Fall is definitely here. We shut down the garden, and I’ve been taking dogs to the veterinarian for their fall checkups. (So far, everything seems fine with the all-furry team!) In the midst of all this activity, we’ve also been plotting out activities for next year. I’m pleased to report that the Small Publishers Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN) will be a sponsor of the Self-Publishers Online Conference in May. Yes, SPOC 2010 is coming!
In related news, I also heard from “Mr. Publishing” Dan Poynter. He has agreed to do the keynote on the first day of SPOC: May 12, 2010. He’ll be talking about “Book Publishing Opportunities: Past, Present and Future.” Given that Dan travels 6,000 miles every week, I’m thrilled that he’s able to fit SPOC into his busy schedule again this year.
We’re committed to self-publisher education and helping aspiring authors make good choices about their books. One of the things that came through in the comments about the conference last year was how “blessedly devoid of hype” and sales fluff the presentations were. Just like last year, we plan to pack a lot of content into three days. Always cast a critical eye at hyped-up programs. They’re out there; don’t waste your money on what are just glorified sales pitches.