This event describes the author’s journey from traditional academic publishing to choosing a new, scholar-led OA press for books. It addresses some of the common questions, roadblocks and concerns academics encounter around OA publication, such as the assumed necessity of a publication charge and the concern that OA books will be of lower quality. It outlines the work that a new UK nonprofit, the Open Book Collective, is doing to provide authors with reputable high quality OA book publication options without the need for BPCs. It will also explore the importance of Open licensing for academic works, and plans for a peer support network for academic authors wishing to play an active role in the transition to an equitable, sustainable landscape for OA books.