So You Want to Publish a Children’s Book
In the next two months, I’ll be sharing insights into my self-publishing journey. There has never been a better time to publish a book. Before 2000, the traditional route was the only game in town. However, with the rise of print-on-demand and platforms like Ingram Spark and Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, costs and overhead expenses are lower, and the royalties are higher. Whether you’re writing a memoir, a children’s book, or a novel, the opportunity has never been more accessible. While the field is competitive and marketing is crucial, the window of accessibility is wide open. Don’t wait until things are perfect. You might never start.
“Creativity takes courage.” Henry Matisse
Picture books have experienced success in recent years, introducing children to the joy of reading and learning. Graphic novels have also gained popularity among younger audiences and the trend continues. Self publishing offers many benefits, including creative control. If you’re both the author and illustrator, it’s a good idea to invest in an editor or a professional to lay out your interior book design. There’s no substitute for writing and illustrating a good story. If you’re not the illustrator, there are many platforms such as Instagram and other resources to help bring your story to life.
Although I have written four picture books in recent years, this is my first time illustrating one. It’s been a learning experience, beginning with establishing a budget for professionals and hiring a designer to cover the interior design. Marketing is essential; even the most wonderful book needs visibility.
Self publishing also saves time compared to the traditional routes which authors/illustrators may face numerous rejections during the submission process. By self publishing, an author or illustrator can retain ownership of their work and expedite the publishing timeline.
For self publishing, authors need to purchase ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) for each format, ie, one for Ebook, one for the hardcover and one for the soft cover. Bowker and Nielson provide ISBNs for the United States and UK respectively. While Ingram Spark offers it for free, it’s advisable to purchase them yourself to retain the ownership of your work. Pricing can range from $125 for one and $295 for a pack of ten (or $29.50 per ISBN) The copyright of your work lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years.
“The one thing you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can.
Neil Gaiman
Resources like Ingram Sparks Academy offers a wealth of information on topics to help creators build an author platform, increasing meta data for books, social media, steps involved in self publishing and designing your book, cover, pricing and distribution.
https://www.ingramspark.com/how-to-self-publish-a-book
Reedsy is another resource to find professionals to assist in your publishing journey. I have recently signed a contract with a Reedsy designer to assist in the interior layout for my book. I’ll be sharing about that a bit more next month.
https://reedsy.com/marketplace/search?service=design&page=1
Additional information on ISBNs and Copyrights:
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for next month. I’d love to hear what you have been working on.
“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson