The first annual PubSmart conference is set to run April 16-18 in Charleston, S.C., at the historic Francis Marion Hotel, bringing together self-published, traditional, small press and hybrid authors. About 250 people have registered to attend the event which will feature faculty of the nation’s top agents and editors as well as independent editors, publishers, publicists, and authors.
The inspiration for PubSmart came after the founders - Jacqueline Gum, Kendra Haskins, Shari Stauch, Brenda McClain and Kathy Meis - observed the “disconnect between what’s happening in today’s publishing arena vs. the discussions at conferences.” They decided to create a conference that would offer attendees a roadmap to success regardless of how they chose to seek publication. “The conference feels like it will give writers the tools to really assess their writing, in order to choose what publishing path(s) to pursue. This is really a terrific opportunity, and one where all of us – writers, editors, agents, publicists, and more – will all come away learning something new about the various publishing venues available today,” said Jeff Kleinman, one of the founders of Folio Literary Management.
