IBPA Publishing University 2025

Author to Thought Leader to Publicist-in-chief: You as a Speaker
Faculty Jeniffer Thompson and Mary Catherine Jones, with moderator and host Eryka Parker.

Start Talking: Amplify Your Platform in Front of the Camera and Behind the Mic

Even before the book is published, today’s author needs to switch gears from creating the book to creating a buzz. And one of the most effective ways to do this is to start talking. Done well, this means increasing your marketing visibility and building authority by engaging your audience, creating social media reels, booking podcasts, recording an audiobook, speaking at events, and producing engaging content that keeps your audience loyal.

In this interactive workshop, attendees will leave with concrete, repeatable ideas and actionable strategies to elevate their brands and elocute with ease. Industry pros Jeniffer Thompson (Monkey C Media) and Mary Catherine Jones (The Audiobook Experience) will teach you how to make the transition from author to thought leader to publicist-in-chief, and (most critically) how to look and sound like the professional you are and give a polished performance every time.

The author publisher breakout sessions are intended for author publishers (a.k.a. self-published authors) who are creating and publishing their own works.