This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca share practical advice on how to work a conference rather than simply attend one, ahead of SPS Live in London. They discuss how authors can prepare in advance, choose the right sessions, network confidently, ask useful questions, and turn conference inspiration into real action afterwards. The episode also covers author scams, AI discoverability, changing AI tools, and how writers can use conferences to build meaningful connections and long-term career momentum.

Key Talking Points

How to prepare before arriving at a conference
Why authors should treat conferences as an investment
Choosing sessions based on your current goals
Making the most of panels, Q&As and speaker access
Networking naturally without feeling awkward
Why generosity and genuine curiosity help build stronger connections
How to take useful notes and turn ideas into action
Avoiding post-conference overwhelm
Staying alert to scams targeting authors
AI discoverability and why metadata, niche positioning and FAQs matter

Links & Resources Mentioned

ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
SPS Live 2026 schedule: https://learnselfpublishing.com/schedule
SPS Live digital ticket: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spslive-digital
Meta's subscriptions: https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/subscriptions/960854640235758