcomed. Not to be reproduced without written permission
Members OnlySign up or login to access this document
Fact sheet: Print on demand, ebooks and distribution through Ingram
IngramSpark is the eBook publishing, print on demand and distribution service from Ingram, combining all these services into one simple platform. Here is some more information about what IngramSpark can offer SPN members.
Members OnlySign up or login to access this document
Fact sheet: Working with libraries
This fact sheet has been put together by the Australian Libraries and Information Association which is the national professional organisation for the Australian library and information services sector.
Members OnlySign up or login to access this document
Members Only
Member Benefits
Member benefit: SPN Christmas catalogue listings and advertising
An annual catalogue produced both in print and as a PDF that features SPN member publishers’ titles. It is distributed directly to booksellers and librarians across Australia in partnership with the Australian Booksellers Association, Leading Edge Books, Good Reading magazine (and hence to Booktopia customers) and ALS Library Services. Title listings start at only $50. […]
Sign up or login to access this benefit
Member benefit: Independent Publishing Conference ticket discounts
SPN has run Australia’s only comprehensive book industry conference every year since 2012. SPN members receive deep discounts on tickets and are actively encouraged to participate in the conference. Find out more here.
Sign up or login to access this benefit
Member benefit: B+P Book Buzz discount
B+P BookBuzz SPN regularly works with Books+Publishing to create SPN-branded editions of B+P’s BookBuzz e-newsletter at an affordable price. BookBuzz is read by over 5000 people across the book trade: booksellers, reviewers, librarians, journalists, social media influencers, keen readers, etc.
Sign up or login to access this benefit
Content collection:
Book of the Year Award
SPN Book of the Year award 2021
Entries are now open for the 2021 SPN Book of the Year Award (BOTY). Any book published by an SPN member (full or associate) during the 2020 calendar year is eligible. (If you’re not a member of SPN, click here to find out how to join.) The shortlist will be released in September, with the winner […]
The Book of the Year Award 2020: Shortlist Announcement
The Small Press Network is honoured to announce the shortlist for the inaugural Book of the Year Award. The Book of Year Award marks a new direction for the Small Press Network and its membership. It aims to recognise and award some of the most significant and ground-breaking books being published by local independent publishers […]
The MUBA Interviews: Sue McPherson, Author of Brontide
What drew you to the story of Rob, Pen, Benny Boy and Jack? I wasn’t drawn, the boys called me in. They needed their stories told and thankfully I listened (I don’t always listen to my characters). I’m a bit of a sook, I don’t mind a bit of grit and I love a bloody […]
Content collection:
Meet the Publisher
The Small Press Network Interviews: Terri-ann White, Upswell Publishing
As she prepares for her keynote speech for this year’s 2021 SPN Independent Publishing Conference workshop day, Terri-ann White speaks to Holly Hendry-Saunders on launching Perth-based publishing house Upswell Publishing during a pandemic. Her life before Upswell’s inception White, a veteran in the book industry, began her career as a bookseller at eighteen, and at […]
Meet the Publisher: Duncan Felton, Grapple Publishing
When and how were you established? After many years of semi-organised pondering and planning, Grapple Publishing started late in 2013, making itself known to the world with a call-out for submissions to The Grapple Annual No. 1. At that point it was just me sitting at my computer with some ideas, some savings and a […]
MEET THE PUBLISHER – Lacuna Publishing
Linda Nix, Publisher and Editor, Lacuna When and how were you established? I have a long-standing fascination with how words and ideas are disseminated and become part of society’s cultural fabric. After years working in the industry, I realised my dream was to run a small press. In 2010 I set up a freelance editing, […]
Meet the Publisher – coeur de lion
When and how were you established? As with all good ideas, coeur de lion was born in a pub. The speculative fiction scene goes through boom and bust cycles and at the time there weren’t a lot of local independent presses catering to a sci-fi, horror, fantasy audience. Myself and fellow author Andrew Macrae were […]
SPN Members / Small & Independent Publisher Directory
With thanks to our supporters
