By Gina X. Grant
TIAC is a two-day conference held at the Toronto Reference Library, a handsome open-plan building in the heart of downtown. About 200 people attended. I paid $125 and would definitely go again next year.
I attend many in-person events, but this was my first indie-only event. Notably absent was anyone treating self-publishing as a fallback position.
The conference did not cater to beginners or the pre-published. Every panel assumed you were somewhere along the career continuum, whether it was gothic romance author Eve Silver talking about data-driven marketing, or Malorie Cooper walking us through how to use Facebook ads—in detail, while barefoot.
I made a lot of notes, but most are relevant only to me and my books. Still, I pulled out a half-dozen things that might interest:
1. Branding
The first panel was on something we don’t hear much about anymore: branding. The speaker talked about the seven elements of branding. These range from your personal story and values to the fonts and colours you choose. I’ll be thinking a lot more about this one.
2. Marketing
I attended a panel on marketing by the numbers. It was mostly about Amazon and FB ads, but one thing the presenter said struck me: Apparently, there’s research showing that if you double how often you send your newsletter, you’ll double your open rate. So, if you’re sending once a quarter, go to once a month. I send twice a month, when I should be sending weekly.
3. Facebook Ads
Most of what Malorie Cooper said flew by me, but one thing of interest: Make your FB ads look like memes. Never make them look like ads. If you have your logo or author name on your creative, take it off. A couple of other things she said: Static images still win with older audiences. If your image is not a video, then turn off “Reels.” But video is popular with younger audiences on Instagram.
4. Promotion
Zoe York spoke about promotion. One thing she said is that you have to apply via your KDP dashboard for Amazon Prime Reading Deals, or Kindle Monthly or Daily Deals. I jumped on that one immediately!
5. Going Wide
Mark Leslie Lefebvre of D2D spoke about going wide. I asked, “If we’re in KU, is it still worth it to put our print books wide?” Answer: “Definitely!” The Kobo rep seconded this.
6. TikTok
Last interesting point: 40–80-year-olds are the fastest-growing market on TikTok. Me? I’m 70, and I’m on it daily.
7. Author’s Republic
Among the vendors was Author’s Republic. It’s basically D2D for audiobooks. They have a marketplace where authors connect with narrators, and they distribute your audiobook to various platforms. They take 20 percent, but they get your book onto Audible, Apple, Spotify, Hoopla, and more.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you’re anywhere in Southern Ontario or Upstate New York, put the Toronto Indie Author Conference on your radar for next year.
About the Author
GINA X. GRANT writes multi-genre fiction with brains, bite, and a lot of heart. Her latest project is THE UNLIKELY MURDER CLUB, a quirky cozy mystery series. It’s full of cons, clues, and a slightly psychic dog inspired by Gina’s own rescued Mexican street dog, Canoli. She lives in Aurora, Canada, and is always plotting her next venture—whether it’s a new novel or a DIY project. Grab AGATHA’S FIRST MURDER, the free prequel at www.ginaxgrant.com.
