Free Marketing & PR Resources for Small Presses

In November 2025 we were delighted to deliver an Arts Council England-funded day for small presses focusing on marketing and publicity. Held at the iconic Conway Hall, there were talks, panels and sessions focusing on knowledge-sharing and breaking down obstacles in one of the most difficult areas for small businesses.

Damien (Indie Novella) facilitated recording of the sessions, and thanks to the support of Arts Council England and the guests’ generosity of spirit we’re pleased to be able to make these freely available – please find the individual sessions embedded below. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to be put in touch with any of the speakers, who kindly share their thoughts, opinions and suggested best practices for small press marketing and PR below.

Jump to: Host introduction and welcome | Bookseller Panel | Social Media session | Publicity for small presses | Publisher success stories | Marketing Basics | What Next? Thinking Big

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 of QMUL (Queen Mary University of London) about the marketing health-check questionnaire, helping us to measure the impact of the day.

Bookseller Panel

Our host Ann Morgan was joined by Zool Verjee of Blackwell’s and Foyles, Cat of Burley Fisher and David Coates of Serenity Books to help publishers understand how best to work with bookshops.

Social Media session

Award-winning marketing consultant Rachel Quin took the stage to talk about social media: one of the biggest areas of change publishers are facing. She lays out a path for publishers to understand trends of the market; and how to build audiences and engagement – while avoiding trying to keep up with every platform going and risking burnout. Practical steps and tips for success.

Publicity for small presses

Our host Ann Morgan ran an in-conversation event with Becke Parker (PR Collective). This session sought to arm presses with knowledge on how best to build a publicity plan, and looked at common pitfalls and misconceptions. Beyond just engaging a freelance PR, Becke suggested top tips for cash-poor presses, and where to focus for big wins on a budget.

Publisher success stories

After lunch 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. The session was brutally honest, and offers a no-holes-bared ‘what works for us’.

Marketing Basics

Farhana Shaikh (Publisher at Dahlia Books and Lecturer in Marketing with a specialism in small presses at De Montfort University) took the stage to talk about Small Press Marketing 101. With a light yet insightful approach, Farhana gave an overview of marketing techniques and how presses can think strategically going forward – setting goals and working towards them.

What Next? Thinking Big

Our final panel of the year looked beyond the everyday and left publishers looking ahead to what lies beyond the shelf: tips for growth beyond sales. 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 in 2026; Magdalene Abraha of Jacaranda Books talked about how thinking outside of the box has shaped Jacaranda’s growth.

And looking beyond this year

The event was brilliantly attended, and we hope that by making these recordings freely available for use, small presses outside of London can access free tools and tips to success too. If you have any comments on the above, or would like to offer feedback or tips for future iterations, please let us know.