Publishing Trends, Discoverability, and Industry Insights from Publishing University 2025 {ep. 175}

Alexa's Publishing Chat

In this episode of Alexa’s Publishing Chat, Alexa shares her key takeaways from Publishing University 2025 — from industry shifts, AI opportunities, and censorship battles to discoverability strategies and marketing best practices. Whether you’re an author, publisher, or industry pro, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas to future-proof your publishing career.
Key Quotes:

• “Those who succeed in the long run are the ones who adapt to changes, not run from them.”
• “An ARC team isn’t a luxury — it’s a discoverability powerhouse.”
• “Censorship anywhere hurts authors everywhere.”
• “Your Amazon description’s first line is prime real estate — fill it with keywords, reasonably.”
• “Collaboration isn’t optional. It’s a growth strategy.”

In this podcast, Alexa discusses:

• The merger of IBPA and PubWest and what it means for authors and publishers.
• Why keeping up with publishing industry changes is essential for long-term success.
• The “We Are Stronger Than Censorship” campaign and the urgent need to protect creative freedom.
• Big shifts in traditional publishing models and why indie authors/publishers must innovate to thrive.
• The importance of collaboration and strategic partnerships in building sustainable publishing businesses.
• AI in publishing — from licensing rights for AI training to blockchain-powered rights management.
• Discoverability tips: using YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, and multi-platform posting to reach readers.
• Amazon metadata tips — why your top sentence should be keyword-rich.
• The power of ARC teams for generating word-of-mouth buzz.
• Backlist promotion strategies and why one book is rarely enough for long-term author success.
  

Be sure to visit https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/events to get your ticket to the upcoming Business Bootcamp!

Relevant Resources

• We Are Stronger Than Censorship Campaign: https://www.wearestrongerthancensorship.org/
  
• Women in Publishing Summit Events: womeninpublishingsummit.com/events
  
• Pinterest for Authors Workshop: On the events page!
  
• Events Page: Be sure to visit https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/events to get your ticket to the upcoming Business Bootcamp!
  

Speaker Bio

Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today bestselling author, publisher, and founder of Write|Publish|Sell and the Women in Publishing Summit. She helps authors navigate writing, publishing, and marketing through coaching, training, and events. Alexa is passionate about empowering indie authors and publishing professionals to succeed in a rapidly changing industry.