Hi everyone, Marvin here, Co-Founder of AuthorScale!

Last week, I attended the Self Publishing Show Live 2025 (SPS) in London, Europe’s premier indie author conference. Although it was a last-minute decision to attend, I couldn’t be happier with the results. The conference took place at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank, drawing over 900 indie authors from around the globe. It was our first-ever conference as AuthorScale, and it was an amazing experience to see our brand already recognized and appreciated by so many authors.

There's something incredibly rewarding about meeting authors in person who are already benefiting from AuthorScale. Seeing their genuine excitement and hearing firsthand how our platform has simplified their organic marketing efforts and freed up more time for writing was incredibly fulfilling.

During the conference, I had the pleasure of connecting with some fantastic companies and industry leaders:

SudoWrite

SudoWrite is an innovative AI-powered tool designed to help authors during the writing process. I had a great chat with Michael C. Stewart, who manages their community. After demonstrating AuthorScale to him, he seemed genuinely impressed. Such positive feedback from an industry leader was incredibly motivating. We even discussed the potential for future collaboration, given how seamlessly our tools complement each other.

ProWritingAid

I met Joe Sidery from ProWritingAid, a leading editing software loved by authors globally. Joe was enthusiastic about potential partnership ideas we explored. I'm excited about the possibilities and hope some of these cool ideas will come to fruition soon.

PublisherChamp

It was fantastic meeting Eivi, CEO and Founder of PublisherChamp. Their platform aggregates sales data from multiple retailers into one easy-to-use dashboard, enabling indie authors to clearly track their sales performance alongside ad spend. This tool is invaluable for authors looking to gain deeper insights into their sales channels. Definitely worth checking out!

Craig Martelle

Meeting Craig Martelle was a highlight, though admittedly I was a bit nervous! Craig is a respected veteran in the indie author community, co-founder of 20booksto50k, and now leading Successful Indie Authors (SIA). Initially skeptical, he directly said, "I violently hate TikTok!" However, Craig graciously agreed to look at AuthorScale after I pointed out that he'd previously interviewed bestselling author Catharina Maura (a 7-figure author who uses Slideshows as her main marketing channel) at the last 20books conference in Vegas, so he was certainly aware of the importance and success of slideshows and BookTok marketing. Luckily, he ended up positively surprised by the simplicity of our tool and generously agreed to share it with his community—a true honor for us.

Digital Authors Toolkit

Connecting with Stuart Grant was energizing. Stuart, who’s built over 300 stunning websites for indie authors, shared our tech enthusiasm. He loved AuthorScale, and I'm excited to explore partnership opportunities with him in the coming weeks.

Vinci Books

I had an insightful discussion with Vinci Books, an innovative hybrid publisher currently working with around 90 authors. Their interest in our organic marketing solutions, especially for enterprise-level implementation, was promising.

Ricardo Fayet - Reedsy

Meeting Ricardo, a true legend in the indie author space, was a real pleasure. His generous introductions and ongoing support have already helped us immensely. Thank you, Ricardo!

James Blatch - Self-Publishing Formula

Finally, my interaction with James Blatch, the host of SPS and one of the indie author community's most influential voices, was nothing short of unforgettable. Throughout the conference, I had seen James frequently surrounded by groups of people, making him seemingly impossible to approach. But patience pays off: during the casual after-work drinks session, I spotted my moment. As James finished another conversation, I quickly stepped in, introduced myself, and asked, "Hi James, I'm Marvin from AuthorScale, could I quickly give you an elevator pitch about what we do?" James nodded warmly, giving me the green light. But just as I was about to begin, a friend of his enthusiastically interrupted to greet him. James, gracious and friendly as ever, gently paused her, saying with a smile, "Wait a second, this young man is about to give us an elevator pitch."

Then came the unexpected twist: His friend glanced at my AuthorScale t-shirt and exclaimed, "Oh, AuthorScale? I use the tool and absolutely love it!" Stunned and pleasantly speechless, I watched as she enthusiastically took over, passionately describing AuthorScale to James. He listened intently, visibly impressed by the genuine, unsolicited testimonial. When she finished, I laughed and added, "Well, that's possibly the best pitch ever! I might have been biased myself, but when your friend spontaneously champions AuthorScale like that, it surely means something."

James seemed genuinely pleased, and I left the conversation buzzing with excitement and optimism, dreaming of future possibilities—perhaps an invitation to his podcast or even a chance to present at next year’s conference. Fingers crossed!?

All in all, the SPS conference was an incredible experience filled with meaningful connections, inspiring conversations, and fantastic opportunities for AuthorScale’s growth.

Thank you to everyone we met, and we can’t wait to see where these connections lead us next!

Warm regards, Marvin Co-Founder, AuthorScale

When Authors Become Fans: Behind the Scenes at Our First SPS Conference