You’ve written that children’s book you’ve been dreaming about, and family and friends give it the thumbs up. You’d like to get your work published but aren’t sure how to go about it. What are the next steps?
Publishing a children’s book is a bucket list goal for many, and I often get questions about how to move a book from the manuscript stage to market. Hope these answers to questions I was recently asked help in your journey!
1. Should I self-publish, or go through a publishing or literacy agency who will accept my manuscript? Which one would you recommend? Especially regarding costs and such. It depends on your time frame and skill set. There are three main options: Traditional PublishingGetting published through a traditional publishing company can take years (1-2 years to find an agent, one or more years for the agent to get the book sold, around a year for the book to get published after it’s purchased). If you do get your book published traditionally you will have company backing to have your books sold in book stores, shelved in schools, and public libraries, etc. The book will be edited, illustrated, formatted, and distributed at no cost to you. You’ll have less control over the process than if you published yourself because the publishing company will have the right to make changes to your book and will choose the cover and illustrations. The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) offers writing critique groups, scholarships, and grants that might help you get your book published traditionally.  Hybrid PublishingThere are hybrid companies you can pay to set everything up (book formatting, editing, getting it on Amazon, etc.) that cost from $1,500 on up. The benefit is that they do the leg work of putting the book together for you like a traditional publishing company would. Some of these companies are not reputable, however, so I would suggest looking at ratings on the Alliance of Independence Authors to see who they recommend and warn against, if you decide to go that route. Self-PublishingYou can do everything yourself (format your book and upload it on Amazon to be sold). It can take time, but it is not difficult. There are many YouTube videos, podcasts, and online articles that give detailed advice on how to self-publish (see blogs by self publishing experts – Joanna Penn, Jane Friedman, Mark Coker). Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) also gives step-by-step information and has a call-in center for questions. Self-published books are print-on-demand, so your only costs are what you pay upfront for editing, your illustrations, and cover, and the book formatting. You upload the books for free online. This option gives you the most control over the process since you choose everything that goes into creating the book. A downside is that you will need to do all your own book marketing. It can be difficult for a self-published author to get books in libraries and on shelves at brick and mortar bookstores.  2. How would I go about acquiring both hard and soft covers for my book? Publish your book through IngramSpark to get hard covers, which can also be sold on Amazon. It costs about $25-$50 to upload the book. Sometimes Ingram runs promotions for free book uploads.  3. Should I use my own illustrations? I am fairly skilled in drawing, so I have been hand drawing my illustrations and will most likely upload on photoshop to add details.  How do your personal drawings stack up against illustrations you see in books on the market? Look at lists of top selling children’s books and compare your drawings to them. If you want to sell your book in a larger market you need to make sure it looks professional. If needed, step up your game in this area by hiring a professional illustrator, who you can find on various Facebook groups for children’s authors, or a website called Reedsy that has listings of vetted publishing industry experts (editors, illustrators, graphic designers). 4. ISBN and copyrights. Does this come with the final touches of publishing your book?  Ingram and Amazon offer free ISBNs, but I would recommend you buy your own through Bowker, so you aren’t limited on the platform your book can be sold on. Bowker has a website where you can buy ISBN numbers. It costs about $125 for one, or $300 for 10 ISBNs. 5. Last, but most importantly, costs. As an estimate, how much does it cost to write and publish a book? It’s free to upload a book on Amazon, but self-publishing a sellable illustrated children’s book can cost from $1,500 on up. That includes your ISBN, editing, formatting, cover and illustrations. You should also factor in costs for marketing your book and getting a website if you want to reach a larger audience.
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon Best Selling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star†rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
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