• PCPA/ACP 2027

    Keynote Speakers

  • KEYNOTE #1: Publishing Trends Today and What to Watch with Jane Friedman

    It's hard to talk about publishing trends today without talking about AI, but often overlooked is that AI is speeding up transformations that have been underway for years. With traditional media shrinking and title output higher than ever, visibility is migrating to authors and creators who have strong brand identities and have built trust with their communities, to help them make sense and meaning of what's happening around them. Traditional publishers are more frequently picking up independent authors, who have closer ties to readers but require flexible deal terms and a more collaborative approach to marketing.

    This trends talk with Jane Friedman is continually being updated to look at the latest sales trends and innovations from a diverse set of publishers and authors, pointing to what's working (or not) to reach readers and remain visible in the market.

  • Scott Thuma

    Meet Jane Friedman

    Jane Friedman has spent her entire career in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals.

    Her latest book, THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER SECOND EDITION (University of Chicago Press), received a starred review from Library Journal.

    In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she has spoken at or been featured at publishing industry events worldwide, including the US Book Show, ECPA Leadership Summit, and the NYU Advanced Publishing Institute. Learn more at JaneFriedman.com.

  • KEYNOTE #2: Ai Choices, Opportunities & Risks for Publishers with George Walkley

    Readers of George Walkley's weekly eNewsletter, Context Window, will know that he pays close attention to the impact of AI on the media and publishing industries. He summarizes the key developments each week in five minutes of reading time, and explains their relevance to your business. For this keynote, he will elaborate on his research and experience with the most up-to-date content and trends focused on the needs of Christian publishers during this time of extremely rapid change.

  • Thad McIlroy

    Meet George Walkley

    George Walkley is an independent strategy consultant and one of publishing's leading voices on artificial intelligence. Since founding his UK-based practice, Outside Context, in 2020, he has advised more than 35 clients in ten countries on strategy, AI and digital transformation, and scenario planning. He brings deep senior executive experience in publishing and media, including fifteen years at Hachette.

    In 2023, George created the first independent, accredited generative AI training course designed specifically for publishers, in partnership with the Independent Publishers Guild. It has since reached delegates from nearly 300 organizations worldwide and earned a 2024 Association Excellence Award.

    He writes Context Window, a weekly briefing on AI in media and publishing, and is author of the forthcoming The Intelligence Multiplier, which shows leaders how to build strategy with AI, not just for it. He also serves as Chairman of Midas and holds an MBA from Bayes Business School.

    Learn more at GeorgeWalkley.com

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