The Weeknights of January 27th & 28th, 2026

Live 2-Night Zoom Seminar meets 7 PM - 8:30PM Eastern on Tuesday and Wednesday

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us. 

Instructor Tal Lazar is a nonfiction author and filmmaker with over two decades of experience producing and selling feature films to international distributors. For the past 15 years, he has taught at leading institutions, including the American Film Institute, Columbia University, the Sundance Institute, and Berklee College of Music, mentoring the next generation of creators. Today, he draws on his expertise in film, education, and publishing to empower authors to take control of their work and forge lasting connections with their readers.

Instructor Sanibel Lazar's best-selling debut novel, To Have and Have More, is published by Sad Rich Girl Press. Her writing appears in NYmag, ELLE, Air Mail, Literary Hub, and more. She earned her MFA from The New School and is currently working on a satire about the New York media scene. You can find Sanibel on TikTok, Instagram, and Sad Rich Girls (via Bindery).

Who is this class for?

Maybe you’ve been frustrated with your traditional publishing experience. Maybe you’ve been on submission for years. Perhaps you’re stuck at the querying stage. Whatever the reason — you’ve been considering self-publishing and wondering what it entails. This course is designed to empower authors at every stage of their careers. The ideal participant isn’t defined by writing experience, but by entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you’re deadset on subverting the traditional publishing machine or simply in an exploratory stage, this course is for you.

What you can expect:

Most authors believe writing is the hardest part of publishing…until it’s time to sell. That’s when they hit the wall of traditional publishing: agents, editors, and distributors who hold the keys (and have limited attention for any given project). These gatekeepers rarely treat an author’s work with the care it deserves. In becoming your own publisher, you can attain something that few others have: control over your publishing journey.

This two-session workshop pulls back the curtain on what publishers actually do, and what authors can take into their own hands. For those working with traditional publishers, this knowledge builds confidence at the negotiating table.

For those seeking independence, it offers a clear, viable path to creating your own publishing platform. The goal is simple: give authors true agency and make the dream of connecting their work with their audience achievable.

In the course, you will learn:

• What publishers actually do (and why they’re not the only ones who can do it)
  
• The difference between traditional, self and indie publishing
  
• How to prepare your book for indie publishing
  
• The first steps to becoming your own indie press

COURSE OUTLINE:

This course is delivered in two sessions, each 1.5 hours:

Day 1: The dream: getting your book into stores and libraries, going on tour, press coverage — and how that really happens.

• Expectations vs. reality: what authors are told vs. what they actually face in publishing.
• Money matters: how authors get paid.
• Traditional vs. self vs. indie publishing: key differences.
• What you need in place before you can publish.
• Inside indie publishing: eBooks, audiobooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers

Day 2: The publishing workflow: from cover design to fonts, layout, and beyond.

• The ugly truth about marketing your book (no matter who publishes it).
• Practical tools: platforms, services, and step-by-step procedures.
• Money matters: the cost of indie publishing.
• A look at the daily work of an indie publisher.
• Live Q&A - Group discussion: are you ready to take the indie path?

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

This course is designed to equip you with practical skills:

• Demystify the publishing process: from your desktop to the bookstore.
• Evaluate whether indie publishing (or parts of it) is the right path for you.
• Build a clear publishing plan for your book.
• Establish the foundation required to publish independently.
• Handouts summarizing course materials will be provided.