Having spent just over a year in my position as Business Manager at Book Industry Communication, it’s pleasing to find that conversation within the book industry remains as lively and stimulating as ever.

At BIC, we want to help shape debate; debate generates ideas and ideas lead to progress. The book industry, as it currently stands, is arguably still in a transitional phase and is, as a result, frequently changing. These transitional periods are bound to throw up challenges and also opportunities – for people new to the industry and old-hands alike – as one wave of ideas is superseded by another. So if, like me, you’re hoping to keep abreast of everything going on in the book industry of late, we have an event for you to help inform you about some of the latest trends out there.

BIC’s New Trends in Publishing Seminar 2015 is taking place on the 8^th September at The Stationers’ Hall in London. It will provide some great insights into the book industry from top industry professionals who are testing boundaries and challenging the status quo.

This is the second time I will have attended BIC’s New Trends in Publishing Seminar and I can guarantee that all the topics discussed during this event will be thought-provoking. It’s wonderful to have such a varied line-up of speakers, and there should be something of interest to everyone.

I am personally looking forward to Jane Tappuni’s (Publishing Technology’s Executive Vice President of Business Development) and Chris McCrudden’s (Midas PR’s Head of Technology and New Media) views on the long-term prospects of eBooks. Has the buzz around subscription services subsided? Are the major players still exploring different models? What key 5 trends will they predict for trade publishers?

I’m also keen to hear Mike Levaggi’s (HarperCollins Publishers’ Group Production Director) talk on the Digital Print Revolution; an area that can, and in fact currently is, radically changing the shape of inventory and distribution.

To find out more about this event’s line-up, including the programme for the day, visit the BIC website here:

http://www.bic.org.uk/141/New-Trends-2015/

To get tickets, visit Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-trends-in-publishing-seminar-tickets-17499073199

Please note: BookMachine members are eligible for ‘Friends of BIC’ tickets, which are charged at a discounted price!

I hope you’ll be able to join us at London’s Stationers’ Hall for what promises to be an informative and information-packed morning.