First of all, tap your back and congrats yourself. You have finished writing a children’s book and are ready to send it to the world.
Writing a whole book is not an easy task. Don’t forget to celebrate what you have achieved. When the celebrating process is over, get back to work. Figure out what your next step is. How exactly do you publish your book?
In this blog, we have provided a step-by-step guide on how to publish a children’s book and helped you figure out all those things that you should know before publishing a book.
The right process to publish a children’s book
The time has arrived when you have to present it to the world. Writing the book is a big process, and launching it to the audience is another.
Publishing a children’s book is similar to publishing the majority of other books. You have to follow a process that is not too different from printing books for other age groups. There are touches around illustrators and formatting that need to be determined while publishing a children’s book. But how would I know if the book is ready to publish? Just hold on tightly and keep on reading.
Is the children’s book ready to face the world?
Sending your book out for the audience before it is ready is insane. If you try to attempt this, you will get in trouble of getting poor reviews and disappointed readers. To know if the book is best for the market, you can start with a simple self-assessment. Question yourself if the book has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Are the characters of the story engaging and aligning with the illustrations? Are all the issues in the manuscript fixed?
This evaluation can be done on your own, or you can ask other children’s book writers to help you out. If all the responses are in favor of the book, you get a green signal. Begin your process.
Steps to publish your children’s book in 8 steps
- Determine the type of children’s book to be made
Before you begin the publishing process, check for the category of the book. The list of the types of children’s books is vast. Some of the categories are:
- Board books: These books are designed for infants and young toddlers.
- Picture books: A broad category, but remember, not all children’s books have pictures. As the age group increases, the pictures from the books start disappearing.
- Concept books: Those similar to childhood, giving nostalgic vibes like ABCs, colors, etc.
- Flipbooks: A closer version of Disney animation that was created.
- Bedtime stories: Design in such a way that children can sleep peacefully.
There are still many other types available, but the list above will give you a reference to begin.
- Begin the children’s book writing process
Before you plan and design an outline for publishing a children’s book, the foremost thing is to check who the target audience is. It is obvious they are children, but you need to know the age group for which you are writing. The children are not the ones who will buy the books for themselves; it is their parents or guardians, a school librarian, or a teacher who does this job.
You can create a better understanding by getting answers to your questions like:
- Are you writing for a little boy or a girl?
- What is their age group?
- What do they do in their free time?
- Are they introverts or extroverts?
- What cover design should I choose that is appealing to both the children and adults?
- Who will be buying this book?
Knowing the target audience is important before you write a single word. You can get the feel of the targeted audience by printing a photo of them and sticking it in your writing corner. This will help you stay concise and write for your audience, not in a broader context.
- Take into account the age group of the children
Keeping in mind the age of the targeted audience is pivotal. You might be writing for an age where your content will be read to them rather than being read by children.
This will help you in making word choices as an adult or older child of the family might read out the material. However, the audience must understand what is being read.
- Edit your book before sending it for publishing
Once you’ve drafted your children’s book, before looking for children book publishers, it is time to edit it. Again, in the editing process, there are different rules to follow and stages through which you need to pass your book.
The most important key point to remember is to stop editing when you feel that the edits are no longer making it better.
Especially if it is for a children’s book, be aware that your editing needs to be perfect. Children love vivid imaginations, and you must create space for them to showcase their imaginations. For instance, if you are writing a picture book, the illustrations will reinforce your copy, rather than showing what your copy does not communicate.
No matter if the reader reads himself or the content is being read, the appropriate choice of words going with the images is essential. It should align with an image formed in your readers’ minds. And let them imagine the story. Like if your story portrays a cat being mad. Match the image and the cat, stating that the cat is clumping away. Your illustrations should act as added engagement, not the story itself.
- Choosing an illustrator for your book
Once you are done with the editing process, it is high time that you start looking for an illustrator. The right person must be chosen to help in creating images. Pictures are a successful part of publishing a children’s book.
If you choose traditional publishing, publishers ask for book proposals beforehand. This package includes the elevator pitch, book synopsis, longer synopsis, target audience, and a marketing plan. Compiling all these things and presenting them as one folder will be a big help when you move forward with illustrations. Once, you are successful in finding an illustrator of your choice, you can send them your proposal.
And if you choose to make illustrations yourself, a proposal in hand for reference will still be beneficial. Even if the word count of children’s books is lower compared with middle-grade books, it is easy that you might forget the details.
Moreover, finding an illustrator is easy. You just need to search online and a window will open with all the available options. Additionally, you can make use of personal referrals. For instance, if you were a participant in a writing workshop in the past, reach out to your friends there. They might help you. You can also ask freshly graduated graphic designers to help you with this project.
But remember! Hiring a professional illustrator means that you will communicate your vision to the team but leave some room for them to show their professional skills.
- Look for a self-publishing platform
There is a list of popular platforms you can use to self-publish children’s book. Each platform has its own criteria for the printing process. Most of them follow the technique of printing on demand, which means that they will print new copies when the readers buy them.
An alternative way is to use offset book printers. They will provide you with a higher quality result, especially if the book is a picture book.
- Set a marketing plan
When you have everything in the pipeline ready to publish your book. It is time to tell the audience and readers about your book.
For this, you can plan a launch event. During this event, invite your readers to the book signing day, followed by a Q&A session and a discussion of a bit of details about your book. Moreover, you can team up with other children’s book authors. Engage each other’s work and write blurbs and reviews. This way, the readers will get an insight into your book.
- The day of the book release
Take a deep breath. It is the big day of your life. You have worked your heart and soul for this day. You dreamt of it, worked hard, made crafts, edited, and now have access to the world.
But you don’t need to stop. Still, it is not the time to sit back and see. Think of the release day as your book graduation day. Keep on promoting your book on different social sites. Encourage your team to leave their valuable reviews and keep on sharing your book on other social sites.
Keep on engaging the audience by selecting special quotes. Let that buzz keep on going. This is your book, after all. You can also open the stage for interviews. In your pre-launch basics, you must have thought of a plan to market the book. This will be applied on the release day.
If you don’t want to spam your followers, be aware that you are acting like a salesman. Before beginning with the interviews, make a list of all the questions you might be asked. Think of the best answers you can provide without releasing the complete details of the book. Your answers should be concise but should not leave your audience confused.
FAQs
What are the things that are important to consider when creating a children’s book?
There are some things that you need to consider when creating a children’s book:
- Make sure that you know the category and the age group for which you are writing.
- Create an understanding of the market.
- Use those characters that are easily understood.
- Your story should be engaging and simple.
- Make use of an appropriate language that is easy to narrate and understand.
- And use an illustrator for the images to make the book more engaging.
Is publishing the children’s book a difficult task?
The process of publishing a children’s book is as difficult as writing a book. There are just a few who get a chance to get their book on the shelves. This means that the authors who can secure a position in the market have preserved. Every new children’s book will increase your experience and skills. There are stories of many famous writers who were unable to sell their first book but had a blockbuster success in their second, third, and other books. But remember! Self-publishing is an option that is always available to you. Take a risk, and you might succeed.
What will be the average cost to publish a children’s book?
The cost of publishing depends on the path that you choose.
If you choose to self-publish your book, you will need to invest a bag full of the amount. This is so you need to hire a developmental editor, a copyeditor, a cover designer, and another team of experts to work on your book. And all that investment is to be made from your end.
On the other hand, if you choose traditional publishing, the process of getting the book on the market is free. The agent will take the commission of your work. In the same way, publishing houses will pay you, and you will have to pay them.
What steps need to be followed when self-publishing a book?
The steps you can follow to self-publish your book are:
- Foremost, check the written content is marketable.
- Make edits like a professional.
- Design an eye-catching cover.
- Opt for the self-publishing platform.
- Choose a format of the book.
- Launch the book like a store will launch any book.
- Adopt a marketing strategy that can help you make an image on social sites.
- Now, relax and start working on your other book.
What’s next?
Finally, after publishing a children’s book it is time to celebrate. Writing a children’s book is a joyous act of creativity, and getting it published is simply the culmination of that process. You have an opportunity to share your ideas, characters, and stories with your hungry audience.
After you have celebrated your book launch and sales, reflect on a few things before you write your next masterpiece. Check if the illustrator you chose was reliable and if you would love to work with him in the future. How was the launch event, and what were the things you learned from the mistakes? Collect all the feedback and comments from your audience on the day of the event and in the future. Stay connected to them and encourage them to leave their valuable feedback.