UPPAA invaluable source for UP writers, authors - Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association supports and encourages networking and idea exchange among Upper Peninsula and surrounding area publishers and authors.

The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association began in 1998 when Sue Robishaw, wishing to share her self-publishing experiences and learn from others, had the idea to form the organization. Since its founding, it has grown to more than 100 members, representing a diverse body of writers in the fields of fiction, nonfiction, history, children's books, science and many other fields. McNaughton-Gunn, one of the leading book printers in the Midwest, has signed on as a corporate sponsor of the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association.

"I like to say that the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association punches way above our weight," said President Victor R. Volkman. "If you look at our sister organizations around the USA, you'll find that most of them have done one of the following: conferences, annual anthologies, writing contests for youth, book reviews and book awards. The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association is the only member of the Independent Book Publishers Association that does all of these things and with excellence. Furthermore, we have one of the lowest annual membership rates of any group in the USA. This is only possible because of the deep commitment of our board and other volunteers."

The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association spearheads several different projects each year: 

• The U.P. Reader — An annual anthology of stories, essays and poetry which also features the winners of the Dandelion Cottage student writers contest. More information can be found at www.upreader.org. 
• The Dandelion Cottage student writers contest — A short story contest for Upper Peninsula writers in grades five through 12. More information can be found at www.dandelioncottage.org. 
• U.P. Notable Books List — An annual list of the 10 best Upper Peninsula books, now featuring monthly Zoom talks by the winning authors. More information can be found at www.upnotable.com. 
• UP Book Review — A service that reviews books by Upper Peninsula writers or books about the U.P. More information can be found at www.upbookreview.com. 
• Annual Conference Presentation — The annual conference is the first Saturday of June in Marquette. The next one is June 4, 2022. 

There are several sources of funding for the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association, including membership fees, donations and royalties from U.P. Reader sales. Membership fees make up about 80 percent of the nonprofit organization's budget. All of its budget goes towards programming, including the annual in-person conference for members as well as the new U.P. Notable Books Club presentations, free to anyone in the Upper Peninsula.

As of now, the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association stands at around 100 members from Upper and Lower Michigan, the greater Midwest, and western states. Volkman estimates that 80 percent of members are year-round residents of the Upper Peninsula and others are seasonal residents who moved away. The only qualification for membership is that you aspire to have a personal connection to the Upper Peninsula, whether that be past or present. Volkman said he himself lived in the Copper Country for five years and the experience changed him forever.

The first conference was held in June 1998 at Northern Michigan University with 30 attendees. In 2019, nearly 100 people attended the conference in Marquette when international bestselling author Karen Dion of St. Ignace was the keynote speaker. 

Volkman explained the annual conference begins with a keynote speaker with national recognition, such as the award-winning book marketing expert Carolyn Howard-Johnson who appeared in 2020. The in-person conference had to shift gears and move to an online format for 2020 and 2021. The Zoom presentations are archived for all current and future members to watch. 

"Our in-person conference is a full-day's event, although we make concessions to people who must travel long distances by starting a bit later in the morning," said Volkman. "There are generally two breakout tracks running all day after the keynote speaker. We try to provide something for everyone: genre writers, children's authors and illustrators, self-publishing 101 courses, back-to-basics sessions, improving your marketing game and much more."

Volkman said it's possible to follow along with the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association without a membership. Everyone, regardless of if they are members or not, is invited to attend the UP Notable Books Club where internationally renowned writers make themselves available for one-on-one discussions. Recent luminaries include Michael Carrier, Phil Bellfy, John Smolens, Mikel Classen and Ann Dallman. The association is currently planning its first public sales event this fall, which Volkman estimates will bring up to a dozen Upper Peninsula authors together in one venue. 

Anyone can follow the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association's many websites, including www.uppaa.org, www.upreader.org and www.upnotable.com.

Volkman said that while the best benefit is hard to quantify, it is no less important: access to the vast expertise of dozens of published writers through an online discussion group.  

"We also feature an online catalog of members' published works," Volkman said. "Members are invited to contribute stories, essays, poems and other writings to the U.P. Reader, which has a November deadline each year. Anyone who has written a book is invited to submit it to U.P. Book Review for consideration, regardless of whether they are a member or not. Books which are of superior quality automatically get forwarded to the U.P. Notable Books List for consideration (announced each January)."

For more information about the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association, visit www.uppaa.org. 

Contact News Reporter Taylor Worsham at tworsham@sooeveningnews.com.

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