INDIE PRESS NETWORK

Arts Council England & Indie Press Network Marketing & PR Day

 

We were delighted to deliver an Arts Council England-funded day for small presses focusing on marketing and publicity on the 7th of November 2025.

Held at the iconic Conway Hall, we were thrilled to curate a series of talks, panels and sessions focusing on knowledge-sharing and breaking down obstacles in one of the most difficult areas for small businesses.

Find the information booklet from the day here, and more info below. Damien (Indie Novella) facilitated recording of the sessions, and we are working with ACE to make these more widely available. For more information please keep an eye on this page and/or get in touch.

Panels, events and talks were held on:

  • 9.45am: Host introduction and welcome. Our host, Ann Morgan, welcomed us and kicked off the day. An author, speaker and editor best known for her 2012 project that saw her read a book from every country in the world, and her work producing the RLF’s Collected podcast, Ann is a passionate advocate for small presses and the literature we bring into the world. We also heard from Peter Howarth (see below), about the marketing health-check questionnaire.
  • Bookseller Panel with Zool Verjee of Blackwell’s and Foyles, Cat of Burley Fisher and David Coates of Serenity Books. We kicked the day off with a panel of bookshops to help publishers understand how best to work with them.
  • Social Media session with award-winning marketing consultant Rachel Quin. One of the biggest areas of change publishers are facing – understanding trends of the market; how to build audiences and engagement.
  • Publicity for small presses with Becke Parker (PR Collective). A session that sought to arm presses with knowledge on how best to build a publicity plan, common pitfalls and misconceptions.
  • Lunch
  • Publisher success stories. We were joined by Joel Burton of Fitzcarraldo Editions, Neil Griffiths of Weatherglass Books and the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize (formerly Republic of Consciousness Prize), Harriet Hirshman of Dead Ink and Jimena Gorráez of Daunt Books Publishing, along with TikTok sensation Thomas R. Weaver, to hear the behind-the-scenes of publishing success.
  • Marketing Basics with Farhana Shaikh (Publisher at Dahlia Books and Lecturer in Marketing with a specialism in small presses at De Montfort University). Small Press Marketing 101 with breakout rooms to explore in more detail.
  • What Next? Thinking Big. Katherine Brown from ACE’s Digital Culture Network talked about the support they have on offer for independent publishers. Emma Lowe, Director of the London Book Fair, talked about top tips for indies getting into and preparing for LBF. Inpress talked about what they offer indies, their Festival of Publishing and the London Book Fair small press stand they are hosting. Magdalene Abraha of Jacaranda Books talked about how thinking outside of the box has shaped Jacaranda’s growth.

Measuring Success

We’re delighted to say we’re working with Peter Howarth of Queen Mary University to ensure we cover the main areas that presses need help with – so you can help to shape the day. Peter will also be investigating the efficacy of the day and measuring its impact, to help us plan future events.