CWC-Sacramento Meeting

Saturday, June 21st, from 12:00 pm to 3:30 pm at

The Spaghetti Factory, 1625 Watt Avenue, Sacramento

Publishing your own book can be every bit as impactful and potentially more lucrative than working with a traditional publisher—but you have to do it professionally. Learn how in this hands-on workshop that will cover everything from understanding a successful financial model, assembling your team, exploring your distribution options, pricing your book competitively, optimizing your metadata, getting reviews, developing your marketing plan, and much more! Whether you’re doing picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, or YA, the framework of how you professionally publish is the same—though some of the financials and processes are different.

This interactive session will give you the tools—and the roadmap—to be a successful Author Publisher.

Detailed information for Andrea’s presentation is coming soon

What you will learn from Heather

• How to prepare financially for publishing your own book
• Who you will need to help you with the process
• Options for distributing your books to readers
• How to develop a marketing plan
• Why reviews are important and how to secure them

Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, Chief Executive Officer

Andrea began her tenure as CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association in November 2022. Prior to that she was the founding vice-president and publisher of HarperCollins’ lifestyle imprint, Harper Horizon. Andrea spent fifteen years in sales, digital media, and business operations at Workman Publishing and was Director of Content Acquisition at Ingram Content Group. She also formerly served on the board of the Book Industry Study Group and remains active in multiple industry organizations including the Authors Guild, SCBWI, BMI, and ALA and others.

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Plus: Micro-Workshop Query Work with Michael Larsen

This event is a luncheon with a buffet served. The menu includes;

• Salad
• Spaghetti Marinara Sauce (Meatless Red Sauce)
• Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
• Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter
• Ice cream desert

Coffee is included but all other beverages must be paid separately.

Book online here

CWC-Sacramento Meeting

Saturday, May 17th, from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm at

The Unitarian Church, 2425 Sierra Blvd, Room 7/8 (Park in the Rear) Sacramento

Former Big Five editor Heather Lazare pulls back the curtain on what really happens when you book goes out on submission to a publisher. When your literary agent submits your proposal or manuscript, there are dozens of decisions made before an editor is allowed to make an offer—what are those and who’s involved? We’ll talk about all of this and more, and leave plenty of time for questions!

What you will learn from Heather

• What “comp titles” are and what role they play on the financial side of publishing.
• What to ask when you get a chance to meet with an editor.
• What does a publisher mean by “platform” and what role it plays in the acquisition process.
• Don’t quit your day job—even if you get a six-figure book deal.
• What is an advance and how does an author earn out their advance.

Heather Lazare is a developmental editor and publishing consultant who specializes in editing adult fiction. She worked at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and both Random House and Simon & Schuster before starting her own business in 2013. She teaches courses on publishing for Stanford Continuing Studies and is the director and founder of the Northern California Writers’ Retreat. Visit her online at heatherlazare.com and norcalwritersretreat.com.

Plus: Micro-Workshop Query Work with Michael Larsen

We have to pay for this room, so we have to charge an admission fee of $15. You can pay on the day or get your ticket below.

Book online here