BookPlan 2026: How to Launch, Market & Sell Your Nonfiction Book

AI can make your marketing and platform-building easier, but only when it’s used thoughtfully and with integrity. In this session, longtime book publicist and AI educator Fauzia Burke offers a practical, ethics-first approach to AI for authors. You’ll learn how to use tools like ChatGPT wisely, avoid credibility-killing shortcuts, and build workflows that protect your unique voice. Attendees will walk away with smart prompts, clear guidelines, and a human-centered framework for using AI to enhance both creativity and professionalism.

You’ll Learn:

1. How to confidently use the best AI tools without taking shortcuts that hurt credibility.
2. A simple ethics framework from a longtime book publicist who understands trust, voice, and long-term author brand building.
3. Practical prompts and time-saving techniques that support your creativity and free you to focus on the work only you can do.

About the Presenter

Fauzia Burke is the Founder and President of FSB Associates, a pioneering digital book publicity agency. She has helped authors build meaningful connections with readers through smart, strategic online visibility. Alongside her full-time work as a publicist, Fauzia is a respected AI educator and consultant, teaching authors and publishers how to adopt technology to strengthen their voices, protect their credibility, and support their creative goals. She is known for her clear, ethical, and human-centered approach to innovation in publishing.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fauziaburke

Subscribe to Fauzia’s free monthly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/fauziaburke.com/signup-link

Follow Fauzia on Substack to read her weekly take on AI: https://fauziaburke.substack.com/

Most nonfiction books struggle to find readers, not because the ideas aren’t good, but because they launch without an audience. In this session, marketing strategist Norbert Orlewicz shows authors how to build readers, demand, and momentum while they’re writing the book, not after it’s finished. You’ll learn how a simple weekly newsletter can act as both a writing discipline and a marketing engine, helping you test ideas, refine your message, and grow a list of readers who are ready when your book launches. Norbert will share real-world examples from his own book-in-progress and outline a practical, author-friendly system that reduces risk, increases book sales, and turns writing into a long-term growth asset.

You’ll Learn:

1. How to turn writing into a marketing asset instead of a standalone project, so your book launches with momentum rather than uncertainty.
2. How to build an audience for your book before it’s published, using a simple weekly newsletter that fits naturally into the writing process.
3. How to create a repeatable system that supports book sales and long-term visibility, without relying on social media algorithms or last-minute promotion.

About the Presenter

Norbert Orlewicz is a marketing strategist and co-founder of Digital Mentors, where he helps non-fiction authors, coaches, and experts turn ideas into audiences, demand, and sales. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, Norbert has helped sell more than $60 million in digital education, coaching, and information products. Norbert is currently writing his own book, The Profitable Coach, using a newsletter-driven strategy to grow an engaged audience and sell copies ahead of publication. He brings a practical, market-tested perspective to publishing that bridges writing, marketing, and long-term growth.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norbertorlewicz/

Website: https://norbertonline.com

About the Presenter

Jeevan Sivasubramaniam is the VP of Editorial at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. He has been in publishing for thirty years in acquisitions and administration and has worked with over 700 authors and books.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeevansivasubramaniam/

In a world where anyone can post on social media, and AI can generate content in seconds, you might wonder: Does traditional book publicity still matter? The answer is a resounding yes, but the landscape has shifted dramatically.

In this panel discussion, longtime book publicist Fauzia Burke brings together experienced publicists Christy Kirk of Berrett-Koehler Publishers and Madison Scheuer of Smith Publicity to explore why publicity remains essential for authors and how to navigate today’s media environment effectively. Together, we’ll share real-world insights on what’s working now, what’s changed, and how authors can build meaningful visibility that actually moves the needle.

Whether you’re preparing to launch a book, building your author platform, or trying to understand where publicity fits in.

You’ll Learn How To:

1. What still works in publicity, and what no longer does.
2. How to build visibility that actually moves the needle.
3. The logistics of working with publicists: timelines, budgets, and what to expect

About the Panelists

Fauzia Burke is the Founder and President of FSB Associates, a pioneering digital book publicity agency. She has helped authors build meaningful connections with readers through smart, strategic online visibility. Alongside her full-time work as a publicist, Fauzia is a respected AI educator and consultant, teaching authors and publishers how to adopt technology to strengthen their voices, protect their credibility, and support their creative goals. She is known for her clear, ethical, and human-centered approach to innovation in publishing.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fauziaburke
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/fauziaburke.com/signup-link
Substack about AI: https://fauziaburke.substack.com/

Christy Kirk is the Associate Director of Marketing at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. A lifelong book lover (and daughter of a retired librarian), she has spent more than a decade partnering with authors to support successful book launches. Christy is always experimenting with new ways to connect great books and big ideas with the readers who need them most.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christykirk/

Madison Scheuer, a senior publicist at Smith Publicity, is a passionate storyteller with a proven track record of media relations success. Helping clients elevate their book, business, and brand through robust publicity and marketing campaigns, she’s cultivated relationships and generated coverage across publishing, lifestyle, advertising, and business. She has secured placements for clients in top publications including The New York Times, Fortune, Fast Company, Forbes, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Financial Times, and Harvard Business Review, among others. Her own writing has been published in Popsugar, Inc., and City Book Review. Currently residing in New York City, Madison graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s in journalism and mass communication, where she focused on public relations.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madisonscheuer/
Website: https://www.smithpublicity.com/

Bulk sales—to companies, professional associations, and client networks—are one of the fastest ways to put your book into the hands of hundreds of ideal readers.

In this practical, idea-packed session, bestselling authors Angela and Jasmine will share the proven strategies they’ve used to secure high-impact bulk orders and lasting partnerships. You’ll see how books that inspire individual action and align with the values of communities and organizations can naturally create meaningful bulk opportunities. Kristen will add a publisher’s perspective, with real examples of successful campaigns and the key elements behind them.

You’ll leave with clear, actionable approaches to expand your reach, impact, and revenue.

Key Takeaways

1. Find—and connect with—the buyers who say yes to large orders.
2. Turn every talk or client engagement into a scalable book sales opportunity.
3. Create mission-aligned partnerships that fund and fuel bulk distribution.

About the Panelists

Kristen Frantz is the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. In her career spanning over 30 years, she has worked with hundreds of book marketing campaigns.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-frantz-81671a/

Dr. Angela Jackson is the author of The Win-Win Workplace (Berrett-Koehler, March 11, 2025), a New York Times bestseller. Dr. Jackson leads the Future Forward Strategies and the Future Forward Institute, advising leaders on building inclusive, high-performing teams.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-angela-jackson/

Jasmine Rashid is a “Zillennial” writer, impact investing strategist, and author of The Financial Activist Playbook: 8 Strategies for Everyday People to Reclaim Wealth & Collective Well-Being (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, September 2024).

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminerashid/

In-person events are not dead! People are hungry for live, physical events, and often come away much more impacted than they ever are from a digital gathering. In this session, you’ll learn tips and strategies for what options exist for in-person events—including launch parties, bookstore signings, and library events—and how to make the most of them.

About the Panelists

Becky Robinson is the founder and CEO of Weaving Influence, a full-service digital marketing and public relations agency—and, as of 2025, a hybrid publisher. Since launching more than a decade ago, under Becky’s leadership, the firm has helped clients launch more than 250 books. Becky is the author of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, which received the prestigious Axiom Business Book award in the Advertising/Marketing/PR category.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyrbnsn/

Website: https://beckyrobinson.com/

Sarah Z. Sleeper is an author, poet and essayist, as well as the executive director of the Library Guild of Rancho Santa Fe. She has an MFA from Fairfield University and teaches writing for San Diego Writers Ink. She publishes a biweekly newspaper column about the literary scene, and is an on-stage interviewer for a local bookstore and the library.

Website: http://www.SarahZSleeper.com

A former editor at Simon & Schuster and Harcourt, Martha C. Lawrence has shaped the voices of some of the world’s most successful thought leaders. As executive editor at Blanchard, she has collaborated with Ken Blanchard for more than 20 years, including on Trust Works!, winner of the San Diego Book Award. Her editing credits include multimillion-copy bestsellers and #1 New York Times titles. She is the author of Catch People Doing Things Right: How Ken Blanchard Changed the Way the World Leads, winner of the 2025 Best Book Award for Biography. She is also the author of an Edgar, Anthony, Agatha, and Shamus-nominated mystery series featuring private investigator Elizabeth Chase.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaclawrence/

Website: https://marthalawrence.com/

Thousands of prospective book buyers, podcast hosts, and nonfiction readers spend chunks of their professional time on LinkedIn every day, but will they find you open for business?

In this session, communication coach, writer, and author Joel Schwartzberg shows you how to transform your LinkedIn presence from a mere resume recitation into a powerful platform for boosting author visibility, subject-matter credibility, and book sales—without sounding salesy or self-promotional. He also explains how to use AI responsibly and leverage LinkedIn’s algorithm.

Make your LinkedIn matter!

You’ll Learn How To:

1. Optimize your LinkedIn profile to function as a marketing vehicle, not just a bio
2. Write LinkedIn posts that spark interest from readers, fans, podcast hosts, and event organizers
3. Build meaningful connections on LinkedIn through strategic commenting and thoughtful DMs

About the Presenter

Joel Schwartzberg is a communication coach, author, and LinkedIn power user who helps professionals make key points clearly and confidently across all platforms.

His clients include American Express, Meta, Synchrony Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Neurocrine Biosciences, State Farm Insurance, and the Brennan Center for Justice.

A former executive communications leader for a major nonprofit, Joel is the author of the bestseller Get to the Point! Simplify, Sharpen, and Sell Your Message and writes regularly for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Newsweek, and Inc.com.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelschwartzberg/

Website: http://www.joelschwartzberg.net

A great book can change minds. A great speech can change momentum. In this session, Justin Jones-Fosu explores the powerful relationship between speaking and book sales, showing authors how the stage can become one of their most effective growth platforms. Participants will learn how to adapt book content into compelling keynotes, how to secure speaking opportunities aligned with their message, and how bulk book sales naturally emerge from high-impact talks. Drawing from years of professional speaking and author experience, this session equips authors to move from simply having a book to building a message that travels, one audience at a time.

You’ll Learn:

1. Translate, Not Transcribe
   Learn how to adapt book content into engaging, audience-centered keynotes rather than reading a book aloud on stage.
2. Speak to Sell With Integrity
   Understand how impactful speeches naturally lead to bulk book orders and long-term influence without feeling promotional.
3. Build a Speaking Pathway as an Author
   Discover practical strategies authors can use to secure speaking opportunities that expand visibility and book sales.

About the Presenter

Justin Jones-Fosu is a philanthropist, keynote speaker, author, and founder of Work Meaningful, where he helps leaders and organizations create purpose-driven performance. He has delivered keynotes and workshops for organizations such as Toyota, adidas, Pfizer, John Deere, and other Fortune 500 companies.

Justin is the upcoming author of Stop Chasing, Start Creating (Berrett-Koehler, 2026) and a 6x award-winning author of I Respectfully Disagree. He is known for translating big ideas into practical, engaging experiences on stage. With a background in marketing and organizational development, he brings a unique perspective on how speaking amplifies ideas, drives book sales, and builds lasting influence beyond the page.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iworkmeaningful/

Website: http://www.WorkMeaningful.com

Join Christy Kirk, Associate Director of Marketing at Berrett-Koehler Publishers, in conversation with Amira Barger, author of The Price of Nice, as they unpack the real-world tactics that drove more than 800 pre-orders—and sustained momentum well beyond launch day. This practical conversation explores what actually worked, how Amira activated her network, and how authors can replicate these strategies to build lasting visibility, credibility, and sales for their own books.

About the Presenters

Christy Kirk is the Associate Director of Marketing at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. A lifelong book lover (and daughter of a retired librarian), she has spent more than a decade partnering with authors to support successful book launches. Christy is always experimenting with new ways to connect great books and big ideas with the readers who need them most.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christykirk/

Amira Barger, MBA, CVA, CFRE, is an award-winning communications and change management leader, professor, thought leader, and author. She serves as an Executive Vice President at Edelman, where she advises organizations on strategic communications, reputation, and equity-centered transformation, and teaches marketing, communications, and change management at California State University East Bay and UCSF. Amira is a contributing columnist for outlets like MSNOW and Fast Company and has over two decades of experience helping leaders build inclusive, high-trust cultures. She is the author of The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck and 4 Actions for Real Change, a book that exposes how prioritizing “niceness” can stall progress and offers practical frameworks for authentic leadership and equity-driven change.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirabarger/
Website: http://www.amirabarger.com

Not all metrics are created equal. In this session, Becky Robinson—author of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, Or Cause—will help you cut through the noise and focus on the data that truly drives meaningful marketing decisions. Learn how to identify and track the metrics that align with long-term visibility, audience engagement, and lasting impact. Whether you’re building a personal brand or promoting your work, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to evaluate your efforts through the lens of value, consistency, and longevity. Make data work for your mission—and use it to fuel your most effective content yet.

Key Takeaways:

1. Prioritize Engagement Over Vanity Metrics
2. Use Data to Guide, Not Dictate, Your Content Strategy
3. Measure for the Long Haul: Track Metrics That Align with Longevity

About the Presenter

Becky Robinson is the founder and CEO of Weaving Influence, a full-service digital marketing and public relations agency—and, as of 2025, a hybrid publisher. Since launching more than a decade ago, under Becky’s leadership, the firm has helped clients launch more than 250 books.

Becky has authored two books—her first, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, received the prestigious Axiom Business Book award in the Advertising/Marketing/PR category. Her second is Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times, which she co-authored with Beth Malow and Douglas Teschner.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyrbnsn/

Website: https://beckyrobinson.com/

Work with any publicist and you’ll hear the same advice: if you want your book, and your voice, to reach new audiences, you need to be on podcasts. In this session, we’ll go beyond theory and focus on what actually works. You’ll learn how to get booked on podcasts, how to prepare pitch and how to perform like a pro!

You’ll Learn:

1. How authors can get booked, and rebooked without relying on a publicist
2. How to create effective podcast pitch and prep sheets that make hosts’ jobs easier
3. How to approach podcast interviews as a performance, not just a conversation

About the Presenter

A sought-after speaker and bestselling author, Rob Jolles has spent more than three decades on the road, and nearly three million miles in the air, teaching, entertaining, and inspiring audiences around the world. He’s the host of The Presentation Whisperer Show, and the voice behind over 500 episodes of Pocket Sized Pep Talks, a podcast he launched five years ago that now ranks in the top 2% nationally.

He also teaches podcasting for authors at The Writer’s Center and The Maryland Writer’s Association.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-jolles

LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/when-every-word-matters-7192163263990693889

Websites:
http://www.ThePresentationWhisperer.com
http://www.Jolles.com

In today’s digital world, connection is not automatic. It is designed.

Many authors, coaches, and thought leaders deliver excellent content online and still wonder if their message truly reached their audience. The camera was on, the slides were solid, and yet something felt missing.

This high-energy, hands-on session shows you how to intentionally design real connection, belonging, and engagement into your virtual presentations. You will experience what effective online connection feels like, then learn how to recreate it in your own book talks, workshops, and online events.

You will leave with practical ways to make your screen feel more human, more engaging, and more impactful.

You’ll Learn:

1. Design online moments that create genuine connection and belonging
2. Use simple platform features and interactive tools to invite participation without disrupting flow
3. Apply presence techniques that build confidence and make on-camera delivery feel natural and engaging

About the Presenter

Kassy LaBorie is a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and Connection Strategist who trains the people who train, speak, and lead. With over 25 years of experience, she helps authors, speakers, and thought leaders design presentations that create real human connection in virtual and in-person environments.

She is the author of Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars and Producing Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars (ATD Press).

Kassy is known as The Trainer’s Trainer and is a featured speaker at national conferences including ATD, DevLearn, SHRM, and professional speaking events across the country.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/

Website: https://kassylaborie.com/

Introverted authors can market boldly without pretending to be someone else. In this fast, practical session, Nancy Ancowitz draws on experience with a major publisher, an independent release, and a university press to show what actually moves books. She shares what worked and what flopped, so you can skip her mistakes. You will learn how to build visibility that feels grounded, strategic, and human. No hype. No personality transplant. Just smart positioning, disciplined outreach, and steady presence. Walk away ready to promote your book in ways that respect your temperament while expanding your reach and revenue.

Key Takeaways:

1. Decide what success looks like, then shape promotion around your energy, not someone else’s playbook.
2. Use quiet strengths—research, deep listening, crisp writing, one‑to‑one relationship building—to sell more books.
3. Lead your marketing strategy—even when you hire help—and hold the reins on message, metrics, and money.

About the Presenter

Nancy Ancowitz is a career strategist and career director at NYU. Earlier on, she was a VP at JPMorgan. She is the author of Zoom to Success: Present Like a Pro, Business Writing: Say More With Less, and Self-Promotion for Introverts®. A pioneer of popular introvert advocacy, Nancy has been speaking, writing, and advising professionals on communication and career advancement since the early 2000s. Her work has been published in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and she blogs for Psychology Today and The Times of Israel. She helps clients get the job, the promotion, and the recognition they’re seeking.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyancowitz/

Website: https://www.nancyancowitz.com/

Let’s be honest: most authors aren’t getting rich on royalties (unless your name is Stephen King). But the good news? Your book is only the beginning. This panel—made up of Michelle Gladieux, Bill Treasurer, and Julie Winkle Giulioni—will explore how successful authors have transformed their intellectual property into training, workbooks, tools, and experiences clients are eager to pay for.

Featuring authors who’ve been there and done that, the conversation will surface practical ideas, unexpected revenue streams, and hard-won lessons. Come ready to rethink your book as a platform—not a product—and leave with tangible ways to turn your ideas into impact and income.

You’ll Learn How To:

1. Identify multiple income-generating possibilities already embedded in your book, from experiences and tools to scalable products—without creating entirely new content
2. Distinguish between direct delivery and train-the-trainer models for workshops and trainings, including the tradeoffs in revenue, reach, control, and effort

About the Panelists

Michelle Gladieux is an executive coach and educator deeply committed to helping people grow as communicators. She earned her B.A and M.S. at Purdue University and has been called a “human potential whisperer.” She and her team of eight at Gladieux Consulting have designed and presented over one thousand original seminars around the United States and are known for 1:1 coaching and strategic planning facilitation. Michelle taught MBA and undergraduate business and organizational psychology courses at Purdue University, Indiana Tech, and Trine University for 18 years. She works in corporate, nonprofit, academic, government, and military settings and especially enjoys coaching authors to find confidence to promote their ideas and their writing.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegladieux/
Website: https://www.GladieuxConsulting.com

Bill Treasurer is the Chief Encouragement Officer at Giant Leap Consulting, an evangelist for courage, a writer, speaker, consultant, and father of 3. He’s on a mission to build workplace courage to deliver fantastic results. Bill is the originator of the new organizational development practice of courage-building, and the author of Courageous Leadership: A Program for Using Courage to Transform the Workplace. The program has been taught to thousands of leaders across the globe. Bill is also the author of the international bestseller Courage Goes to Work: How to Build Backbones, Boost Performance, and Get Results, published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers, and numerous other bestselling and award-winning leadership books.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courage/
Website: https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/

Julie Winkle Giulioni is an author, consultant, speaker and workshop facilitator who helps organizations optimize their only sustainable competitive advantage: talent. Named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 speakers, she’s the co-author of the international bestseller Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go and the author of Promotions Are SO Yesterday. Her globally recognized learning experiences have earned multiple awards and are used by thousands of organizations worldwide.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewinklegiulioni/
Website: juliewinklegiulioni.com