Publishers Weekly recently hosted the sixth annual U.S. Book Show at the New York Academy of Medicine on the Upper East Side. For the first time, the event featured a two-day schedule, drawing 700 attendees for networking, panels, and discussions on the future of publishing.
Day One: Focus on Next-Gen Talent and Labor
Day One focused on early-career development and industry labor trends. To encourage open dialogue regarding workplace culture, organizers requested that attendees refrain from photography or active reporting during these sessions.
- Career Navigation Workshop: Alan Smagler from the Smagler Group led a session on productivity and work-life balance. In a lively discussion, communication expert Linda Clemons, the author of Hush: How to Radiate Power and Confidence Without Saying a Word, provided actionable strategies on self-advocacy and professional presence.
- PW Starwatch Panel: The 2025 Publishers Weekly Starwatch Honorees—including Dana Cuadrado, Caolinn Douglas, Maddy Jackson, Rachel Jackson, Kourtney Jason, Carrie Napolitano, and Sarah Robins—built on earlier conversations of critical industry issues, including compensation, unionization, and more.
- Additional Sessions: The afternoon concluded with a career panel presented by the Women’s Media Group and a session on the power of #BookTok.
- Evening Networking: Sourcebooks hosted an opening reception, followed by off-site evening events including an unofficial afterparty at Stout Grand Central and an audio-focused pop-up by ElevenLabs in Soho.
Day Two: Executive Strategy and Market Data
Day Two transitioned to executive strategy, industry data, and technical innovation, opening with remarks from Publishers Weekly Directors Krista Rafanello and Jonathan Segura.
- CEOs in Conversation: Jonathan Segura moderated a keynote discussion featuring Madeline McIntosh, co-founder and CEO of Author’s Equity, Dominique Raccah, CEO and publisher of Sourcebooks, and David Shelley, CEO of Hachette Book Group. The executives discussed artificial intelligence integration, corporate diversity initiatives, and industry forecasts.
A packed audience for the CEOs in Conversation panel, featuring moderator Jonathan Segura (Publishers Weekly) alongside panelists Madeline McIntosh (Author’s Equity), Dominique Raccah (Sourcebooks), and David Shelley (Hachette Book Group).
- AI and Audiences: The conference’s strongest themes emerged through conversations about AI, social media, and audience engagement. While many speakers discussed using AI to improve efficiency and streamline workflows, there was broad agreement that creative functions such as writing, editing, design, and translation should remain human-driven. Another popular session was “The Data-Driven Publisher: Turning Insights into Hits.” Industry analyst Jane Friedman moderated a panel on market analytics featuring Christa Désir (Bloom Books), Ben Sevier (Grand Central Publishing), David Walter (Circana), and Keith Riegert (The Stable Book Group). Riegert emphasized that the speed of AI-generated content requires publishers to analyze specific, niche data rather than relying on broad genre trends.
Attendees filing into standing room only during The Data-Driven Publisher: Turning Insights into Hits panel.
Key Takeaways and Industry Trends
- Artificial Intelligence: The consensus among leadership favored using AI strictly for operational productivity while protecting creative domains, such as writing, editing, and jacket design, from generated content. Panelists also advised caution regarding AI translation services.
- Media & Discoverability: Discussions highlighted that podcasts and specialized Substack newsletters are beginning to drive book sales more effectively than traditional media outlets.
- Community Building: Multiple panels—covering platform engagement, direct-to-consumer relationships, and media adaptations—reiterated that modern publishing success relies on building authentic reader communities.
The high attendance required overflow livestream seating on the building’s third floor. Given the growing turnout and expanded programming, organizers will likely require a larger venue for future events.