How to Master Self-Publishing a Children's Book in 10 Steps
Contents
1. Understand the pros and cons of self-publishing
Books can be published in one of two ways, either through a traditional publisher or by self-publishing. Before deciding on a publishing path, the first step is to understand what is self-publishing and the pros and cons of self-publishing a book.
Self-publishing is the act of an author publishing a book on their own, without the help of a traditional publisher or publishing company. Although an author may choose to hire professionals to help along the way, all decisions are ultimately made by the author, and all expenses are paid from the author's own pocket. There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to self-publishing a children's book: preparing a manuscript, book design, children's book illustrations, securing identifiers, book printing, book marketing, and book distribution. So let's take a look at what goes into each.
What are the pros of self-publishing a children's book?
- Control: Self-publishing a children's book gives an author control over their work. It lets an author write the story they want and it lets them choose their own children's book illustrator.
- Flexibility: Self-publishing a children's book allows wiggle room from the rigid nature of traditional book publishing. Most picture books follow standard book sizes, word counts, and page counts. Self-publishing allows an author to deviate from these publishing conventions if they choose.
- Timeline: Self-publishing is faster. A traditionally published book takes two years to complete, from acquisition to publication. And that doesn't include the time it takes to find a children's book agent and shop a book around. With self-publishing, the timeline is all on the author. Publishing a children's book can be completed in as few as three months!
What are the cons of self-publishing a children's book?
- Cost: Self-publishing a children's book can be expensive. Each step of the process has to be paid for by the author, not by a publishing company.
- Sales: Book marketing and distribution is all on the author! That means it is up to the author to get a book online, sell it into stores, and hand-sell at fairs or even at the grocery store.
For a more detailed look at the difference between traditional and self-publishing, check out my article, The Pros & Cons of Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing. Then let's dive into how to self-publish a children's book!
2. Set a publishing budget
What is a publishing budget?
A publishing budget is a list of the costs associated with self-publishing a book. Before going too far down any one road, it's important for an author to know how much money can be spent on a book. Knowing what you can afford will help weed out professionals outside your price range when the time comes to hire. Keep in mind that the longer the book, the more expensive it will be to create. Determine an appropriate budget, adding in a 10-20% contingency for any costs over what you expect.
What are the most common self-publishing expenses?
- Editorial services
- developmental editing
- copy editing
- proofreading
- Design services
Pro Tip: Make sure the fee for book design includes not only laying out the book, but preparing files for print-on-demand, offset printing, and eBooks.
- Children's book illustration
- sample illustrations
- complete book illustrations
- Book identifiers
- ISBN
- CIP Data
- Copyright
- Book printing
- Book marketing
- Website creation
- ARC mailings
- Online ads
- Book distribution
3. Prepare a children's book manuscript
Write the children's book
Before even putting pen to paper, it is important to understand the conventions of a children's book. Read other children's books that have done well. Learn what goes into making a children's book. Determine the book's target audience, and figure out how the story fits that market. Be mindful of things such as: word count, page count, trim size, and illustrations. For more information on the essential elements of a children's picture book, check out my article, What Is a Picture Book? Want more information target audience? Head over to my article, Target Audience.
Once you understand the children's book publishing market, you are ready to start writing. If you find yourself stuck for words, take a step back and check out my article, The Best Children's Book Ideas for Writing a Great Picture Book.
Once you're really ready to write, start putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard.) For more information on how to write a children's book, check out How to Write a Children's Picture Book in 6 Steps.
Self-edit
Self-editing is when an author corrects their own mistakes in a manuscript, revises the structure, and perfects word-choice. This is your chance to finesse the language. To find your plot holes and find a way to fix them. To figure out if your book is too long, and if so, how to cut it. (Most picture books come in under 1,000 words. If yours is over that, it may be time to take another look. For tips on cutting text, check out my article, 5 Steps to Cut Text in a Picture Book). There is no set number of revisions that go into working on a book. Take as many stabs at the story as you need and take as much time away from it as you need to get a clear head. Sometimes walking away is the best way to see what’s wrong! For more tips on self-editing, check out my article, How to Self-Edit. Once you think your story is ready to go (or you just can’t stand to read it one more time!), it’s time to get another opinion.
Get beta readers
Once self editing is done, it is time to get someone else to read the book. But—and this is a big but—don’t go to your friends and family. These people love you, and they will likely think anything you do is fantastic. Which means they can’t be objective. You’re looking for someone who doesn’t love you and will tell you the truth.
Beta readers are a good option, though they can be challenging to find. Fellow writers are a better option, particularly ones who work in your same genre. These are the people who are facing the same challenges as you. They are the ones who know the mechanics of what goes into a good children's book and are used to telling stories and finding issues. So utilize them. One excellent resource for finding fellow writers is SCBWI, but you may also have local writers’ groups, may be able to form an online critique group., or may find readers at a writer's workshop.
With their feedback in hand, self edit again.
Hire a developmental editor
No matter how great a writers' group may be, there is a difference between fellow writers and a professional developmental editor. Editors know the children's publishing market. An editor knows what else is out there, what’s working and what isn’t, and they know HOW to craft a children's book that’s appropriate for the age range. Writing a children’s book is about more than just having a nice story. It’s also about catering to what children can understand and relate to. It’s about understanding the market and what the specifics of your book genre are meant to be. Get someone onboard who knows this and can help shape your book into the best possible version of itself.
Editorial assessment
When it comes to the actual editorial work, there are several stages to go through. First up is an editorial assessment. This is where an editor is looking for overarching problems: plot holes, show versus tell, word count. An editorial assessment will call out these issues so they can be fixed. For more information on what goes into an editorial assessment, check out my article, What Is an Editorial Assessment?
Developmental edit
Once revisions have been made, the next step is the developmental edit. Also known as a line edit, structural edit, or substantive edit, this is a thorough, line by line review of a manuscript. What that means is that a developmental editor is going word by word to really make a book sing.
Different books require different numbers of edits. For some, a single developmental edit may be enough to whip a book into shape. For others, it may take four or five edits. Don’t be afraid to keep going back to an editor until the book feels right.
In looking for a book editor, remember that not every editor and author are a good fit. Find someone with whom you feel comfortable, and ask for a sample edit to make sure their style is a good fit for you! Then make sure you know how many rounds of editing are included for the price you’ve been quoted.
For tips on picking the right developmental editor, check out my article, Find a Book Editor. For more information on what a developmental edit includes, check out my article, What Is Developmental Editing and What to Expect from One.
Storyboard the children's book
A storyboard is a visual representation of where the page turns will go in your manuscript. Often this can help authors to find places in a story that are redundant, or where there is too much text on a page. In text, page turns come at scene changes or emotional shifts. Figure out what text belongs on each page. Are your page turns falling in the right places? If not, you may need to adjust earlier pages to be full spreads, or full spreads to be single pages. In creating the storyboard, also consider what the art should look like. If the same scene is appearing several pages in a row, it may be a clue that something needs to be adjusted in the manuscript. Going through this process will not only help you refine your manuscript, but it will also help you figure out how many pieces of art you need (which you will have to know to get an illustration quote). For more tips on how to pace your book, check out A Template for Children's Book Layout and Pagination.
Hire a copy editor
Once a story has been edited, it is time to make sure the grammar is, too. Many developmental editors are great with grammar. But the truth is, someone who has worked hard to shape a story is likely going to miss the little things. After so many reads, they will see what they expect to see, not what is really there (including me!) Beyond that, developmental editors may not be trained in book style, or may not be up-to-date on changes to style. For that, you want a copy editor. Copy Editors are looking for typos and grammar issues. But they are also looking for consistency. Are a character's eyes always described as the same color? If a character slammed their door shut at the start of a scene, is the door still closed at the end of the scene, or is it mysteriously open? That’s a copy editor’s job to catch. The copy editor is a second set of eyes that finds the things an editor missed and makes sure a book is literally letter-perfect. For more information on copy editing, check out my article, What's the Difference between Copy Editing and Proofreading?
Write the book summary
A book blurb or book summary is a compelling description of what a book is about. It is intended to draw a reader in and make them want to buy or read a book. This typically goes on the back of a book and is an author's place to tell a reader what makes this story a must-read. Craft a killer book blurb that really sells you story to a book buyer. Need tips on writing the back cover copy? Check out How to Master the Book Back Cover.
4. Hire a children's book designer
Select a book trim size
Choosing a book trim size may not seem important early on in the publishing process, but if you are publishing a children’s book, it is essential. And sticking to that decision can mean the difference between success and failure! Why? Because picture books are created with art in mind. The trouble is, children's book illustrations can only be drawn properly if you know what size a book will be. Before getting started on book design, make sure you have made a final decision on what size the book will be. For more information on trim size, check out my article, What Are the Best Children's Book Sizes?
Hire a book designer
When it comes to how to self-publish a children's book, this is the step that gets overlooked more than any other, and it is one of the most important. A book designer is the person who will set up book files for printing, but they do far more than that. The book designer provides a strong visual eye, working closely with an illustrator to make sure the book looks beautiful. It is their job to set page layout, choose fonts, make sure there is enough bleed on illustrations, and so much more. A true book designer works like an art director, offering feedback on not just the book design, but on the art as well.
Pro Tip: there is a difference between a designer and a formatter. A formatter will get your files print-ready, but may not offer all the services of a book designer. Be sure to clarify with anyone you hire exactly what services they will be providing.
Create a children's book layout template
While it’s fine to hire an illustrator before starting book layout, don't let the illustrator to begin until a book template is complete. A book template is a rough layout AT THE RIGHT TRIM SIZE that shows where text will go. Creating a book template will force you to decide on book dimensions before illustrations begin. It will also give the illustrator a strong understanding of how much space they have to work with and will ensure that there is actually a place to PUT the text. Also make sure to decide if your book will be a paperback book or hardcover book, as a hardback book case is larger than a paperback book cover.
Pro Tip: In hiring a book designer, be sure to ask how many rounds of revision are included in your contract.
5. Children's book illustration
Pick an art style
Once your manuscript is ready to be illustrated, or even while it's being edited, do some research on art styles. Are you looking for watercolor art? Something bright and bold and cartoony? Do you need something that can be created in full-color, or someone who can do black-and-white line art? Do you need layered digital art that can be reused for marketing purposes? Try to find titles that look like what you're visualizing. Knowing what you want will help you narrow down illustrators when the time comes.
Find an illustrator
There are many ways and many places to find an illustrator. For a list of places to begin, check out my article, How to Find, Negotiate with, and Hire an Illustrator.
Get sample illustrations
No matter how great an illustrator looks on paper, you still need to make sure that they are a good fit for your children's book. Once you've narrowed down the list of illustrators you think you may want to work with, hire them to do a sample illustration. This can be a character sketch, full page, or spread of your children's book. (Be prepared to pay them for this work, but know that if you hire the illustrator, the sample art can be used in your final book.)
Pro Tip: Ask any illustrator you try out for a sketch revision. Changes can not only prove that the work is theirs, but will also show you how they handle criticism.
Negotiate with your chosen illustrator
Hiring an illustrator is about more than just children's book art. It is also about marketing and selling a book. Why? Because the same illustrations are used for a book launch and marketing campaign. They are what draws a potential book buyer in. That's why it is so important to understand how to negotiate with an illustrator. It's why an author, especially one who is self-publishing a children's book, needs to understand what rights are needed and how illustrations should be delivered. Some points to consider when negotiating include:
- fee and payment schedule: when will the author be paid and how much
- usage rights: how can art be used, and who holds copyright?
- illustrator copies: will the illustrator receive free copies, and how many?
- file delivery: will you receive layered photoshop or illustrator files, or flattened JPGs?
Pro Tip: Remember, the illustrations for printed books should be created in CMYK. This can then be converted to RGB for eBooks.
6. Children's book design
Design the children's book
For picture books, book illustration and book design move hand in hand, which means there is a lot of back and forth. As art starts coming in, a book designer should lay the art into the children's book template. This should occur at every stage of illustration to ensure that art and text properly fit together.
Design the book cover
While illustrations are being created, work with your book designer on the front and back book cover. Make sure to supply the book summary you wrote so that the book designer can properly lay out the back cover.
Pro Tip: Don't forget about the parts of the book back cover such as the ISBN, book barcode, and colophon.
Hire a proofreader
Although technically an editorial service, proofreading is directly tied to book design. That's because proofreading is a final check of a laid-out book. It occurs once your book has been designed and is almost ready to go to the printer. A proofreader compares your copy-edited manuscript to the designed pages to make sure no mistakes were introduced. They review your designed pages to make sure there are no bad breaks in your words, no stacks of words appearing that make the design awkward, and no widows or orphans in your layout. They also provide a final read to find any last mistakes. A third person should provide a proofread as a last check that everything has been caught. For more information on proofreading, check out my article, What Is Proofreading?
7. Secure book identifiers
While the illustrator and designer are hard at work, work on getting the book identifiers.
ISBN
In order to publish a book, you’ll need an ISBN. This 13-digit number is the unique identifier tied to each and every book that is sold, and you'll want one for each edition of the book: paperback book, hardcover book, and eBook. For more information on getting an ISBN, check out How to Buy an ISBN.
PCN number
Traditional book publishers work with the Library of Congress to get a Library of Congress Control Number. Unfortunately, self-publishers cannot do the same. There is, however, a free program to receive a preassigned control number (PCN). Visit the Library of Congress's PrePub Link to apply.
P-CIP data
A Cataloging in Publication record (CIP Data) is a bibliographic record prepared by the Library of Congress before a book is published that helps libraries know where to file books. For self-published books, this information must be purchased through a company that creates it. For more information, check out What is CIP Data, P-CIP Data, and How to Get P-CIP Data.
Copyright Registration
If you intend to self-publish a book, copyright registration is a good idea and I strong recommend it. The copyright office requires you to submit a “Best Edition” of a book. This is a final printed copy or an electronic document of the final manuscript or eBook. Remember, copyright covers actual words and not concepts. So register a book that is as close to finished as possible to avoid having to re-register in the future. For information on copyright registration and how to create a copyright page, check out my article How to Create a Book Copyright Page.
Book Barcode
A book barcode is a scannable version of the ISBN. (ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Each book barcode contains a unique set of shaded lines. Embedded within these lines is information about a book—data such as book title, weight, and publisher. In the United States, a barcode also includes book price. A price scanner reads the book information and syncs with the retailer’s system, telling them what product is being sold. In addition to printing the ISBN under the barcode, it is also printed above the barcode so that it can easily be found.
How to get a book barcode?
In order to get a barcode, you will first need to get an ISBN. Once you have that, head on over to a free barcode generator.
Pro Tip: barcodes can be created for free. Never let anyone charge you to create one!
Barcode generators typically only require two pieces of information: ISBN and book price. Once those are submitted, a barcode will be automatically generated.
Three of the top free barcode generators are:
Pro Tip: When generating a barcode, make sure to download it at 300 dpi or larger.
For more information on the book barcode, check out my article What is a Book Barcode and How to get a Bookow Barcode.
8. Book printing
Print on demand v. offset printing
Before you can self-publish a children's book, you first need to decide how you plan to print the book. Printing a children's book can be done two ways: through a print on demand service, or through an offset book printer. On demand book printing through companies like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark comes with little upfront cost and does not require book storage, however printing quality is lower. Offset book printing requires paying for books upfront and storing and distributing a minimum of 500 books, but print quality is better, as is profit margin. Before deciding, do the research into print on demand versus offset printing and decide on your plan. Want more information? Check out Children's Book Printing.
Print on demand
Choose a print on demand book service
There are several choices when it comes to print on demand printing. To determine which is right for you, check out What Are the Best Print On Demand Book Services?
Upload book files
Work with your book designer to prepare final files to upload to the print on demand book service of your choice. For a complete guide to publishing on Amazon KDP, check out How to Publish a Book on Amazon.
Pro Tip: Print on demand requires coming in at a traditional page count MINUS one page to allow for the printer’s barcode at the end of the book. (Not doing so may result in blank pages at the end of the book. Wondering what that looks like? Check out How Can I Avoid Blank Pages in a Print on Demand Book? )
Printer’s proofs
Printer's proofs are a final printed copy of the book pages given to an author for approval prior to mass production of the book. These can come in either digital or print format. Printer's proofs are a critical step in the quality control process, and an important thing for authors to see. They are the last chance to catch any errors you missed in proofreading. It is also the first (and only) chance to see how your book looks as an actual book, rather than as a PDF on the computer. Is art (or text) falling in the gutter? Is the illustration bleed wrong or something is getting cut off? Sometimes seeing a book in the proof stage will bring to light something you wouldn’t have otherwise seen. If so, go back to your book designer and get it fixed, then send back out for revised proofs. For print on demand books, order a proof before pushing the book live.
Offset printing
Offset printing offers a greater variety of book dimensions than print on demand, as well as other printing enhancements. It also requires a book to fit a standard page count. (Books print in signatures of 16 pages, or for pictures books, half-signatures of 8 pages. Want to see what that looks like? Check out What Is a Book Signature?)
Book End Sheets
Offset printing offers the options of including separate end sheets or having a self-ended book. This decision is one to be made before releasing files to the printer, as it impacts how a book designer sets up final files. For a deeper look at this, check out Hardcover Book End Sheets and How End Pages Impact Book Layout.
Printer's Proofs
Offset book printers typically send printer's proofs as flat sheets, not a bound book. This is your chance to review for final problems with a book, but it does not show you what the final book will look like. Printer's proofs for offset printing are especially important for checking color, as they are an accurate representation of how the book will print. Color can be changed on the printer's end, so if it is not right, this is the moment to say so.
Pro Tip: Ask your printer about ordering a finished, printed book for approval. This will give you a chance to ensure everything is printed and bound properly before you approve the product to ship.
9. Book marketing and promotion
Whether that’s social media postings, starting a Kickstarter campaign, or something else, book promotion begins well book BEFORE a book is printed. Ask the illustrator for concept art, character sketches, or even a single piece of final art to promote the book with. Your first few days of sales are critical to success, and the key to that is getting started early! For tips on how to market, check out 75 Book Marketing Ideas to Boost Sales.
10. Book distribution
As a self-published author, distributing books is up to you. Consider how you want to do so. There are many options to consider, including:
- Hand-selling at fairs
- setting up a store on your website
- distribution through Amazon (either as a member of Seller Central or Fulfilled by Amazon)
I have created a downloadable how to self-publish a children's book checklist . Hope it helps you organize and simplify the self-publishing process.
Want more great tips on how to self-publish a book? Check out Self-Publishing Your Children's Book: A Simple Guide by the amazing Shayla Raquel!
