The view from the UK, a discussion with Independent Publishers Guild Chief Executive Bridget Shine

Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing publishing around the world. Bridget Shine of the Independent Publishers Guild talks about issues, partnerships, and the role of indies and author-publishers in the UK.

Topics Covered

• What is the Independent Publishers Guild?
• How are publishers coping with COVID and the changing retail and distribution landscape?
• Audiobooks and ebooks in the UK
• Difficulties of access and perception faced by small publishers and author publishers
• Partnerships between larger and smaller publishers
• the role of Amazon in the UK

Link

http://www.independentpublishersguild.com/

Participants

Bridget Shine is chief executive of the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG), a flourishing trade association with more than 650 members from all areas of publishing, including trade, children’s, education, academic, professional and specialist sectors. Members range in size from one-person start-ups to long-established international companies and have a combined annual publishing turnover of more than £1bn.

The IPG provides resources and events to help its members become better businesses and publishers. Since joining in 2004, Bridget has led a doubling of the IPG’s membership and numerous initiatives including the launch of a Skills Hub of training and professional development resources, the annual Independent Publishing Awards, a mentoring programme and new Special Interest Groups. Before joining the IPG, Bridget worked for both large and small publishers, as well as in literary agenting and at the Welsh Books Council.

Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.

For more information, go to IBPA at https://www.ibpa-online.org/.