Fifteen years after it was established, the Christian Small Publishers Association is renaming itself to better match the increased number of independent authors, it said in a statement. The organization will now be known as the Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA).
Sarah Bolme, director of CIPA, cited Bowker’s annual report, which indicated an all-time high number of self-published authors and independent publishers, as well as changes to CIPA's membership.
"We believe the name change better reflects the current publishing landscape and the authors and publishers the association serves, and sends a more cohesive message of who we are and what we are about,” Bolme told PW.
The association provides members with information and cost-savings strategies for publishing and marketing their books in the Christian marketplace. According to Bolme, CIPA’s current membership ratio is about 60% small publishers (those publishing multiple authors) and 40% indie published authors—a number she has seen grow in recent years. Bolme also noted the rising number of independently published books, which she said is due to the mainstreaming of print-on-demand services, the de-stigmatization of self-publishing, and online shopping, which removed barriers into bookstores.
“More authors are choosing [the independent publishing] route because they see that others are achieving some modicum of success with it,” Bolme said. “After all, growth begets growth.”
