Authors are one of the most important stakeholders in the scholarly publishing landscape. Yet many struggle to fully understand the transition toward open access and how this publication option affects their scholarship and their individual careers. In this session three HSS authors with experience in open publishing across different modes–one through the TOME program for open access monographs, one through the open access journal of a scholarly society, and one through the Path to Open open access book pilot–will share their own experiences in deciding to pursue open access publication. They will address the questions and concerns they encountered along the way and provide recommendations for productive conversations with their peers. Also joining the conversation is a librarian with expertise in open access who will share experiences and offer suggestions for successful engagement with authors across disciplines.