This article is part of an ongoing series about PWedu’s Christian Publishing Summit, an online guest speaker program and workshop about the intersection of faith-based publishing and innovation, presented by PW. The online event and workshop starts on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and runs weekly through Nov. 20.
Alisse Goldsmith-Wissman, publicity manager for the Independent Publishers Group and associate director of publicity at InterVarsity Press, will be sharing publicity tips and best practices in a lecture titled “Lessons From a Faith-Based Publicist,” as part of PWedu’s inaugural Christian Publishing Summit.
The informative and insightful session—scheduled for Nov. 13, from 1-1:45 p.m. EST—will give participants the opportunity to learn directly from a publishing expert how to effectively garner media attention for faith-based titles from both specialty and mainstream news outlets, and how to harness an author’s existing following.
At IVP, Goldsmith-Wissman, a graduate of Taylor University, oversees publicity efforts, managing a team that connects with writers, editors, bloggers, and producers to generate media coverage for more than 100 titles annually. Goldsmith-Wissman and her team routinely secure book reviews, author interviews, and news coverage in magazines, journals, and newspapers.
The Christian Publishing Summit gathers industry leaders—including editors, authors, and social media strategists—for a series of workshops aimed at book professionals, retailers, writers, and readers. The event features eight live lectures, including “A Search for Meaning,” in which participants will hear David Moberg, the group publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing, discuss the business behind big books. Other sessions include “Discoverability: Retail Strategies in a Time of Transition for Christian Publishing,” “A Marketer’s Lesson on How to Serve Diverse Audiences,” and “Lessons from Literary Agents in the Christian Sphere.”
The sessions explore each topic from multiple angles and offer valuable insight that can be applied broadly. Each session is followed by online workshops featuring one-on-one feedback. While in a live session, participants can raise questions and take part in peer discussions through an online chat interface. Participants also have access to an online classroom that provides an interactive space to workshop marketing copy or publicity plans, ask questions, start discussions, and network.
For more information on PWedu’s Christian Publishing Summit, including how to register, click here.
