From Competition to Career
2025-11-12 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Macmillan Publishing, 120 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY, 10271, United States
What role do competitions play in launching and sustaining a writer’s and artist’s career? Join us for From Competition to Career, a panel discussion exploring how art and writing contests serve as powerful platforms for discovery, recognition, and professional growth. Competitions cultivate our creative communities and support emerging voices. They are cornerstones in sustaining a vibrant culture and creating opportunities for stories that might go unheard.
Learn how competition organizers and participants navigate the world of competitions, from first submissions to transformative wins, and how those moments opened doors to publication, mentorship, and lasting creative communities.
Whether you’re an aspiring artist or writer considering your first submission, an educator fostering literary talent, or a reader invested in the future of storytelling, this panel offers insight, inspiration, and practical takeaways on why these contests matter, how they can shape the creators or tomorrow, and what we can do to continue to support them.
Featured Speakers:

Christopher Wisniewski, Executive Director, Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Laurin Becker Macios, author of Calling Me Home, Somewhere to Go, and I Almost Was Animal

Moderated by Irene Chan, Program Chair, New York Book Forum

Watch on YouTube!
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

2025 NYBF Holiday Party
2025-12-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Prime Catch, 140 West 46th Street, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Join NYBF members, friends, and colleagues at our Annual Holiday Party!
FREE for current NYBF members* and $40 for non-members. Admission includes hot/cold hors d’oeuvres and wine, beer, and well drinks from the bar.
Once again, NYBF will be collecting children’s books for Care for the Homeless, which provides quality healthcare, human services, and shelter to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in NYC. There are an estimated 30,000 children in the NYC shelter system and at a time that is supposed to be filled with joy and festive gatherings, this is a staggering number of children who are facing the holidays with uncertainty. We hope you will consider bringing a children’s book (perhaps two or three) with you and help make the holidays a little brighter for children who will be spending this season in shelters, and not in the comfort of home. Thank you!!

2026 Annual Members Meeting
2026-01-13 12:00 - 12:30 | Google Meet
The New York Book Forum Annual Members Meeting will be held January 13, 2026 at noon. At this meeting, the President will present a recap of the 2025 season and we will hold elections for the Board’s Class B Directors.
A link to the meeting and online ballot will be sent to all members whose membership is current as of 1/13/26. We encourage all members who meet this criteria to attend and vote. While not mandatory, please RSVP below if you plan on attending so we have a sense of headcount.
As always, if you need to renew your membership, please visit the Membership page of our website. If you are unsure of your membership status, or have any other questions, please email info@newyorkbookforum.org.

Presidents Night with Madeline McIntosh
2026-01-21 17:30 - 20:00 | Macmillan Publishing, 120 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY, 10271, United States
New York Book Forum is pleased to present Presidents Night featuring Madeline McIntosh, CEO and Publisher!
Madeline McIntosh has a well-deserved reputation for thinking outside the traditional industry box, and that felt most true in 2023 when she left her job as CEO of the largest publisher (PRH US) to start up a tiny one, Authors Equity. Now, nearly two years into this venture she will share her vision for how publishers and authors can work together differently, and how it’s going so far at her new company. Join us on January 21st to hear what she has to say. Madeline lives in New York with her husband, novelist Chris Pavone.
Co-sponsored by Westchester Publishing Services

Watch on YouTube! | Listen on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!

Diversity in Stories
2026-02-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Google Meet
Join us on Wednesday, February 18th at 6:00PM EST, from whereever you are, for our virtual program on Diversity in Stories. 25% of children’s books feature a protagonist who is a minority. The numbers are lower in adult publishing, with research suggesting that less than 10% of published authors are people of color. Diverse storytelling provides a window into other worlds and is a panacea to cultural myopia. In our virtual program we discuss how the demographic makeup of authors affects diverse stories and how more diversity in authors and storytelling could shape our progress as an industry and as a society. Join us to hear about efforts that are helping the industry move the needle.
Our featured speakers on this program are:

Kyle Zimmer, President, CEO and Co-founder, First Book
Elissa Petruzzi, Program Director, We Need Diverse Books

This program will be moderated by Irene Chan, Program Chair, New York Book Forum

Watch on YouTube!
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Publishing Bootcamp 103
2026-03-23 09:00 - 17:30 | Macmillan Publishing, 120 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY, 10271, United States
New York Book Forum is proud to host a One-Day Workshop: Boosting Book Sales in a Changing Marketplace
Join us for a dynamic, hands-on workshop designed specifically for publishing professionals looking to sharpen their sales strategies and stay competitive in today’s evolving book market. From understanding shifting reader behaviors to mastering metadata, crafting compelling pitches, and integrating sales with marketing efforts, this one-day intensive covers it all. Ideal for sales reps, marketers, and publishers alike, you’ll leave with actionable tools, fresh insights, and a clear plan to elevate your book sales across channels.
This workshop is ideal for sales, marketing, and publishing professionals at any stage in their career.
Program Agenda:
Registration and Welcome Breakfast — 9:00 – 9:30 am

Icebreaker: “Your favorite book and how would you sell it?”
Overview of objectives for the day

Session 1: Understanding Today’s Book Buyer — 9:30 – 10:30 am

Who’s buying books in 2025? Trends & demographics
Consumer behavior post-pandemic
What drives purchases: price, platform, genre, social proof

Morning Break – 10:30 – 10:45 am
Session 2: Sales Channels Deep Dive — 10:45 am – 12:30 pm

Retail (independent bookstores, chains, online retail)
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales strategies
Libraries & educational markets
International & rights sales

Networking Lunch – 12:45 – 1:45 pm
Session 3: Pitching to Buyers — 2:00 – 3:15 pm

How to craft a compelling pitch for different types of buyers
Tailoring messaging for various audiences (booksellers vs libraries vs DTC customers)
Mock pitch breakout groups and peer feedback

Session 4: Leveraging Metadata & Discoverability? — 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Why metadata matters
Tips for optimizing keywords, BISAC codes, and book descriptions
Case study: The impact of metadata on sales
Quick audit exercise: Fix the metadata on a sample book

Wrap-Up & Action Planning — 4:45 – 5:15 pm

Recap key takeaways
Q&A and feedback survey
Happy Hour

RSVPs are now closed

Greener Pages: Alternate Materials and Measuring Emissions
2026-04-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Google Meet
Join us on April 15th at 6:00 PM for a virtual event exploring sustainability in print and publishing. At this session featuring Susan Lee, Vice President of Environmental Health & Safety at Lakeside Book Company, we will discuss how publishers can engage with vendors to minimize carbon footprints, methods for measuring scope 3 emissions, product emissions and life-cycle assessments, and the use of alternative eco-friendly materials and design practices.
Join us to gain valuable insights and actionable ideas to help drive meaningful change in the industry.
This program will be moderated by Claudia Pilcher, Sustainability Manager at Scholastic Inc.

Watch on YouTube!
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Bingo Book Bash 2026
2026-04-29 17:30 - 20:00 | Macmillan Publishing, 120 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY, 10271, United States
Back for our THIRD YEAR!
New York Book Forum wants to acknowledge the ongoing support of its members by hosting this special Members-only social event! Light refreshments will be provided followed by a few rounds of Bingo with book prizes!
Admission is open to and free for active NYBF members, but space is limited so you must RSVP to attend. If you are unsure of your membership status, please email info@newyorkbookforum.org.

RSVPs are now closed. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night!

AI Has Entered the Chat: Artificial Intelligence in Publishing
2026-05-20 17:30 - 20:00 | Macmillan Publishing, 120 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY, 10271, United States
Join us for an engaging and forward-looking conversation on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the publishing industry, featuring industry expert Keith Riegert.
We’re excited to discuss with Kieth how AI is reshaping the way content is created, edited, produced, and distributed—from automated workflows, optimization of marketing, to data analytics and audience insights. We hope to uncover and share practical perspectives on how publishers can thoughtfully integrate AI into their processes while maintaining editorial integrity, creativity, and ethical standards.
Keith Riegert is the President of The Stable Book Group, which includes Ulysses Press, She Writes Press, VeloPress Books, Trafalgar Square Books, and Skybox Press, as well as Stable Distribution (in partnership with Hachette Book Group). Keith is also CEO of Perfect Bound Technologies Corporation and a co-founder of the book publicity and digital marketing firm, Pacific & Court. Keith is a member of the board of advisors at NYU’s School of Professional Studies in the Center for Publishing where he also teaches Analytics and Consumer Insights. Keith also serves on the board of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA).

Watch on YouTube!
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Sunset Social on the Hudson Fundraiser 2026
2026-06-17 18:00 - 21:00 | The Baylander, West Harlem Piers, New York, NY, 10027, United States
Back for our THIRD year!
Please join us for a wonderful evening of food, drinks, and conversation while taking in the spectacular views of the Hudson River in support of the New York Book Forum, Inc.
Proceeds from this event will ensure NYBF’s continued sponsorship of programs, events, and literacy advocacy.
Admission is $100 per person, which includes two drink tickets for beer & wine and served hors d’oeuvres and appetizers. A cash bar will be available.

NYBF Book Store Walk
2026-08-11 18:00 - 20:30 | Yu & Me Books, 44 Mulberry Street, New York, NY, United States
Join the NYBF Program Committee for our first Book Store Walk!

We will start at Yu & Me Books at 44 Mulberry Street NYC, then walk to P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street, followed by Afterword Bookshop at 216 E. 6th Street and end at Book Club Bar at 197 E. 3rd Street. We are planning a photo scavenger hunt and more!
This event is FREE for all attendees but space is very limited so you must RSVP. Refreshments will be available for purchase at the final stop.

Please note: Once we hit our cap, additional RSVPs will be put on a waiting list. If you have already RSVP’d but cannot make the event, please let us know so we can open that space to another person. Contact info@newyorkbookforum.org

NYBF Book Store Walk

Name(Required)

First

Last

Email(Required)

PhoneCompany/Organization/Institution

Banned, Challenged, Defended: Librarians Speak Out
2026-09-23 18:00 - 19:30 | Google Meet
Book challenges and bans continue to shape libraries and communities worldwide. Join librarians Jennie Pu and Carolyn Jeziorski for a candid conversation about intellectual freedom, censorship, and the realities of responding to book challenges. Drawing on their professional experiences, they will discuss how librarians balance access, community concerns, and the freedom to read while serving their communities. Moderated by Kate Davis, this timely virtual discussion offers an inside look at one of the most important issues facing libraries today.
RSVPs will open in August. This event is FREE for everyone, members and non-members alike!

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL 2026 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT

Battle of the Specs: A Picture Book Publishing Panel
2026-10-21 17:30 - 20:00 | Hachette Book Group, 1290 6th Avenue, New York, NY, 10104, United States
Program info TK!
