We are delighted to announce that By the Book 11 will take place in Mainz in Germany.

The publishing industry stands at a critical juncture where technological advancement and evolving reader expectations present unprecedented challenges for publishers. By the Book11 focuses on the necessity for publishing infrastructures to adapt in order to support new forms of storytelling and reader interaction, whilst preserving the role of publishers as content curators and maintaining profitability. The conference will explore how digital transformation, in particular the growth of artificial intelligence, and new business models are reshaping editorial processes, content creation, book marketing and reader engagement, while also examining some common industry myths.

The By the Book conference, now in its eleventh edition, serves as a nexus for industry experts, educators and researchers to explore key aspects of book publishing and to advance the discipline of publishing studies. By the Book integrates academic insights with industry perspectives. Contributions can take different forms to accommodate for the range of academic and industry voices that make By the Book such a unique conference. In past years, our discussions have covered themes from the art of curation to the intricate dynamics within the publishing sector.

Confirmed keynote speakers are:

Michael Bhaskar
Michel Bhaskar leads the Microsoft AI Futures team. He is the author of books including The Content Machine, Curation and Human Frontiers, and is co-author of the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling The Coming Wave.

Moritz Schaeffer
Moritz Schaeffer is a research associate in the TRA&CO (Center for Translation & Cognition) team at the Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics and Cultural Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz.

For full information please download the Call for Papers

Registration form: By the Book 11 Registration – Internationale Sommerkurse der JGU

please register until 8 May 2026 !

Delegates should pay for their own travel and accommodation.