The Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) has announced its annual Publishing Conference which will be held at the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts in Blue Mountain Lake on Saturday, July 18, 2009, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This year’s focus is on New York State small presses.

Topics will include the advantages of publishing with a small press, some of which are –- writers usually do not need an agent; small presses often publish first-time authors; small presses tend to publish writing that large presses ignore; writers have more control over the final product with a small press than with large presses. Other subjects covered include how to submit your work to a small press, a process very different than with large presses, and how to find the small press that is right for you.

According to the Center’s Press release: Presenters include Mary Selden Evans, executive editor at Syracuse University Press. With more than 1,200 titles in print, SU Press consistently earns international critical acclaim and attracts award-winning authors of note. Each year Syracuse University Press publishes new and groundbreaking books in specialized areas including New York State; Robert Hershon, co-editor of Hanging Loose Press, one of the country’s oldest independent publishers. HL introduced the work of such writers as Sherman Alexie, Kimiko Hahn, Dennis Nurkse, and Cathy Park Hong, among others, and also publishes Ha Jin, Paul Violi, Jayne Cortez, Elizabeth Swados, Jack Anderson, Harvey Shapiro, Maureen Owen, Charles North – about 150 writers altogether. Rob Igoe, publisher at North Country Books, which publishes and distributes quality books about New York State and New England. Also presenting is Jeffrey Lependorf, who serves as the shared executive director to Small Press Distribution (www.spdbooks.org) and the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (www.clmp.org), both national non-profit organizations serving the community of independent literary publishers. Lastly, Bruce McPherson of McPherson & Company, which concentrates on contemporary and 20th century fiction, foreign and domestic; and for nonfiction on contemporary culture, art theory, anthropology and film studies, will be part of this exciting conference.

For a brochure with complete details or to register, contact ACW at 518-327-6278 or by email at info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org.