Chloe will kick off the day with a welcome, health and safety briefing and summary of what authors can expect over the course of the day.

From manuscript preparation to text design, and front covers to back covers and spines, we will take you through all aspects of book production, highlighting everything you need to consider, whether you are going it alone or working with a publisher. This session will also consider print methods and options available to you, and how you can use the production process to create the most professional product possible.

From ebooks to audiobooks, the world of digital publishing has its challenges and things that authors need to know. Our Digital team will be hosting this session to help authors with what they need to know about publishing digitally, as well as how to get ahead of the vast amount of competition and make your book stand out in the market. 

Members of Troubador’s Marketing department will talk you through how to give your book the best possible chance of being selected for sale by a bookshop. This is one of the main challenges faced by authors, but many things can be done to maximise the chance of bookshop sales. The session will cover the importance of correct bibliographic data, to how bookshops decide which books they will sell and what to do – and, maybe more importantly, not to do – when approaching a bookshop about stocking your book.

Working with an editor or illustrator can be a daunting prospect for an author. An editor can challenge a manuscript to be the best it can be and a good relationship with an illustrator can make or break the success of an illustrated book. Members of the Troubador Editorial team will be taking authors through how they can get the most out of working with both editors and illustrators as well as what to look out for.

Hear from James Mitchell, Marketing Director at Shimmr, on how AI can be harnessed to improve the discoverability of titles and power authors’ marketing activities and liberate them to focus on the most important thing of all – writing books. You'll discover innovative AI tools and strategies tailored for authors. Learn how authors can leverage AI to drive engagement and interest towards their books. Navigate the world of curating personalised book recommendations to get your book in front of the right people and discover the secrets of algorithmic marketing. Whether you're a seasoned author or just starting, this workshop equips you with the skills to elevate your book marketing game in the digital age. Attendees will learn how AI platforms can be used to boost discoverability, how to use generative AI to create marketing assets for your titles, and how Shimmr is improving discoverability using AI-powered ‘advertising on autopilot’.

Once you have completed your book, you want to know how best to get it out in the world for people to buy, right? Ben Cameron, Managing Director at Cameron PR, and Jonathan White, Sales and Marketing Manager at Troubador Publishing, will be hosting this session to help authors understand how best to market and distribute their books and, most importantly, explain why tying the two together gives the best results for an author.

Authors often think that selling books is about making the cover attractive and getting the media interested. However, that is not the whole story. Selling books is also about data – the technical stuff accompanying the more glamorous aspects of publishing a book. Data can include reviews, an author biography and photo, a contents list, the price, page extent, a detailed synopsis and extract – and the more data (and the more accurate it is) the better the sales will likely be. This session looks at the importance of data to self-publishing authors and advises that it should be ignored at your peril.

We're thrilled to be joined by Olympic gold medallist turned self-publishing author Ben Hunt-Davis MBE for our keynote. In this talk, Ben will give delegates a brief overview of his achievements ahead of writing his book and why he decided to write the book in the first place. He'll then provide authors with his key advice for achieving publishing success in whatever form an author is looking for. Ben will also be signing his book during the lunch break.

In this Q&A session, Debbie Young will highlight everything that she thinks authors should be thinking about before self-publishing their work. From the objective setting to choosing the right route for you, you'll leave this Q&A feeling confident about how to get your work published in the right way for you. As the course tutor for Jericho's Simply Self-Publishing course, Debbie's wealth of knowledge will be explored during this 40-minute session, leaving plenty of time for delegates to ask their questions at the end of the session.

Amazon consultant Cam Lennon joins us for this session where he will guide authors through how they can maximise their Amazon sales through best practices. By using the tactics that Cam will discuss in this session, authors will have a better chance of sales success and competitive advantage on the retail giant's platform, so it's a session that is hugely valuable for anyone looking to improve their Amazon revenue.

Whether you're an aspiring novelist or a non-fiction writer seeking to enhance the clarity and impact of your work, this workshop is perfect for you. Join Ameesha for a hands-on session where she'll guide you through the intricacies of self-editing and honing the art of transforming your raw manuscript into a polished work ready to publish. Attendees will be guided through a step-by-step exploration of essential self-editing techniques, offering valuable insights and practical tips to help make your manuscript the best it can be.

Join PR and social media experts from Midas, the leading and award-winning communications agency working at the heart of publishing, to learn how to publicise your book to relevant audiences. From gaining new followers and boosting your social media profile, to organising bookshop events, and from reaching out to relevant media strands to monitoring your performance online, this session will equip you with the tools you need to ensure your book reaches your target audiences.

In this session, Alex will discuss the various options available to authors looking to publish their work through Troubador and its various imprints. From self-publishing with Troubador, partnership and traditional publishing with the Book Guild, to individual publishing services through Indie-Go.co.uk, Troubador is dedicated to helping authors publish quality books by whatever route.