From Writer to Reader: The Art & Craft of Publishing a Book

What does it take to turn the final draft of a manuscript into a published book in a reader’s hand?

On Thursday, March 13, the Johann Fust Library Foundation will host a panel discussion on the art, craft, and business of publishing a book, how that is changing, and what it means for writers and readers. The panel will include some new and familiar friends of the library: Rosemary Ahern, Nan Doyal, Candice Shy Hooper, and David Sparks.

Topics for discussion may include: The role of the editor in creating a publishable manuscript, the steps to take a manuscript from final draft to print, the various ways books are published today, new ways to promote, distribute, and access new titles, and the economics of publishing a book. 

Rosemary Ahern spent twenty years acquiring and editing books for the Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster, and Other Press, a small literary publisher, before establishing herself as an independent editor in 2008. She has edited over two hundred books and is the author of The Art of the Epigraph: How Great Books Begin. 

Nan Doyal is the author of Dig Where You Are – How One Person’s Effort Can Save a Life, Empower a Community, and Create Meaningful Change in the World. She received a Gold Medal (2018) from the Independent Book Publishers Association and was a Finalist for the Foreword Indies Award. Nan is the founder of Casper Press, a small independent publisher of fiction and non-fiction books.

Candice Shy Hooper is the author of two historical nonfiction books: Lincoln’s General’s Wives and Delivered Under Fire. Both of these works involved in-depth historical research. Candy is about to plunge into writing her third Civil War biography. She was awarded two silver medals from the Independent Book Publishers Association for her books – in history (2017) and biography (2024).

David Sparks turned to writing fiction after a career in which he played senior roles on three presidential campaigns. He is the author of four books. His newest, titled Eulogy, was published in December of 2024. The novel tells the story of a long-ago campaign volunteer who was asked by the late president to write his eulogy.