Indies Learn to Adapt to a Changing Marketplace at IBPA's Publishing University

Godin spoke about the importance of building a tribe—or a niche—and producing and distributing books to benefit that tribe. "The future belongs to publishers who care enough to build a tribe and do work that matters [to that tribe]," he said. As an example, he cited Houston, Texas-based Curvebender Publishing and its book, "Recording the Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used to Create Their Classic Albums." The hardcover deluxe edition, priced at $100, sold out in one week because, as Godin explained, it was marketed only to the people who really care about the topic.

Godin also advised independent publishers to shift their focus from finding readers for your writers to finding writers for your readers—a shift that he says, "changes everything."

The future is not going to be about pop culture, he added, equating the popularity of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight Saga" to "winning the pop-culture lottery."