I hope the summer has been treating you gently. I wanted to provide a quick update on four exciting developments at the Independent, despite the supposedly lazy days of the season.

• October Programs on Self-Publishing. At our Washington Writers Conference in April, there was great excitement about self-publishing. So we’re going to offer two half-day programs on self-publishing on the mornings of Saturday, October 8, and Saturday, October 15, at the Carderock Springs Swim & Tennis Club in Bethesda (plenty of parking!). Each morning will focus on two panel-type or lecture presentations, separated by a coffee-and-networking break. The first session will address how to get your book published; the second will focus on techniques for book publicity and marketing to the widest possible audience. Mark your calendars and watch for updates!

• A Mobile-Friendly Website. We’ve retained a web designer to revise how our site displays on smartphones and other mobile devices (currently, our pages seem scrunched on smaller screens). This improvement will involve simplifying the site for mobile devices without sacrificing content. We hope to roll out the adaptation after Labor Day.

• Development/Fundraising. We’ve brought Ana Folhadella aboard to manage our development and fundraising efforts. Ana performs similar work for the Amazon Conservation Association. We’re hoping to conduct a campaign in the fall focused on providing smaller donors with more effective ways to support the Independent.

• Washington Writers Conference. Author and longtime Independent contributor Jenny Yacovissi has assumed the chairmanship of the amazing committee that puts on the Washington Writers Conference each spring. The great turnout at our most recent conference strained the capacity limits at the Bethesda venue we’ve been using, so for next year’s conference on April 29, 2017, Jenny has secured a more flexible and congenial space at the College Park Marriott. It should be a great new home for us. Through the fall, we’ll be posting early news about the conference.

One final note: Remember that there’s a cost-free way to keep the nonprofit Independent vibrant: When you shop at Amazon, enter its site through ours! Just (1) go to any book review on our homepage and (2) click “Purchase this title from Amazon.com” near the bottom. You’ll be taken to that book’s Amazon page, where you can start doing your regular shopping. (You DO NOT have to buy the book whose link you clicked!) Amazon will then donate a percentage of your purchase to us!

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