GET READY FOR SUMMIT 5: NASHVILLE, JULY 11-13

Best Seller
Indie Author Summit 4: The Welcome Event

FRIDAY, AUG 9, 7:00AM - 9:00PM  

Getting to KC Friday? Join us for the official Welcome event to get things kicked off between 7:00pm - 9:00pm:    

 

  • Live "Ask An Indie Author Anything" Session with Jay Miletsky
  • High-Profile Networking with Authors and Presenters  
  • First Drink is On Us, Along with a Selection of Apps

 

    Please note: to join the Welcome Event, you must also sign up for the Main Events as well. Due to expected demand, we cannot allow people to attend the Welcome Event who are not also attending the main Summit as well. 

    See Below for Details on Each Event

    THE MAIN EVENT

    CATCH FOUR INCREDIBLE SEMINARS
    PLUS CHOOSE TWO IN-DEPTH WORKSHOPS
    SATURDAY, AUG. 10, 9:00AM - 5:00PM

    KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 

    ADAM WALLACE, NYT BESTSELLING Author

    ABOUT ADAM: 

    Adam Wallace is a New York Times Bestselling author based in Melbourne, Australia. After over 500 rejections and going through every type of publishing, Adam now writes full time and enjoys afternoon naps most days.


    Adam has sold over 7 million books, visited 500 schools and libraries, 800 markets and festivals, and taken more naps after all of that!

    SEMINAR: JOURNEY TO OVER 7,000,000 COPIES SOLD

    Join Adam Wallace as he takes you on his journey from self-publishing, to hybrid publishing, flat fee publishing and finally traditional publishing, from over 500 rejections to new York Times Bestseller lists. 


    Adam will cover the pros and cons and ins and outs of all of this, things he has done that have worked, things he has done that have failed dismally, and everything in between!


    Adam will also briefly talk about school visits, different ways you can generate income from your books, and also his philosophies on writing in general, and writing for children in particular.

    JASON WANG

    Executive director, private wealth & investments

    ABOUT JASON:

    Jason is  an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley's Private Wealth department, specializing in guiding  entrepreneurs grow and preserve their business and wealth. 


    Prior to his role in Morgan Stanley, Jason was in Citigroup where he managed a book of over 1 billion dollars with clients in different industries. 


    SEMINAR: RAISING FUNDS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS 

    This is a Summit first! Part game show, part presentation, Jason will lead a lively, engaging and hugely educational session to help you level up your pitches to potential investors and find new ways to raise funds in order to grow your publishing business. 


    Wrapped in what's sure to be the first of many sessions in our "BookTank" format, Jason will hear real pitches from indie authors from our audience, scrutinizing their pitches and using them as actual examples to showcase what to do and not do when going out to generate investor interest. He'll also be providing expert advice on how to best use the funds you raise in the most beneficial ways for reaching publishing success. 


    Crystal Swain-Bates

    Author & Entreprenuer 

    ABOUT CRYSTAL:

    As the founder and CEO of Goldest Karat Publishing, Crystal has sold over half a million books, earning her recognition as a leader in HER field.


    Her groundbreaking work has been featured in a range of media outlets, from Forbes and CNN to Essence, as well as in nationally televised Amazon commercials and on popular television shows.


    SEMINAR: FROM MANUSCRIPT TO MARKETPLACE

    Everyone has a story to tell - each and every one of us has a story inside us that's waiting to get out; But only a few will commit that story to paper and create a manuscript from it. It's a big commitment and a high hurdle to overcome.

    And of those talented few who prepare their story to become a book, only a fraction will turn their books into a brand and create a product that is ready for the mass market. Crystal will give you an in-depth look at how to bring a successful book to the public, market it properly, and sell it at scale. \

    For profit-focused authors, this will be a enlightening and motivational session that you're not going to want to miss!


    VINCENT PEPPE

    MEDIA LAW ATTORNEY

    ABOUT VINCENT:

    Vincent is a media and technology attorney, representing authors, publishers, literary estates, and more. 


    He is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and Brooklyn Law School and is the recipient of the ASCAP Nathan Burkan Award for excellence in copyright law.  


    SEMINAR: PROTECTING YOUR BOOKS AND BRAND

    Your story is your own. It's personal, it's important, it's something that you've brought to life and very likely have a strong emotional connection to. So it's not surprising that one of the biggest fears authors have is their stories being stolen by someone else. 

    Legally protecting your IP (intellectual property) may be more complicated than you think. If you don't fully understand it, you could be leaving yourself vulnerable to having your creative stolen right out from under you. This highly important session will give you the knowledge you need to properly protect your story, your characters and your brand.


    WORKSHOP ONE

    CHOOSE EITHER: 

    BROOKE VITALLE

    Bestselling Author & Professional Editor

    WORKSHOP

    Crafting, Writing and Editing a Successful Story

    SERENA LI 

    Entrepreneur and Sales Expert

    WORKSHOP

    Mastering Sales Funnels to Sell to Retail Stores 

    WORKSHOP TWO

    CHOOSE EITHER: 

    CLAY ANDERSON

    Bestselling Author & Professional Editor

    WORKSHOP

    Cover Design, Typography and Formatting to Increase Sales

    JED DOHERTY

    Bestselling Author & Professional Editor

    WORKSHOP

    Media Training: Increasing Your PR and Pitching the Media with Confidence

    THE PITCH MEETINGS

    YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PITCH YOUR BOOKS & INCREASE SALES
    SCHEDULE YOUR 5-MINUTE PITCH MEETING
    SATURDAY, AUG. 10 9:00AM - 5:00PM

    MARTY FLANAGAN

    President of APG Sales and Distribution

    PITCH MEETING

    APG is one of the country's largest book distributor. If they decide to represent you, it can open new doors at Barnes & Noble, Target and other retails, as well as schools, libraries and other buyers, taking your business to warp speed!

    YOBE QIU

    Entrepreneur 

    PITCH MEETING

    Want your titles included in school book fairs across the country? Yobe's expanding network of schools is a great way to reach anxious young readers, their teachers and their parents. Pitch her your books for possible inclu

    THE WELCOME EVENT

    NETWORK WITH YOUR FELLOW AUTHORS
    LIVELY "ASK AN INDIE AUTHOR ANYTHING" SESSION
    FIRST DRINK IS ON US, ALONG WITH LITE BITES  
    FRIDAY, AUG. 9, 7:00PM - 9:00PM

    Jay Miletsky

    Author, entrepreneur 

    ABOUT JAY:

    After writing 12 business books for large, traditional publishers, Jay switched gears and jumped into the children's book market as an indie author. Six years later, he has sold over 500,000 units, and still growing. 


    Jay also owns the IAPC, helping hundreds of other authors publish their books, and...oh! He also runs these Summits! 

    WELCOME EVENT: NETWORKING AND Q&A SESSION

    The Welcome Event has proven to be one of the most fun parts of the Summit weekend. For a couple of hours, we'll have a lounge to ourselves where everyone can casually mingle and network with their fellow authors and get to know other success-minded storytellers. 

    Along with this, Summit host and indie author, Jay Miletsky, will lead a spirited (and some times raucous!) "Ask an Indie Author Anything" session, where he'll take any and all questions related to his successful publishing journey. 

    Oh, and don't worry about being too sober - the first mug of beer or glass of wine is on us, along with an array of light appetizers.

    THE BRUNCH EVENT

    ONE FINAL, INCREDIBLE PRESENTATION
    DELICIOUS, GOURIMET BRUNCH BUFFET & DRINKS  
    SUNDAY, AUG. 11, 10:00AM - 12:00PM

    Stephen Michael

    EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & VP OF AUDIO, WOLF ENTERTAINMENT

    ABOUT STEPHEN:

    Stephen plays a crucial part in driving the expansion of Wolf Entertainment's podcasting division, managing both the operations and development of an increasingly diverse array of original fiction and true-crime audio series. He operates from the company’s Los Angeles offices.


    His background includes producing content for Gizmodo Media and as an exec. producer at Bare Knuckle Media.

    BRUNCH EVENT: TAKING YOUR BOOK TO HOLLYWOOD!

    Wolf Entertainment is celebrated for its exceptional storytelling across television and digital platforms. The company’s portfolio includes the iconic "Law & Order" franchise, among other successful series such as the "One Chicago" and "FBI" trilogies. As Stephen brings Wolf into the podcasting market, and seeks out children's titles for consideration, he'll share with you the most important and valuable aspects of books that producers look for. This exclusive session will you an inside track for launching your stories into media beyonf printed books!

    At the same time, you'll enjoy an expansive, gourmet brunch buffet from some of Kansas City's finest chefs, and have you last opportunity to socialize and network with Summit presenters and other indie authors as we round out our whirlwind weekend and close out our fourth summit in spectacular fashion!