Digital Book World 2018 Program
​
Monday, October 1
Pre-Conference Workshops
Hosted by various DBW 2018 sponsors and partners on Monday, October 1; all take place at Nashville's Music City Center.
No additional charge beyond Digital Book World 2018 registration; register for each workshop separately by clicking session titles below
​
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Session #102
MEDIA PANEL: Press Relationships, Pitching, Winning Press Releases, and More
Cindy Black (Account Director, Virtual Press Office / Cision PR Newswire)
Linda Bryant (Veteran Journalist & Freelance Reporter)
Bill Harper (Associate Publisher, Foreword Reviews)
Stephanie Koehler (Editor, BookPage Magazine)
Nicki Porter (Editor, The Writer Magazine)
Moderated by Aaron Kiel (Principal, ak PR Group and PR for Digital Book World)
Are you looking to generate publicity for your technology or publishing business? Have you tried to do it yourself, but you’re not quite getting the results you desire? Perhaps you have a PR professional and are generating some great media attention. But more than likely you don’t have a PR pro on staff and are attempting a campaign yourself – guerrilla marketing style – and not getting results. Here’s your answer! In this session, you’ll hear directly from media outlets. Their experts will give an overview about their media outlet and the types of stories they like to cover. They’ll give insights on how to best approach them and pitch stories, and what makes a good press release. You’ll learn bad PR (mistakes to avoid) and good PR (the right way to build a relationship with an editor, journalist, or freelancer). And you’ll get valuable tips that will help your organization generate publicity now and in the future. Most importantly: you’ll be able to ask the panelists direct questions so you can improve your outreach to the press.
​
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Session #103
Podcasting As Marketing (VoiceFirst.FM)
Led by Bradley Metrock (Executive Producer, Digital Book World)
Host of top technology podcast This Week In Voice Bradley Metrock walks through the philosophy, as well as the execution, of podcasting as marketing. Monetizing podcasts is hard, but enhancing your and your company's image through podcasting is easy, and this talk will share considerations, insights, and creative examples on how some of the best in the business are doing it today.
​
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Session #104
Alexa Skill Building For Publishers And Authors (Amazon)
Led by Paul Cutsinger (Alexa and Echo, Amazon)
Make your presence known on Alexa. Bring your laptop and get hands on! In this 90-minute workshop we’ll walk you through how authors and publishers can create Alexa skills for themselves, their works, or their organizations. You’ll learn how to create stories, interactive fictions, and get your podcasts and blogs onto Alexa.
​
12:45 PM - 2:45 PM
Session #105
Running An Indie Author Business (ALLi)
Led by Robin Cutler (Director, IngramSpark, Ingram Content Group) and Orna Ross (Founder, Alliance for Independent Authors - ALLi)
This two-hour workshop will explain how Self-Publishing 3.0 works for authors, by outlining seven business models that self-publishers can use to increase their income, impact, and influence. The workshop will include examples of independent authors around the world who are creating lucrative publishing businesses.
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Session #106
Blockchain Technology: How It Applies To The Publishing Industry (Scenarex)
Led by Steve Breault (Chief Technology Officer) and Christine Joly (Chief Commercial Officer), Scenarex
This two-hour workshop provides insights on what blockchain technology is and how the technology can be applied directly to any type of publisher, complete with hands-on demonstrations and interactive learning for any professional working in in publishing.
​
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Digital Book World Welcome Reception and Exhibit Preview
For registered DBW 2018 attendees and their guests.
​
Tuesday, October 2
​
7:00 AM
Registration / Complimentary Continental Breakfast
​
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Session #202
Welcome
​
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
Session #203
Opening Keynote:
Ambient Computing
Legendary technology journalist and author
The future of technology will not be smart phones or smart watches or e-readers or any physical device. Computing will be all around us: in the walls, in the ceilings, in the floors, in the furniture, in your clothing. And this has profound implications for digital publishing, for all kinds of digital content and communications … and for our legal system.
9:00 AM
Exhibit Hall opens
​
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Coffee + Review of Exhibits
​
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Session #204
From Techstars To Shark Tank And Beyond:
Novel Effect's Impact On Publishing
Matt Hammersley and Melissa Hammersley (co-founders of Novel Effect)
Join the co-founders of Novel Effect as they explore opportunities for publishers with voice-driven content and share their journey participating in Amazon’s inaugural Alexa Accelerator, landing a deal on the TV show Shark Tank, winning a Webby, and securing a $3M investment from the world’s top tech and investment firms. Live demos included!
DigitalBookWorld.com blog post on Novel Effect's recent $3M investment raise
​
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #205
Joining Forces:
The Story Behind Publishing's Newest Partnership
Mario Pacini (General Manager, Entertainment, Walmart eCommerce U.S.)
Michael Tamblyn (CEO, Rakuten Kobo)
On the heels of launching Walmart eBooks by Rakuten Kobo, senior executives from both companies take the stage at Digital Book World 2018 to share how and why this unique partnership came to be, and how both Walmart and Kobo alike view the future of digital books within an ever-shifting culture and marketplace. This Fireside Chat will be hosted by Bradley Metrock (CEO, Score Publishing)
​
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Session #206
PANEL: The Customer, Your Boss: Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
Peter McCarthy (Director, Digital Services, Ingram Content Group)
Robin Cutler (Director, IngramSpark)
Andrew Wamberg (Head of Sales, Southeast, Google Cloud)
Moderated by Marcus Woodburn (Vice President, Digital Services, Ingram Content Group)
Understanding and reaching the consumer directly is becoming more and more important. Learn about tools, services, and best practices to maximize your direct-to-consumer knowledge, database, and sales. This insightful panel provides a quick overview of market changes and how the consumer is now – more than ever – key to understanding and growing your business.
​
12:10 PM - 1:30 PM
Complimentary Lunch + Review of Exhibits
​
Tuesday Case Studies (all held in the DBW Theater, located within the DBW Exhibit Hall - descriptions here)
C251 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM SPi Global
C252 1:15 PM - 1:45 PM IPG
C253 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Hindenburg Systems
C254 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM LifeWay
C255 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Readercoin
C256 4:15 PM - 4:45 PM Copyright Clearance Center
​
1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
BREAKOUT TRACKS:
An insightful collection of best practices, cutting-edge insights, insider tips, and useful tools, presented by industry leaders, authors, academics, and publishers. The six areas of focus include Marketing, Education, Legal, Production, Data, and New Media.
Marketing Book World (Presented by BookMachine):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights regarding how books are marketed today, by publishers of all sizes and types.
​
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Session #211
Metadata As A Marketing Tool
Kate Travers (Executive Director, Digital Operations, Workman Publishing)
Page Edmunds (Associate Publisher, Workman Publishing)
A description of the role of metadata in digital marketing: what it is, why it matters, and how it fits into the marketing and publishing workflow for both frontlist and backlist, including case studies in the effectiveness of strong metadata.
​
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Session #221
Monetizing Audiences: Strategies For Creating Demand Across The List
Jon Fine (Senior Vice President and Publisher, Open Road Integrated Media)
Mary McAveney (Chief Marketing Officer, Open Road Integrated Media)
Moderated by Susan Ruszala (Marketing Business Development Consultant)
How can audience-first marketing allow publishers to buck a declining trend for ebooks, and create demand for titles regardless of pub date? Join us to learn firsthand:
* how search and content marketing contribute to digital content sales;
* how price and retail positioning are vital to online success; and
* how continuously analyzing audience behavior can produce surprising results.
​
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #231
PANEL: Best Practices In Book Promotion
David Burleigh (Director of Brand and Marketing Communication, OverDrive)
Leslie Chirchirillo (Operations Manager, eBooks2Go)
Geoff Cook (Author, Veronica and the Volcano; Advisor, Readercoin)
Moderated by Matt West (CEO, Dexterity)
Connecting titles with the right readers is a never-ending challenge for both authors and publishers, and in the digital landscape, yesterday’s sure-thing tactic is today’s waste of valuable resources. Hear three diverse perspectives on book promotion in today’s digital landscape.
​
Education Book World:
Best practices and cutting-edge insights spanning the sister realms of scholarly/academic publishing and educational publishing.
​
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Session #212
PANEL: University Presses and Higher Education Publishing
Beth Kressel Itkin (Acquisitions Editor, Vanderbilt University Press)
Kimberley Williams (International Rights Director, Princeton University Press)
"Publish or perish" isn't just a phrase used to describe how those in education need to maintain visibility - it's also valuable insight into the increasing role universities play as publishers. Publishing print books alongside digital works, universities are pioneering in the world of publishing in ways that often fly under the industry's radar. This panel will share some of the trends shaping how higher education approaches publishing.
​
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Session #222
Reducing Textbook Costs Through Technology
Jordan Chussler (Academic Editor, Lynn University Digital Press)
Dawn Dubruiel (Instructional Designer, Lynn University)
Using the Lynn University Digital Press (LUDP) model, attendees will be introduced to an alternative means of library as publisher, which homes in on faculty-as-author and embraces iBooks Author software to demonstrate how curricula, specifically at institutions of higher learning, are able to embrace tailored digital scholarship while simultaneously reducing the burden of costly textbooks on university students’ wallets. The LUDP model will be detailed at length, providing insight into best practices, workflow procedures, author compensation models, peer review, and the incorporation of visual aids and interactivity to illustrate these processes. Also discussed: digital resources that the university takes advantage of to further assist the cause of reducing textbook costs for its students, like Cengage: Digital Learning & Online Textbooks. The session will conclude with audience Q&A.
​
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #232
Digital Publishing In Education: A Glimpse Into The Future
Gavin Summers (Head of Digital, Hodder Education)
What will be the role of an educational publisher in the digital world? When free learning resources on any topic are just a Google search away … when the tools exist for teachers to craft their own custom-made ebooks, online quizzes, and educational games as easily as a Powerpoint presentation … when school budgets are under pressure and paid resources are first in line for the cut … how can our industry face the future confident that we will continue to provide value to our customers? Focusing on the K-12 market, this session will make the passionate case that YES: by committing to our customer-first approach, by playing to our existing strengths as quality content providers, and by constantly maintaining a service mindset, the future is bright.
​
​
Legal Book World:
Best practices and cutting-edge insights not by lawyers for lawyers, but instead, from those within publishing who deal with legal-oriented issues such as rights management, compliance, and more, offered to all publishers as valued guidance.
​
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Session #213
What's So Bad About Vanity Presses?
A Fireside Chat With ALLi's Orna Ross and Alexa Bigwarfe
So-called "vanity presses" are a polarizing topic within the wide world of publishing. The idea of an author paying significant money to a third-party company to publish his or her book works just fine for some, and leaves others throwing around words like "scam." This fireside chat with Orna Ross (Founder, Alliance for Independent Authors) and Alexa Bigwarfe (Manager, ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Conference) will differentiate between vanity presses and hybrid presses, lay out issues in the marketplace created by vanity presses, and talk through some of the controversy.
​
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Session #223
The Ins and Outs Of Acquiring Book Rights
Ami McConnell (Former VP of Simon & Schuster; Founder and Director of WriterFest Nashville)
Authors eager to realize their dream often approach the negotiating table with wide eyes and open hearts. Such artists may lack critical knowledge about of the business side of publishing. This session explores the various perspectives, ethics, and stakes at play in this critical piece of the publishing business – sharing the unique perspective of both author and editor.
​
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #233
Trends in International Rights Processing
Kimberley Williams (International Rights Director, Princeton University Press)
The landscape of international rights is changing. This session will walk attendees through trends affecting all manner of publishing, including the rapidly evolving world of audio, providing action-oriented insights for publishers of all sizes and types.
​
​
Production Book World (Presented By Ingram | Lightning Source):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights on the mechanics of modern book publishing, from creation to distribution to managing various formats and more.
​
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Session #214
How Publishing Standards Are Converging
To Enable a Potential Golden Age of Publishing Technology
Bill Kasdorf (Principal, Kasdorf and Associates)
Publishing standards used to be very sector- and purpose-specific. But over the past few years, they have increasingly converged. For example, the next generation of EPUB will be a W3C Recommendation, along Web Publications, so a single publication file can work online or offline, packaged or not. And these are now for all types of publications, not just books. Accessibility used to require special formats and markup; now, it calls for EPUB, using standard HTML markup and schema.org metadata. And there’s an increasingly useful and open ecosystem of tools and tests to help publishers get these things right. The result is an increasingly interoperable, cross-platform, multi-product, cross-sector publishing technology ecosystem that will remove friction and result in streamlined, agile workflows and more dynamic, adaptable publications. This presentation will show how much of this is already a reality, and what’s on the horizon.
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Session #224
Inside Penguin Random House Audio: Adapting to a Rapidly Evolving Market
Amy Metsch (Vice President and Associate Publisher, Penguin Random House Audio)
Dan Zitt (VP Content Production, Penguin Random House Audio)
Learn how Penguin Random House Audio has evolved publishing strategy and processes as a result of the US audiobook market’s continued rapid growth. Included: the expansion of Penguin Random House Audio’s list from 500 titles ten years ago to more than 1,200 titles planned for 2018, while maintaining rigorous recording standards, creating groundbreaking productions, and experimenting with marketing tactics to engage readers with the audiobook format.
​
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #234
AI and Machine Learning In Content Production
Waseem Andrabi (Vice President, Content Services, Cenveo Publisher Services
Kinga Jentetics (CEO, PublishDrive)
John Prabhu (Senior Vice President, Technology Solutions, SPi Global)
Moderated by Kathryn "Kiffer" Brown (Co-Founder, Chanticleer Reviews)
How are computers, and the algorithms behind them which we refer to as "machine learning" or AI, guiding the future of producing content? What are some current examples of success in applying these principles specifically within publishing? This panel will delve into what's real, what's hype, and what's the future of computing and how it will affect publishers, large and small.
​
​
Data Book World (Presented By Vearsa):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights on the analysis behind publisher decision-making, and the tools and philosophies guiding publishers toward better and better outcomes.
​
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Session #215
STATE OF THE UNION: Best Practices In Printing (Even In A Digital Book World)
Dave McCree (President, Book Publisher Services, LSC Communications)
In today’s digital world, there's one form of print media that continues to grow: physical book sales. Physical books have held strong as they continue to capture the emotions and loyalty of readers of all ages. But like any other form of content these days, the work does not begin or end with the printed page. The way we discover and distribute titles has been vastly enhanced by the digital world through advancements such Intelligent Metadata and AI Algorithms. This session shares best practices to most effectively bring physical books to the marketplace, and how the digital world is continuing to shape a new reality for the publishing industry.
​
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Session #225
PANEL: Data-Driven Decisions In Publishing
Maurice O'Connor (CEO, Vearsa)
Data Guy (Author Earnings)
Kelly Peterson (Director of Client Services, INscribe Digital)
Andrew Weinstein (VP of Content Acquisition, Scribd)
Moderated by Matt West (CEO, Dexterity)
With new information and data sources becoming available all the time, how do authors and publishers know what to pay attention to, and why? This panel explores what we have now that we didn’t then, from industry trends to individual title info, and how the new waves of book data might be turned into growth.
​
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #235
STATE OF THE UNION: Data and Analytics In Publishing
Kristen McLean (Executive Director, Business Development, NPD Book)
An especially well-informed outlook for the US book market. Drawing on data from NPD’s BookScan and PubTrack Digital platforms, this presentation will deliver essential insights into the latest trends from book publishing’s most authoritative source of industry information, including:
* A recap of key industry performance in 2018
* The significant trends in content and platform
* The opportunities (and risks) for publishers and retailers in 2018 and beyond.
​
New Media Book World (Presented by Amazon):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights across tomorrow's frontier in publishing, from podcasting to voice assistants and smart speakers to interactive content and more.
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
Session #216
PANEL: Podcasting And The Publishing Industry
Kathy Doyle (VP, Podcasting, Macmillan Publishers)
Assaf Gad (VP, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships, Audioburst)
Rob Walch (VP, Podcaster Relations, Libsyn)
Moderated by Len Edgerly (Founder and Host, The Kindle Chronicles)
Podcasting is now ubiquitous. And the more podcasting has grown, the more we have discovered (or, perhaps, been reminded) that some people want information in an auditory format over any other available option. Publishers are deploying podcasts right now not just to tell stories, but to enhance their organizational reach and supplement ongoing marketing efforts. Learn from a variety of industry veterans on how podcasting has influenced the growth of the podcasting industry.
​
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Session #226
STATE OF THE UNION:
AR and VR in Publishing
Neil Levin (Partner & Technology Director, Powers Media/Powers Communications)
How can augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) help publishers right now, today? Are either of these promising technologies at the point where publishers can realistically deploy them as a marketing or storytelling device? Neil Levin, partner and technology director of Powers Media, has completed successful AR and VR projects across a variety of sectors and will speak to the current capabilities of both technologies, as well as the challenges in front of both in the way of wider adoption.
​
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #236
Constructing Interactive Books: The Next Step For Digital Publishing
Stephan Beauchesne (Principal, WPA Consulting)
Digital content development tools have evolved slowly over the years. From hand-coding to interactive PDFs, developers didn’t have too many choices. Compatibility has also been a major issue. Developers have been hungry for the one tool that will do everything. That tool is not here yet, but we will cover four authoring software packages we’ve had plenty experience with: Apple iBooks Author, Kotobe Author, 3D Issue Flipbook, and more recently, Pressbooks. Each has a different approach in creating the content as well as producing the output. We will show some examples of interactive digital books we produced with these tools, and we’ll give brief demos on how to use each one. Finally, we’ll present a new authoring approach we’ve been working on, which we hope will be the best of all worlds.
​
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Review of Exhibits
​
5:30 PM
Exhibit Hall closes
​
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Digital Book World Awards Gala
Announcement of DBW Awards + DBW Hall of Fame Inductions
Separate registration required - now open for DBW 2018 attendees
​
​
Wednesday, October 3
​
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Registration / Complimentary Continental Breakfast
​
9:00 AM
Exhibit Hall opens
​
Wednesday Case Studies (held in the DBW Theater, located within the DBW Exhibit Hall - descriptions here)
C358 9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Cenveo Publisher Services
C359 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Baker & Taylor
C361 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Virtusales
C362 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM LSC Communications
​
​
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM
BREAKOUT TRACKS (CONTINUED)
An insightful collection of best practices, cutting-edge insights, insider tips, and useful tools, presented by industry leaders, authors, academics, and publishers. The six areas of focus include Marketing, Education, Legal, Production, Data, and New Media.
Marketing Book World (Presented by BookMachine):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights regarding how books are marketed today, by publishers of all sizes and types.
​
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Session #301
PANEL: Publishing, In A World Of Fake News
Denise Clifton (Owner, Tandemvines Media)
Michael Hernandez (Media Arts Educator, Mira Costa High School)
Politics affect publishing. And the politics of what is, and isn't, fake news – and fierce debate over whether the mainstream media can be trusted – shapes the creation and distribution of information. This modern landscape deeply affects the publishing industry, and publishers of every type, shape, and size. This panel will discuss the state of modern media, the state of public trust in media, and how publishers can adapt themselves to a world of fake news.
​
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Session #311
How Voice-First Audio Will Unlock Value for Publishers
Joe Wikert (Publishing President, Our Sunday Visitor)
Where are voice UIs (VUIs) like Siri, Alexa and others heading? In the not-too-distant future we’ll look back and have a good laugh about how primitive and simplistic they were in 2018. These services are just scratching the surface of what’s possible tomorrow. For publishers to leverage the opportunity, they need to consider the importance of richly tagged, granular content as well as analyzing their content for patterns, consumption paths, etc. Further, content playlists, both personal and crowdsourced, will show that content curation is at least as important as content creation. Ultimately, the VUI creates a whole new type of discovery, learning and engagement platform, resulting in the most powerful coach, advisor, and mentor you’ll (n)ever meet.
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #317 SKY
Next-Generation Marketing For Digital Books
Dave Anderson (Executive Vice President, Content Sales, Rakuten Kobo)
Mia Amato Kravitz (Director, MetadataTuneUp)
Tanya Zadoorian (Marketplace Channel Analyst, CPC Strategy)
Moderated by Brian O'Leary (Executive Director, Book Industry Study Group (BISG)
Join these seasoned experts to learn:
* What's new in effectively merchandising audiobooks and ebooks
* How to maximize discovery and performance in online retail
* Where you should invest in metadata to improve product sales
* How to use content marketing and earned media to reach the right audience
​
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #321
STATE OF THE UNION:
Apple's Publishing Ecosystem (Apple Books, Apple Podcasts, and iBooks Author)
Bradley Metrock (CEO, Score Publishing)
We'll discuss the transition of iBA functionality into Pages, the strength and importance of Apple Podcasts, and the potential for Apple Books, and add it all up to gauge whether Apple's efforts are enough to justify publisher attention and resources.
Education Book World:
Best practices and cutting-edge insights spanning the sister realms of scholarly/academic publishing and educational publishing.
​
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Session #302
Partnership In Practice:
Strengthening Publishing through Industry/Academic Collaboration
Kevin Hanson (President, Simon & Schuster Canada)
Suzanne Norman (Faculty, SFU Publishing Program, Simon Fraser University)
Canadian publishers have had to be innovative, agile, and creative to build Canada’s now vibrant and globally recognized book publishing industry. While government policies have helped nurture the process, educational institutions have played pivotal roles in building a robust book publishing sector. In this session we’ll talk candidly about:
* Co-producing graduate publishing curricula, that is also open to the public;
* The differences between graduate professional placements and internships;
* Why a solid, trusted partnership is the secret sauce to successful publishing programs in the boardroom and in the classroom; and
* How working shoulder to shoulder enriches both academia and industry.
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Session #312
PANEL: How Open Educational Resources (OER) Are Impacting Educational Publishing
Nicole Allen (Director of Open Education, SPARC)
Michael Hernandez (Media Educator, Mira Costa High School)
Michael Shea (Vice President, Book Division, LSC Communications)
Gavin Summers (Head of Digital, Hodder Education)
Open educational resources, or "OER," are free resources made available to educators intended for reuse with minimal or no limitations. From entire courses, to specific books, outlines, videos, podcasts, audiobooks, and lessons, OER has changed the entire educational publishing industry, and has influenced other types of publishing in the process. Learn, from this wide-ranging panel of experts, about current trends within OER and how they are shaping the broader publishing landscape.
​
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #322
PANEL: Publishing for Children
Kari Dobbs (Children's Book Author)
Jeff Dotson (Chief Creative Officer, Four Story Creative)
Dan Lynch (Partner, Brentwood Studios)
Andrew Shoup (Designer, ToKoBooks)
Moderated by Alexa Bigwarfe (Independent Publisher & Author Coach, Kat Biggie Press)
Publishing for children is alive and well, utilizing not just print, but all manner of digital technologies from EPUB to audio to interactive content and more. This panel will explore how publishers, from the solo author publishing his or her own books, to larger publishers publishing thousands of titles, are creating great works for children using a variety of modern tech.
​
Legal Book World:
Best practices and cutting-edge insights not from lawyers to lawyers, but from those within publishing who deal with legal-oriented issues such as rights management, compliance, and more, offered to all publishers as guidance.
​
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Session #303
Copyright Issues For Audio Content
Bill Rosenblatt (President, GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies)
Publishers are exploring audio content in various ways: in addition to audiobooks, there’s podcasts, voice-first content, voice synthesis and more. Copyright rules and practices for audio are often different from what authors and publishers are used to. In this session, we’ll cover the music licensing “sausage factory,” fair use, and other copyright issues related to audio that publishers will encounter when venturing into the audio world.
​
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Session #313
PANEL: The Evolving Job Of Modern Librarians
Laura Cole (Director, BiblioTech, Bexar County Digital Library)
Ryan Darrow (Public Technology Supervisor, Nashville Public Library)
Amandeep Kochar (Executive Vice President, Public Library Sales & Technology, Baker & Taylor)
Steve Potash (CEO, Rakuten OverDrive)
Moderated by Mitchell Davis (Founder and CEO, BiblioBoard)
All bets are off as to how the future of public libraries will unfold, and it has created unprecedented opportunity. How has the role of the modern librarian evolved to the modern media landscape? How are libraries experimenting with new business models to work in partnership with traditional publishers and indie authors (and indie creators of all types) to expand discovery in new and effective ways? Authors, publishers, and executive leadership will gain great insight into these emerging opportunities – hearing from leading innovative librarians as well as the vendor partners working alongside them as they explore new partnership models to expand the “reading economy” for everyone.
​
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​​
Production Book World (Presented By Ingram | Lightning Source):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights on the mechanics of modern book publishing, from creation to distribution to managing various formats and more.
​
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Session #304
STATE OF THE UNION: The Audiobook Market
Cory Verner (General Manager and Publisher, Christian Audio LLC)
It's a fact that the audiobook industry is experiencing exponential year over year growth. This session will discuss why this trend is unlikely to end anytime soon, and how to capitalize on it. Audiobook engagement is high compared to other formats and it's not just a small loyal tribe of committed fans any more. Audiobooks are quickly becoming mainstream. We'll unpack the demographics, trends, bright spots, surprising developments, and changing landscape, and offer predictions for the future of this exciting growth format.
​
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Session #314
STATE OF THE UNION: Accessibility In Modern Publishing Workflows
Marisa DeMeglio (Software Developer, DAISY Consortium
​
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #324
PANEL: How The Blockchain Changes Book Publishing and Distribution
Josef Marc (CEO and Co-Founder, Publica)
Simon-Pierre Marion (President and Founder, Scenarex)
Bill Rosenblatt (President, GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies)
Moderated by Kinga Jentetics (CEO, PublishDrive)
What is the blockchain? And how does whatever it is affect publishers? This panel will start from the beginning, explaining what the blockchain is, and then diving in to how this important new technological concept is already re-shaping all kinds of industries, and is something that every publisher needs to understand.
​
​
Data Book World (Presented By Vearsa):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights on the analysis behind publisher decision-making, and the tools and philosophies guiding publishers toward better and better outcomes.
​
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Session #305
What Does AI Understand About Narrative?
Monica Landers (CEO, StoryFit)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now being applied, today, to one of the most sophisticated and nuanced human endeavors: narrative/ storytelling. Storyfit's technology extracts features applicable to all stages of book development, from acquisition to marketing. We’ll walk through a book to look at AI-powered analysis such as the character network, personality traits, emotional valence, and whether or not you’ve got a dynamic protagonist leaping from the pages. And we’ll help you apply this technology to your own decision-making.
​
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Session #315
PANEL: Best Practices In Corporate Publishing
Kelli Kelly (Director of Digital Solutions, LifeWay)
George Logan (Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Klopotek)
Roger Tetu (Digital Solutions Lead - Learning Technology, Southwest Airlines)
When assembling "the wide world of publishing" for Digital Book World 2018, one of the most important parts of the publishing world are all of those companies that aren't publishers at all, in any traditional sense. All kinds of companies – from Southwest Airlines to Stripe to Nissan to HP to Intel and many, many others – publish more content than many small to mid-size publishers do. They have the same exact workflow and technological needs, and many of the same challenges, as most traditional publishers do as well. This panel brings together a number of "corporate" publishers to share some of their unique approaches to being their own publishers.
​
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #325
The Data Science Behind Creating Content for Learning
Kotesh Govindaraju (EVP and Head of Americas, Impelsys)
Paradoxically, the age of machine learning has made it all the more important how human beings learn. AI will displace jobs, careers, and entire industries and human beings have to be able to adapt. The process by which we create content which drives human learning couldn't be more important, and understanding the right data, the right methodology, and the right medium is what will differentiate companies which are successful in providing professional learning experiences which work, and those that aren't.
​
​
New Media Book World (Presented by Amazon):
Best practices and cutting-edge insights across tomorrow's frontier in publishing, from podcasting to voice assistants and smart speakers to interactive content and more.
​
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Session #306
Fireside Chat: 10 Years Of The Kindle Chronicles
Len Edgerly (Founder & Host, The Kindle Chronicles)
Moderated by Bradley Metrock (CEO, Score Publishing)
Digital Book World 2018 executive producer Bradley Metrock sits down with Publishing Hall of Fame inductee and longtime host of The Kindle Chronicles Len Edgerly to discuss the process of putting together a publishing-oriented podcast on a weekly basis, some of the ups and downs involved with his show, how he views the future of publishing, and more.
​
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Session #316
PANEL: Best Practices In Creation and Distribution of Audiobooks
Rod Elder (Executive Vice President North America, Virtusales)
Kelly Lytle (Executive Producer, Findaway Voices)
Shannon Vargo (Vice President and Associate Publisher, John Wiley & Sons)
Moderated by Kathryn "Kiffer" Brown (Co-Founder, Chanticleer Reviews)
Audiobooks are the fastest growing area of publishing, and have opened up vast new opportunities for publishers to monetize their content. How are publishers, across every type of publishing, taking advantage of this explosive new medium? What types of insights do publishers have on how to best create and distribute audiobooks of different types and sizes? This panel will explore those questions and provide a variety of best practices related to the space.
​
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Session #326
Publishing Books In The Age Of Voice Assistants
Amy Stapleton (CEO, Tellables)
Consumer adoption of smart speakers is skyrocketing, with more people talking to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant every day. This presentation explores how authors can ride the "voice first" revolution to reach new audiences, while leveraging a once-in-a-century opportunity to pioneer innovative forms of conversational fiction.
​
​
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Complimentary Lunch + Review of Exhibits
​
12:45 PM - 1:40 PM
Session #341
Storytelling in a Voice First World
Dave Isbitski (Chief Evangelist, Amazon Alexa)
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language understanding (NLU), customer expectations have begun to shift towards “voice first.” Having natural conversations with the AI and technology in our lives is becoming a normal expectation. This has opened up new areas for storytelling, from choosing your own adventure audio narratives to creating unique personal stories to share with friends. It's created a way for people to converse directly with their favorite authors’ content, meet like-minded fans, and discover content in ways they haven't before. Hear what these new expectations mean for your company, and what you should be thinking about today to meet them.
​
1:40 PM - 2:25 PM
Session #342
Self-Publishing 3.0:
Building a Successful Author Business the Creative Way
Orna Ross (Founder, Alliance for Independent Authors)
Presented By IngramSpark
Self-Publishing 1.0 was desktop publishing and POD. Self-Publishing 2.0 was selling ebooks for ereaders and phones via online bookstores. We are now entering the era of self-publishing 3.0: author-publishers building sustainable enterprises that include direct sales, subscription models, crowdsourced patronage, and other income streams. This presentation surveys the achievements of indie authors and outlines the sequence to creative business success for authors. These are the steps, and the order in which to do them, that optimizes creative flow and maximize income, impact, and influence and will be of interest to every author and publisher working in the digital age.
2:25 PM - 3:00PM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Session #343
New Frontiers in Publishing
Presented by Ingram Content Group:
Kelly Gallagher (VP Content Acquisition, North America)
Deanna Steele (CIO)
Marcus Woodburn (VP, Digital Services)
​hosted by Bradley Metrock (CEO, Score Publishing)
Future-proof your business against the dynamic changes driving the industry. Ensure that your content is available whenever, wherever, and however the market demands with the right services. Learn about ways to grow your top to bottom line by making your content more discoverable and available, capturing the demand, and making your operations more efficient.
​
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Session #344
How Eat Like A Gilmore Went From Kickstarter Success To Publishing Deal
Kristi Carlson (Author, Eat Like A Gilmore)
Just because you write it doesn't mean they'll come. In addition to great writing, making a living as an author requires great marketing. In this session, learn why niche marketing works so well and how to identify the niches that will work for you. Learn how to test the amount of interest people have in your idea before you spend the time and money developing it. Learn how crowdfunding works and all of the key elements necessary to run a successful campaign. This session will completely change the way you approach marketing and is designed to help you create a road map from idea to funding to a successful book release.
​
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
DBW 2018 "Hall Crawl"
Food, drink, and live music...across the DBW 2018 Exhibit Hall!
Thursday, October 4
​
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Registration / Complimentary Continental Breakfast
​
9:00 AM
Exhibit Hall opens
​
8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
Session #402
Taking the Work Out of Networking
Karen Wickre (Author and longtime corporate communicator for Silicon Valley)
How does a Silicon Valley digital publishing veteran go from lengthy stints at Google and Twitter, to writing a long-form book? And how does a self-described introvert cultivate a valuable network of thousands of people? Karen Wickre relates her experience doing both, while imparting valuable advice to anyone looking to cultivate industry relationships and build a network that lasts. As well, she will – in her own words – “suggest tactics for connecting that you won’t hate.”
​
9:20 AM - 10:10 AM
Session #403
The New York Times Book Review:
Documenting The Changing World Of Publishing
Pamela Paul (Editor, NYT Book Review)
How does The New York Times Book Review think about the rapidly changing world of publishing? How does data inform our international reporting and analysis? I look forward to sharing many of these insights, and much more, with Digital Book World 2018 attendees as part of my talk.
​
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
Coffee Break + Review of Exhibits
​
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Session #404
Adapting Over 50 Hours of Books Into Interactive Audio Experiences...In 90 Days
Are you interested in understanding how interactive audio production and voice publishing pipelines work at scale? This talk will explore the origins of the interactive dramatic audio medium with examples of best practices for implementing interactive audio experiences into existing publisher workflows. You will learn about the creation and execution of an end to end adaptation pipeline that has resulted in the efficient production of over 50 hours of content in a period of less than three months.
​
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
Session #405
Closing Keynote: The Return of Data Guy
The controversial publishing industry analyst returns to Digital Book World to provide one-of-a-kind insights into the trends that are moving the entire publishing marketplace forward. Drawn from a dataset that encompasses transaction-level detail on nearly every online book sale of every format in the US, including hundreds of millions of unreported yearly US book sales - it is a wealth of hard industry data available nowhere else. We’ll separate truth from rumor about declining ebook sales and rapidly growing print sales. And, we’re told, all these conclusions are backed by proprietary rock-solid, incontrovertible daily sales data. You won’t want to miss this.
​
1:00 PM
Exhibit Hall closes
​
1:00 PM
Closing Roundtable w/ Digital Book World team