This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Sissy Mecca record live from SPS Live in London, surrounded by more than 500 authors from around the world. They share the atmosphere from the conference floor, discuss some of the standout sessions, and chat with special guests including volunteer coordinator Adrian Wills, Draft2Digital's Dan Wood, and Doug Pratt and Nick Harvey from the Two Indie Authors podcast. Topics include fandom building, direct sales, the future impact of AI on publishing, conference networking, and the power of community within the indie author world.

Key Talking Points

• Behind-the-scenes insights into running SPS Live
• The vital role volunteers play in creating a successful conference experience
• Building author fandom and reader loyalty beyond the ebook
• Lessons from Damon Courtney's "Taylor Swift Method" presentation
• Why direct sales and special editions continue to grow in importance
• The value of author conferences for networking and learning
• How the indie publishing landscape is changing through AI
• Why authors need to understand AI, even if they choose not to use it
• The increasing importance of reader relationships and community building
• Dan Wood's perspective on industry trends and adapting to change
• A conversation with Nick Harvey and Doug Pratt about podcasting and the indie author community
• The unique atmosphere and energy of SPS Live compared to other industry events

Links & Resources Mentioned

• ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
• Draft2Digital: https://www.draft2digital.com
• BookFunnel: https://bookfunnel.com
• The Two Indie Authors Podcast
• Vellum: https://vellum.pub
• SPS Live: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive