February 2026 Meeting: Allison K. Williams on Choosing Your Publishing Path
Which Publishing Path Is Right for YOU?
The era of the gatekeepers is over. Authors have more options than ever for self, hybrid, independent, university, and small-press publishing, and can choose their own path based on speed, level of control, amount of guidance, and of course, the time and money they want to invest.
But self-publishing can be tricky and time-consuming, and hybrid presses expensive. Plus, it’s hard to find the honest, value-added publishing services among vanity presses and scammers, especially for first books. For authors planning a series or multiple books, it’s even more important to get a process, editors, designers, and marketing support that serves your mission and your book.
We’ll discuss the pluses and perils of self-publishing, hybrid presses, and small publishers, and most importantly, how to know which path is right for you.
Allison K. Williams is the author of Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book. She has edited and coached fiction and nonfiction writers to publishing deals with Penguin Random House, Knopf, Mantle, Spencer Hill, and St. Martin’s Press as well as hybrid and independent presses, and to the New York Times Bestseller List and the USA Today Bestseller List. As the creator and cohost of The Writers Bridge platform and publishing talks, she’s guided writers through audience creation, marketing strategies, and querying (and signing with!) literary agents. She also hosts writing retreats around the world through Rebirth Your Book.
Allison holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University and spent 20 years as a circus aerialist and acrobat before writing and editing full-time.
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“Allison K. Williams is GOLDEN. She is so efficient, clear and concise, and such an enjoyable human being. Her generosity and knowledge are boundless!” Amber Jackson
“I believe the cost of your class was one of the best investments I have ever made in my entire writing life. I value the treasure trove of information and resources you shared as well as the clarity, organization, and personal pizzazz of your presentation.” Ruth Sloven
“I don’t have words to thank you for shifting me from inert and stuck to excited and empowered.” Sara Massagee