Indie Author Day is part of a national effort to connect independent writers with their local libraries and writing communities. If you are an author or want to become one, this event is for you!

This year’s program will feature presentations by local experts in writing, publishing, and marketing as well as the opportunity to meet other area writers. As always, this event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please use the registration form below.

9:30 – 10:00 a.m.: Coffee and conversation

                Come early for coffee, tea, refreshments, and some time to get to know the other writers attending!

10:00 a.m.: Welcoming remarks

10:15 a.m.: Mick Cochrane, “Why to Get Published: The Risks and Rewards of Making Your Work Public”

While it is natural for writers to focus on how to get published, it may be even more important to have a clear-eyed understanding regarding our motives for wanting to make our work public in the first place. This kind of self-awareness may serve to ward off some of the typical disappointments of published writers and to make the whole experience of publication more satisfying. Mick Cochrane is the chair of English at Canisius College, where he founded and directs the creative writing program and coordinates the Contemporary Writers Series.

10:45 a.m.: Dr. Barbara Nevergold, “They’ve Got Stories to Tell: Excavating the Legacies of Little-Known African American Leaders”

Dr. Nevergold will discuss strategies for locating resources and writing historical narratives. She is the co-founder of the Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women, Inc. and has authored numerous publications focused on preserving WNY history and sharing family histories; her most recent is Ida Dora Fairbush- Buffalo’s First African American Teacher: A Pioneer, published in 2019.

11:15 a.m.: Terri Skurzewski, “We Published an Anthology During a Pandemic”

Terri Skurzewski will discuss how great chemistry, determination, and respectful peermanship led her writers' group to self-publish an Anthology of their work - without physically meeting much of the time. She is an author, editor, and self publisher. Her most recent project, Dreaming in Ink: A Unique Anthology was published during the Covid-19 pandemic.

11:45 a.m.: Break

11:55 a.m.: George Walker, “How to Become Deliriously Happy Publishing an Utterly Failed Novel!”

Indie writers’ workshops can be intense and overwhelming, leading to writer’s block, anxiety, and even self-loathing. Enough! It’s time for a presentation that provides a little comic relief; it’s time to learn how to embrace failure. That’s not as easy as it sounds. Tongue placed firmly in cheek, Walker will reveal, at long last, the 15 secrets failed authors don’t want you to know! Walker will show you how, armed with these secrets and a little determination, you can find delirious happiness. Spoiler alert: Delirious happiness sometimes backfires and ultimately drives you back to the horrors of success. You’ve been warned. Enter at your own risk! George Walker has published four plays as well as short stories, poetry, and articles for The Buffalo News, Wall Street Journal, and Reader’s Digest.

12:25 p.m.: Brett Axel, "Working with an Independent Publisher: Pros, Cons, and Watch-Outs"

Brett Axel is a poet, playright, novelist and children's author whose six books have sold over 60,000 copies in total. He moved to Buffalo in 2019 to take a position as editor in chief of Vinal Publishing Inc, owned by Jeanne Vinal. 

12:50 p.m.: Closing remarks

Attendees are welcome to submit a bio for inclusion in the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library’s Indie Author Directory, which will be distributed to everyone who registers. We are also planning to pull from this information for a series of PowerPoint slides to be included in the day’s program. Inclusion is free and open to all attendees, whether or not you are published! We hope this directory will help you connect with your peers, build relationships, and share ideas. To be included in the directory, please email mosherl@buffalolib.org for the submission form.