Wednesday, May 18: 

Guiding Sub Edits with Target Reader Manuscript Analysis 

• There is often one key voice missing during the substantive editing process: the target reader’s. 
• What is the value of collaborating with real target readers to shape a manuscript into its best form to connect with its audience? 

Speakers:

• Jessica Sindler, Executive Editor, Kevin Anderson & Associates – Jessica spent her first two decades in publishing at imprints of Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, where she acquired, edited, and published numerous bestsellers and critically acclaimed titles in the areas of “big idea” prescriptive nonfiction, personal development, wellness, lifestyle, business creativity, narrative nonfiction, and memoir.
• Jennifer Kasius, Executive Editor, Kevin Anderson & Associates – Over the course of her 25+ years in the publishing industry, Jennifer has acquired multiple New York Times bestsellers, including the #1 NYT bestsellers You Are a Badass (4 million copies sold) and Skinny Bitch.
• Jeff James, CEO, Target Audience Insights – Jeff is the former founding publisher of HarperCollins Leadership which produced numerous New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers.
• Andrew Shaughnessy, Director of Editorial Analysis, Target Audience Insights – Andrew has been a professional writer, editor, and analyst for more than a decade. He cut his teeth doing freelance journalism for local magazines, then spent four years living and working overseas, writing for international non-profits in South Sudan, Uganda, and India.

Wednesday, June 8: 

Optimizing Title, Cover and Marketing Metadata Decisions

• Conventional publishing wisdom places a high value on selecting the “right” title and cover. How can target readers help guide the creative process to increase the odds that you’ve selected correctly? 
• Marketing copy and metadata are the “last mile” before the book hits the ecommerce buy page or bookstore shelf. Learn how target readers are helping publishers and authors make the right call to improve interest and conversion. 

Watch now: 

The State of Data-Infused Publishing 

• How are publishers currently using—or not using—data to improve their decision-making from acquisitions to marketing and metadata? 
• What are the types of audience insights that can realistically be gleaned from target readers and what difference can they make? 
• What cultural and structural impediments exist that are keeping publishers from embracing data-infused decision-making?
• SPEAKERS
  • Jeff James, CEO, Target Audience Insights (former founding publisher of HarperCollins Leadership with multiple NYT and WSJ bestsellers)
  • Kevin Anderson, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Kevin Anderson & Associates (#1 NYT-bestselling editor of 50+ national bestsellers)
  • Hannah Gómez, Senior Editor, Cultural Accuracy Reading Services, KAA (projects with Simon & Schuster, TOR, Hachette, HarperCollins, American Girl/Mattel, Penguin Random House, Charlesbridge and more)
  • Andrew Shaughnessy, Director of Editorial Analysis, Target Audience Insights (professional writer, international journalist, editor, and analyst)

Wednesday, April 13: 

Getting Beyond Expert Guesses: Assessing Book Concept Interest and Proposal Potential

Acquisitions has been at the core of publishing success (or failure) since the industry was invented. Yet even in today’s data-driven environment it remains one of the most intuition-driven, subjective business decisions.

In this compelling webinar discussion, we will explore:

• How would everyone in the business – authors, agents, acquisition editors – benefit from a decision-making process informed by target reader insights?
• What are the barriers in the acquisition process that have kept it frozen in time?
• Is it possible to improve a publisher’s acquisitions “batting average” – i.e., the percentage of titles that make or exceed revenue budget – by adopting a data-infused acquisitions process?

Learn how the Target Reader Interest Score solution can begin a revolutionary approach to better acquisitions in your publishing team!

Speakers:

• Mark Weinstein, Editorial Director, SVP, Kevin Anderson & Associates – Mark has acquired and edited more than 400 original books over the course of twenty-plus years while working for The Lyons Press, McGraw-Hill, Skyhorse Publishing, Rodale Books (Penguin Random House), and Diversion Books
• Jeff James, CEO, Target Audience Insights – Jeff is the former founding publisher of HarperCollins Leadership which produced numerous New York Times and Wall Street Journalbestsellers
• Guest best-selling authors