Day two – Industry day program, 26 November
9.00am—7.30pm
On the second day of the 2021 Independent Publishing Conference, we will hear from our keynote speaker, Dr Anita Heiss, who will discuss the role of publishers supporting their authors to push the boundaries in Australian publishing. The day will feature many industry professionals on multiple panels discussing a range of important topics. These sessions will include discussions about First Nations perspectives, audiobooks in the independent publishing landscape, the current state of the rights market and the challenges and complications of Covid, as well as the burning global issues in publishing and how the Australian peak bodies respond.
Scroll down to see the full day’s program.
Ticketing
Ticketing costs:
| Single-day | Two days | Three days | |
| Full price | $75 | $140 | $200 |
| SPN member | $50 | $90 | 125 |
| Student/unwaged | $40 | $75 | $100 |
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On the second day of the 2021 Independent Publishing Conference, we will hear from our keynote speaker, Dr Anita Heiss, who will discuss the role of publishers supporting their authors to push the boundaries in Australian publishing. The day will feature many industry professionals on multiple panels discussing a range of important topics. These sessions […]
News about this event:
The Book of the Year Award 2021: Winner Announcement
We are excited to announce the winners of the 2021 SPN Book of the Year Award. That’s right, winners, the judges decided to award two BOTY winners this year! They are Echoes (2020) by Shu-Ling Chua and We are Speaking in Code (Brio Books 2020) by Tanya Vavilova. The judges said ‘both titles exhibit beautiful […]
In conversation with BOTY shortlisted author: Kirsten Krauth
Holly from The Small Press Network recently chatted to Kirsten Krauth, author of the 2021 shortlisted BOTY title Almost a Mirror. Kirsten Krauth is a writer and podcaster based in Castlemaine. Almost a Mirror, published in 2020, was shortlisted for the Penguin Literary Prize and named by The Guardian in ’The Best 20 Australian Books […]
In conversation with BOTY shortlisted author: Poppy Nwosu
We had a chat with Poppy about her book Taking Down Evelyn Tait, one of this year’s shortlisted titles for the Book of the Year Award. Cordelia: Where did you get your inspiration from, and what was the most important thing you wanted to say with this story? Poppy: It really came with the main […]
In conversation with BOTY shortlisted contributing author: Elizabeth Flux
In the lead-up to the 2021 Book of The Year winner announcement on Friday 26 November, conference co-ordinator Chloe Hogan-Weihmann sat down with Elizabeth Flux to discuss the shortlisting of Collisions: A Liminal Anthology (Pantera 2020). Collisions is a collection of stories from the inaugural Liminal Fiction Prize longlist. The book has been described as […]
Keynote speaker
Dr Anita Heiss
Dr Anita Heiss is the award-winning author of nonfiction, historical fiction, commercial women’s fiction, children’s novels and poetry. She is a proud member of the Wiradjuri Nation, and a board member of University of Queensland Press, Circa Contemporary Circus and the National Justice Project. Anita is a Professor of Communications at the University of Queensland and her latest novel is Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (S&S, 2021).
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9:00am-10:00am
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Audiobooks - speakers Zack Sandor-Kerr (Kobo), Maria Issaris (audiobooks@radio) and Krissy Kneen (author/narrator)
Audiobooks are a fast-growing part of the market but until recently high costs have been a barrier to smaller players. But now we are seeing independent audiobook producers and distribution services opening up: is the playing field levelling out?
Chair: Malcolm Neil
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10:00am-11:00am
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First Nations Perspectives
Speakers: Ben Bowen (Indigenous Literacy Foundation), Dr Terri Janke (Terri Janke & Partners), Yvette Holt (FNAWN).
Chair: Jane Harrison
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11:00-12:00pm
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Speculations in Speculative Fiction Publishing - speakers Penni Russon (author, UTS), Rose Michael (author, RMIT), Nick Tapper (Giramondo)
Laura Jean McKay’s recent win of the Arthur C Clarke award has seen a renewed focus on Australian speculative fiction. Before that The Animals in That Country won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Prize, as well as our Aurealis Award. The boundary between speculative fiction and literary fiction writing is increasingly blurring, but is publishing following suit?
Chair: David Henley (Brio Books)
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12:00pm to 1:00pm
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Keynote - Anita Heiss
“Sovereignty through storytelling: the future of First Nations Publishing” Anita Heiss discusses the role of publishers supporting their authors to push the boundaries in Australian publishing.
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1:00-2:00
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Lunch/SPN AGM
Annual General Meeting of the Small Press Network. Members only. One attendee will win a free year’s membership! (that’s better than a sandwich). Register your attendance with SPN’s board secretary secretary@smallpressnetwork.com.au
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2:00-3:00pm
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Nielsen BookScan market report. Speaker - Claire West
The annual BookScan market report is always a highlight of IPC. Claire West will step us through all the facts, stats and figures.
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3:00-4:00pm
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Research Reports: Speakers - Rebecca Giblin, Susannah Bowen, Beth Driscoll, Katherine Day, Sybil Nolan (all University of Melbourne)
Following on from Thursday’s research day, we will hear about four ambitious industry-wide projects delving deeper into Australian publishing.
Chair: George Dunford (ArtsHub)
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3:00-4:00pm
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Rights: Speakers - Nerrilee Weir (Penguin Random House), Natasha Solomun (The Rights Hive)
The latest report from Macquarie University’s long-term study of the Australian book industry focuses on international rights sales (see Jan Zwar’s presentation on Thursday’s research day). This panel of rights experts will discuss the current state of the rights market and the challenges and complications of Covid.
Chair: Wenona Byrne (Australia Council)
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4:00-5:00pm
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'A Provocation' and responses. Speakers - Jose Borghino (IPA), James Kellow (APA), Jane Seaton (ABA), Sophie Cunningham (ASA), Vicki Edmunds (ALIA)
What are the burning global issues in publishing and how do the Australian peak bodies respond? The secretary-general of the International Publishers Association will kick off the conversation with ‘a a provocation’ from his Swiss lair …
Chair: Sophie Masson (SPN)
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6.30-7.30pm
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SPN Book of The Year Award presentation (separately ticketed)
Hosted by The Wheeler Centre as part of their Next Big Thing series. Hosted on Instagram Live. Featuring readings from the shortlisted authors and the announcement of the winner.
MC – Kate Mildenhall
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