WIP Team Picks: Most Anticipated Sessions of the 2026 Women in Publishing Summit

Logan Kingston: Slow Your Roll—Take Time to Create Magic

I haven’t published yet. I’m in the very beginning writing stage. Knowing this ahead of time will help me to create magic from the start.

Kati Torim: AI as Your Silent Partner: More Time for Purpose, Meaning, and Storytelling

I am always looking for more tools and tips with AI to systemize my processes. I have such a creative ADHD brain that I need all the support!

Ania Ray: Beyond the Bookstore: Partnering with Unexpected Brands to Grow Your Author Career

A lot of our community has questions about this and the implementation. It would be great to learn from Ania so that I can guide our WIP Society community during the Q&A sessions.

Kelsey Shipman: The Generous Author: Building Visibility Through Connection and Community

This is something that I have been preaching about for YEARS and I’m so excited to get someone else’s take on the subject. As someone who had a tough time “selling” myself and talking about my work, it really helped me to reframe my thinking and makes the whole promotion process much more accessible to me. 

Kasey Fallon: How to Anthologize: A Masterclass in Collaborative Publishing

I’ve had several ideas for anthologies lately (including one specific to our community) and can’t wait to learn more specifics about the in’s and out’s of it. I know a ton about publishing production but anthologies are a different animal so I’m eager to learn.

Jennifer S. Wilkov: The State of Publishing 2026: Trends, Shifts & Opportunities That Will Shape Your Next Big Move

The publishing landscape is always shifting and it is really hard to keep up with changing trends and standards. I am really looking forward to this session and soaking up all the information.

MeiMei Fox – Why Authors Who Write In Community Are More Likely To Finish and Flourish 

From the years of finishing books, interviewing authors for my podcast, speaking at summits, and being part of various anthologies, I learned that community is what moved the needle! It doesn’t hurt that you meet people who really get you and want to support you. I can’t wait for MeiMei’s session.

Hannah Howard – Building a Writing Life That Pays the Bills (and Feeds the Soul) 

Who doesn’t want both of those things? I can’t wait to see what Hannah says about accomplishing both as one often tends to stand in the way of the other.

Ania Ray – Beyond the Bookstore: Partnering with Unexpected Brands to Grow Your Author Career

Doing the unexpected was another thing that really helped me with my author career. Also the suspense of what brands she is talking about excites me! Yay Ania!

Author Swaps and Giveaways w/ Paula Judith Johnson – I think learning this will help grow my email list.

How to Use AI for Developmental Editing w/ Erin Servais – I’ve started doing this on my own for projects, might be nice to get guidance to maximize the ideas.

The Six Stages of Production & Launch w/ Alexa Bigwarfe – I’m continuously learning better practices to keep publishing and launching affordable, practical, and streamlined.

Beyond the Bookstore: Partnering with Unexpected Brands to Grow Your Author Career with Ania Ray

I’m excited about this session because it’s always fun for me to see the creative ways people go about getting their work into the world. It’s sure to spark all sorts of new ideas!

Pen to People: Creative Ways to Share, Sell, and Inspire with Gayle Wilson

Gayle’s session is particularly interesting to me as an extrovert. I love building community, facilitating connections, and finding new ways to bring my people together. This sounds like the perfect bridge between commerce and community. 

Slow Your Roll: Take Time to Create Magic with Logan Kingston

In this world that constantly tells us to be more productive and hustle harder, I’m excited to see someone talking about the value of taking our time. I hope to walk away from Logan’s session inspired to slow down and with strategies to help me do exactly that.

How to Create and Sustain Focus in Your Writing Life with Rhonda Douglas

I’m excited to attend Rhonda’s session because staying focused amid competing priorities is something I continually navigate. I’m looking forward to insights that help me protect my creative energy and be more intentional with how I show up for my work.

Making Waves: Turning Your Passion into a Publishing Career with Tasha Haight

Tasha’s session really resonates with me as someone thinking about purpose and sustainability over the long term. I’m eager to learn from her experience and reflect on how passion, clarity, and strategy can work together in my own professional journey. 

AI as Your Silent Partner: More Time for Purpose, Meaning, and Storytelling with Kati Torim

I’m especially looking forward to Kati’s session because finding ways to work smarter—not just harder—is increasingly important in my day-to-day life. I’m interested in practical approaches that can help free up time and mental space for the work that matters most to me.

DAY TWO: Pen to People: Creative Ways to Share, Sell, and Inspire with Gayle Wilson

As an indie author who struggles with marketing and sales, I look forward to learning from Gayle Wilson in her session. I’m most drawn to her emphasis on thinking outside traditional publishing norms and focusing on our unique stories as we share our work in fresh, creative ways. She will highlight opportunities to maintain the relevance of books long after their publication dates, which I think is a great addition to this session’s topic.

DAY THREE: Keeping the Fire Alive without Burnout with Montrez Smith, Tracy Jones, Ashley Riehle, and Kyira Wackett

Burnout is real, as every creative knows. What I love about this panel is how each speaker brings a different perspective and focus to the broad topic of avoiding burnout while maintaining forward motion. I especially appreciate Montrez’s take as someone who battles health challenges while maintaining a creative business and look forward to inspiration for my own challenges working and creating while coping with RA.

DAY FOUR: Challenges and Opportunities for Women in Publishing in the Year Ahead with Alexa Bigwarfe and Industry Leaders

Our closing panel will be an epic end to the 2026 Summit! I will enjoy hearing the viewpoints of each of these dynamic women regarding the upcoming year for women in publishing and look forward to their take on how we can make the most of our world … together.

Parchelle Tashi – Genius Games

I’m so excited to learn from Parchelle because she does masterclass level work with accomplished authors who want to turn their books into premium productions that go way beyond just courses. Her Genius Games workshop helps you discover your natural strengths so you can build your business smarter. As someone who loves designing systems, understanding my genius type is a must!

Sue Brown Moore’s Panel – Teaming Up for Author Success: Three Ways to Combine Audiences, Services, and Styles for Shared Growth

I’ve learned from Sue before and every single time I walk away with a dozen aha moments about how to write better. She is so clear, articulate, respectful, and sweet. She’s a great educator, and I’m really excited to hear what she has to say about anything. This session on collaboration and combining strengths feels perfect for where I am right now.

Tara R. Alemany – Raising the Bar: Practical Ways Publishers Can Support Author Success

I’m incredibly excited to learn from Tara because when I first read her book Publish with Purpose, it felt like a classic—the author’s version of The Personal MBA. It’s one of those rare books that synthesizes an entire field into a coherent, actionable framework that changes how you think about everything that comes after. Tara is amazing at having both the forest (strategies) and the trees (tactics) completely mapped out.

Author Collaboration: Finding Friends, Not Foes – panel with Kimberly Christianson Kennedy, Stephanie Jayne, Sara Fujimura, Rachelle Paige Campbell

As a Romance writer, I have been really intrigued by watching other romance writers (other genres do it, too, but I’m following mostly romance writers) form alliances for co-marketing, newsletter swaps, joint promo opportunities, giveaways, and even co-authoring series. I am looking forward to their tips and suggestions and any resources for becoming involved in these. This panel embodies what the focus of the event is about this year, and I’m looking forward to new ideas for growing my reader base through collaborations.

What Lulu’s Top Authors and Publishers Have in Common – Chelsea Bennett

One of the best ways to be successful is to learn and follow what’s working for people who do the same thing as you. So, I’m really looking forward to hearing about success strategies from Lulu’s authors and publishers—because odds are, those same strategies can be applied to my efforts too!

Making Waves: Turning Your Passion into a Publishing Career – Tasha Haight

Tasha is a mermaid, y’all! That in itself is intriguing to me. As a multi-passionate person, I’m always looking for more ways to pull my passions into successful book projects. Even after publishing 17 books, my motto is: Always be Learning! There’s a good chance she’s got some strategies I have never considered, and I’m here for it.