The online Self-Publishing Advice Conference (#SelfPubCon26) is almost here! Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 17th to Sunday, October 18th, 2026, for two days of expert-led sessions, practical advice, panels, discussions and networking, exploring this year's theme: The Future of Self-Publishing: What's Working Now & What's Next
The conference begins with orientation events on Friday, October 16th, and is followed by an exclusive Indie Author Lab workshop for ALLi members and SelfPubCon Access Pass holders on Monday, October 19th.
Free access is available to everyone during the main conference weekend.
What is #SelfPubCon?
The Self-Publishing Advice Conference (#SelfPubCon) is a free, online event run in association with the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). Since its debut in 2013, it has grown into the world's longest-running free online conference for independent authors, bringing together successful indie authors, publishing experts and industry professionals from around the world.
Each year, SelfPubCon explores the ideas, strategies, tools and trends shaping independent publishing through a mix of expert-led sessions, panel discussions, practical workshops and opportunities to connect with fellow authors.
Whether you're publishing your first book or building an established author business, SelfPubCon is designed to help you make informed decisions about your publishing future.
Free to attend, wherever you are in the world
Save your place for October 17th & 18th now. Registering also enters you into the SelfPubCon26 Prize Draw.
The Future of Self-Publishing
This year's theme asks two important questions: what's working for indie authors now, and what's coming next?
Across two days, our speakers will explore the trends, technologies, opportunities and strategies shaping the next phase of independent publishing, from the latest developments in reader reach and crowdfunding to new markets, podcasting changes, and emerging publishing models.
Our keynote speaker, Jane Friedman, will open the conference with The Indie Author's Next Move: What's Working Now and Where We're Going, looking at the opportunities, challenges and market shifts indie authors need to understand as publishing continues to evolve.
Other sessions include:
- Writing for Humans in the Age of AI and Algorithms with Nicholas Kotar
- The New Rules of Reader Reach with Orna Ross
- Crowdfunding's Next Chapter with Oriana Leckert
- New Trends in Author Podcasting with Mark Leslie and Matty Dalrymple
- Entering European Markets with Michail Kollewijn
- Running an AI-Assisted Publishing Business with Chelle Honiker
- Why Local Marketing Is the Indie Author's Newest Advantage with Penny Sansevieri
- Who's On Your Team? with Grace Sammon and Luis Javier Reyna Mijangos
- New Takes on Timeless Trends with experts from New Reality Journeys, Book Award Pro, and AuthorScale
- Ask ALLi: Your Self-Publishing Questions Answered, featuring members of the ALLi team
And there's plenty more across the full programme, with sessions designed to give indie authors practical ideas they can apply to their own publishing businesses.
Orientation Events: Friday 16th October
Before the main conference begins, we'll be hosting orientation events on Friday, October 16th to help attendees get familiar with the conference space, meet other authors, and get ready for the weekend ahead.
Whether you're a first-time attendee or a SelfPubCon regular, these sessions will help you make the most of your online conference experience.
The Self-Publishing Advice Conference 2026: Agenda
The main SelfPubCon26 conference takes place on October 17th and 18th.
Across the two days, you'll find expert sessions, panel discussions and practical conversations covering the issues that matter to indie authors today, and the developments shaping the publishing of tomorrow.
Agenda: UK Time
Agenda: US Eastern Time
On the conference platform, you'll be able to view the sessions in your local time zone and plan your conference weekend around the topics most relevant to you.
Prize Draw with Over $4,000 Worth of Self-Publishing Prizes
There's another reason to register for SelfPubCon26: every eligible conference registration automatically enters you into our free SelfPubCon26 Prize Draw.
There's no separate entry form and no purchase required.
One lucky winner will receive a Kobo Clara Colour eReader, in black or white, worth $199.99, generously donated by Kobo Writing Life.
With more prizes up for grabs from our prize pool, currently containing over $4,000 worth of self-publishing prizes and services donated by ALLi Partner Members and SelfPubCon sponsors, across publishing, editing, design, marketing, and more.
So, when you register for SelfPubCon26, you're not only securing your free place at the conference, you're also automatically entered for the chance to win.
How to Attend SelfPubCon for FREE
The Self-Publishing Advice Conference takes place online across October 17th & 18th, 2026.
Free access is open to everyone during the conference weekend. Simply create your free account and register through our conference platform, SelfPubConnect.
Your registration gives you access to:
- Two days of free live conference sessions
- Live discussions and networking with indie authors from around the world
- Replays of the conference sessions
- Automatic entry into the SelfPubCon26 Prize Draw
- The opportunity to take part in orientation events on October 16th
Two free days of expert advice, live from October 17th
Create your free SelfPubConnect account to save your place, catch the replays and be entered into the SelfPubCon26 Prize Draw.
The Self-Publishing Advice Conference: For ALLi Members
ALLi members receive additional benefits from SelfPubCon, including extended access to the conference in replay and an exclusive Indie Author Lab workshop with ALLi Director Orna Ross on October 19th.
The Indie Author Lab session is also available to SelfPubCon Access Pass holders and is designed to help you turn the ideas and inspiration from the conference into a practical action plan for your own publishing business.
ALLi members also enjoy access to the full SelfPubCon archive, containing more than 100 hours of expert sessions from previous conferences, alongside a host of other member benefits.
ALLi member? Get extended replay access and the Indie Author Lab.
Register through the members' link to unlock everything included in your membership, including the October 19th workshop with Orna Ross.
SelfPubCon26 Sponsors
SelfPubCon26 is made possible with the support of our conference sponsors.
We're delighted to welcome Amazon KDP and IngramSpark back as headline sponsors, alongside Gatekeeper Press, Damonza Design, Bowker, ebookpbook, and Audiobooks for Self-Publishers.
Our sponsors help us bring this free online conference to the indie author community and support the delivery of another packed programme of practical advice and expert insight.
Don't Miss SelfPubCon26
The Self-Publishing Advice Conference (#SelfPubCon26) brings independent authors together from around the world to learn, connect and explore what's next for publishing.
With two free days of expert sessions, practical advice, networking, a fantastic speaker line-up and a prize draw worth over $4,000, there's plenty to look forward to.
When: October 17th & 18th, 2026
Where: Online via our conference platform, SelfPubConnect
Cost: Free for two days
Orientation Events: October 16th, 2026
Indie Author Lab: October 19th, 2026, for ALLi members and SelfPubCon Access Pass holders
Join thousands of indie authors from around the world and discover what's working now and what's next.
Don't miss SelfPubCon26
Register free for two days of expert advice
Live sessions, networking and replays on October 17th & 18th, plus automatic entry into a prize draw worth over $4,000.
Not an ALLi member yet?
ALLi members get extended SelfPubCon replay access, the full archive of 100+ hours of past sessions, all guidebooks free, personalised advice, and a community of thousands of working indie authors.
