How to Publish a Children's Book: 12 Steps

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

The publication of a book has undergone significant changes in recent years. Children's books are no exception. If you've written a children's book, you're probably looking forward to publishing it. This article offers step-by-step advice on how to approach the current market if your goal is to publish a book aimed at children.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Self-publishing

Step 1. Understand the risks

While some forms of self-publishing are inexpensive, this method doesn't always succeed. The reason is simple: to reach your audience, it is almost mandatory to publish paper books. Most children don't use e-readers to read the stories of Richard Scarry and Roald Dahl. Furthermore, the children's literary market is extremely competitive, and profit margins tend to be low even for successful works.

Step 2. Choose a service

Traditional self-publishing is usually the best solution for such a book, since it is important to have hard copies to distribute for promotional purposes. Classic printing implies the payment of a certain number of copies of the book, generally between 50 and a few hundred. Afterwards, the job is printed and you receive it directly at home. Alternatively, you can choose a print on demand service: a copy will be printed each time one is ordered, so you will have to pay gradually; you can easily find this service online. Inquire at different specialized printers, compare prices and packages offered to find the option that's right for you.

Color printing is expensive. You should know that you will pay a lot more for a book with illustrations than for one without drawings or with black and white images

Step 3. Look for funding

Now that you have chosen the right printing service, you need to find a way to pay the printer to print the copies of the book (while choosing a print-on-demand service, you should calculate at least 20 initial copies to keep for yourself, so that you can show them to the libraries and other customers). Start by asking friends and family to donate a small amount of money and add a portion of your savings to the total. Offer them a copy of the book once it is printed, in return for their generosity.

• Other popular solutions include starting a crowdfunding initiative or taking a second job a couple of days a week.
• You can find a good list of other ways to raise funds in this article.

Step 4. Print and Promote

Once you have paid the printer and received a portion of the books, you need to start advertising yourself. Start with small independent bookstores in your area. Show your book to owners, and ask them if it is possible to display it on the shelves in exchange for a commission on sales. Check out the larger bookstores too, but don't expect to always get a positive response. Offer to make presentations at points of sale displaying your work. It's a good way to increase both your income and your owner's, so most stores that have decided to sell your book should agree.

• Once you've taken care of the libraries, contact the libraries. Give a copy of the book to each of them and ask each manager if it is possible to organize a presentation at their headquarters.
• Consider the schools. Elementary school offers a good starting point for the book to end up in the hands of the children of your city, but you will hardly be able to enter the school and immediately read in front of a class. Instead, you can talk to the director or administrators to donate a copy to the school library and then propose the possibility of organizing a reading. If they say no, don't insist.
• Sell it online. Make sure you open at least one small website or Facebook page to promote the book. People interested in the job should be able to easily order a copy via this medium. It is also a useful way to allow parents to have more information about your account and your book before purchasing it.

Part 2 of 3: Traditional Publishing Methods

Step 1. Decide whether to hire an agent

You already have a manuscript ready so, logically, the next step would be to send it to a publishing house. Unfortunately, many publishers don't dwell on a book without the nudge of a literary agent. In exchange for a commission on the proceeds (usually 15%), an agent will constructively judge your manuscript, promote it to publishers, and negotiate a contract regarding payments.

• If you've never published a book in your life, it can take some time to find a good professional who is willing to work with you. By the way, there are a lot of bad agents and scammers in this field. Be careful, and only work with experts who have been recommended to you by reliable sources. Here are some of the best sites to find good agents:

  • International Literary Agency.
  • Tropic of the Book.
  • Magic Mirror.

  

  Step 2. Look for publishing houses

  If you decide not to hire an agent, you need to do a thorough search to find publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts in children's literature. On [this site] you will find a list of publishing houses. Learn about them to understand the categories they specialize in and find the right one for you.

  • Pay particular attention to the guidelines indicated and suggestions for submitting manuscripts. Many publishing houses don't even bother to read a book that doesn't fit the rules. If you can't find the details you need, send an email or letter with your name and address on the envelope to request shipping policy.
  • Look for children's books similar to yours in terms of content and target, then write down the names of the publishers who have published these works. They will be better prepared to favorably view your manuscript.

  

  Step 3. Send the manuscript

  Send it to each agent or publisher according to their specific guidelines. Follow the formatting requirements exactly as they were described. After submitting, you should receive news from agencies and publishers within three months. If after this time you have not heard anything, they will probably not be heard again.

  Unless you are a professional illustrator, do not send illustrations. Publishers usually choose images themselves to avoid potential copyright issues. If you are absolutely determined to include your drawings in the book, it is best to rely on the intermediation of an agent, who will be able to impose himself with conviction and persuade publishers more than you can

  

  Step 4. Be persistent

  Keep printing manuscripts and sending them around. Never give up. Many authors receive up to 50 rejections before seeing the first published book. A door in the face is not a wake-up call or an invitation to change jobs - it is a normal part of this process. Eventually, someone will offer you a contract, or you'll be left with no publishers to turn to. Here, don't stop until you've finished the list of publishing houses to give it a try.

  • When you're offered a contract, do some research to make sure the terms are fair. If you have an agent, they will take care of this step for you. If not, you could hire an expert to guide you through the agreement for a couple of hours to see if it's worth it.
  • If you've received hundreds of rejections and the agents don't seem to show any signs of interest, maybe you should try to take a step back. Sign up for a writing workshop or read a book on how to write a wonderful children's story. You may find that a few trivial style mistakes have prevented your book from getting the attention it deserves.

  Part 3 of 3: General Tips for Book Preparation

  

  Step 1. Do a market research

  This step is of course imperative to publish any type of book. Go check out major bookstores or do an online search; find out what sells the most or the currently most popular children's books. How does it compare with what you wrote? Is it similar or entirely different? Are you following popular themes or are you doing something new? This will give you an idea of how you position yourself in the current market and how and to which segment of the public to propose your book.

  

  Step 2. Make choices targeted to the age group

  Preparing a children's book is not as simple a process as one aimed at an adult audience. Think carefully which age group to target. It's very simple? Is it a bit more complex and maybe for older children? Is it a book intended to be read aloud by a parent or teacher, or can it also be read directly by a child?

  Step 3. Think about the design and structure of the book

  Many will tell you that if the book is aimed at younger children, the typeface should always be large or expandable on a Kindle so that it is easier for them to read. You could perhaps think about the size of the book itself if you plan to publish a print version. For example, Beatrix Potter, a famous writer of children's books, deliberately published small books so that they would fit in the hands of children.

  • Children's books are all based on illustrations. Pictures are vital in telling a story to children and, for many, they are even more important than words. If you are not a graphic designer, hire an illustrator. Children, especially younger ones, are more prone to visual perception. They will understand and appreciate the story better if there are pictures.

    

  

  Step 4. Review and correct

  When revising, pay attention to the language used. Children's stories must follow a simple structure, with a clear beginning, middle and end. Think deeply about the language you use to tell the story. It should be largely very basic, but don't be afraid to insert a few more difficult words, so that it can have a didactic purpose and perhaps arouse interest in the child. Also think about what level of literature your target age group is likely to be learning in school, trying to integrate it into your story. Do some research if necessary.

  Advice

  • Write with your heart. A children's book shouldn't be written just for profit - most of these jobs don't make big money. Among other things, such a mentality emerges from the finished product. The book should be a job done with love. Be willing to correct and rewrite it, and it will eventually be published.
  • If a publisher asks you to correct your manuscript, put your ego aside and follow their advice. Then, send it back, adding a note to remind you that you have changed it based on the request that was made of you.
  • When writing, always try to think of interesting and sensible details. Remember to focus throughout the entire process.

  Warnings

  • A good agent will never ask you for payment to read the book or for any other reason. He will only get money when you sell the book, not before. Find out about an agency that interests you to understand if you can trust them. Always be cautious and ask for all agreements to be written down.
  • When you want to publish a book on your own, be well informed. You need to be aware of hidden or additional fees, especially when they are shown in the form of percentages. If you can't get a clear idea of the final cost, don't take the bait.