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Writing a children’s book has often been dismissed as a simple task. However, the reality is very different. It is a demanding discipline in the world of publishing. Authors writing children’s stories are not just selling a story, but are rather competing with the following factors:
- Short attention spans.
- High standards of parenting.
- Rigorous physical needs of a classroom and a bedtime setting.
How come writing a children’s book can be tough?
A children’s book is a sensory experience where the rhythm of the prose must perfectly dance with the visual narrative of the illustrations.
A small oversight, a clunky rhyme, a low-resolution image, or an incorrect trim size can overturn the magical world in these books and result in a product that fails to resonate with its audience and critics, plus failing to resonate with their parents, too.
Is there a checklist in place to help with this?
The ultimate children’s book publishing checklist is the safeguard against amateur pitfalls plaguing independent creators. Publishing for children requires a specialized roadmap covering everything from age-appropriate vocabulary leveling to the technical subtleties of full-bleed interior layouts.
How can this blog post help?
This blog post will serve as a comprehensive and step-by-step breakdown of the production and promotion process of children’s books. It will walk through the vetting process for illustrators, mastering the 32-page industry standard, and ensuring the metadata targets the exact age brackets and categories that both librarians and gift-buyers frequent the most.
How to Publish a Children’s Book? Understanding the traditional publishing aspect
How to get a Publisher for a Book by traditional means? The answer is here: Success in children’s literature requires immersing deeply in the incumbent market trends, apart from nostalgia. Authors must analyze modern language, illustration styles, and story arcs to identify where their work fits within certain age brackets.
Navigating the route of traditional publishing is like a marathon. It usually involves securing an agent and a publishing house. They manage illustrations, design, and marketing. While this model can offer professional support and wider distribution, it is incredibly selective and quite slow. Timelines can go from one to six years.
Traditional publishing is best for those seeking a more hands-off approach to the business and marketing aspects. But it requires sacrificing the creative freedom and pricing control found in self-publishing. Aspiring authors must weigh the prestige and ease of a traditional deal against the long and competitive road to acquisition.
Self-publishing a children’s book
Self-publishing a children’s book is indeed a different journey. Authors get total control of the final version, and the process takes only as long as they do. They will have the final say on the writing and illustration, but someone has to manage both by themselves.
Either the authors will do the storytelling and leave the drawing and illustrations to the others (or themselves). Or they can hire a publishing company to help in this regard. All that is up to the authors.
How to Write and Publish a Children’s Book
Writing and publishing a children’s book are indeed two different tasks and aspects. They both can be attainable. Let us now examine them both briefly.
The writing aspect
Getting the idea
The first thing authors need is an idea for the story. One with a start, the middle, and the end. It should have some heart. Authors might have to work through a few ideas before they find one that will work for them.
In case authors have children or grandchildren, they should spend time getting to know what they like. As they talk to them, they should keep a list of children’s book ideas. What do they find funny? What do they find fascinating, scary, angering, or worrying?
Working these elements into the story helps. Studying the children around is more reliable than trying to remember what it was like to be a child themselves.
Writing the book
A typical children’s picture book is written between 500 and 750 words. It means that every single word has to work really hard. Children’s books are typically written with one central protagonist that is the same age, or a relatable age, as the target reader.
Even if the main character is a lion, it will move through the world as if it were a toddler (i.e., four to five years old). There is room for one central story where the protagonist learns, discovers, or grows through something. There is also a clear resolution. The theme does not have to be entirely authentic. It is, in fact, more likely to be something common and universal to humans.
Book illustration
A children’s book is usually a collaboration between a writer and an illustrator. But if they do decide to do it themselves, they must consider a hybrid between a digital drawing and an analog one. Backgrounds, scenery, and layouts can be easier and more consistent if they are managed by digital means. Here are some tips to remember:
- Characters need clear and exaggerated emotional expressions.
- Bright and consistent colors need to be used.
- It is being written and illustrated for 20 and 40 pages only.
Printing
Self-publishing grants authors total creative control over the book’s size, format, and finishes. But they must balance aesthetics with practical factors. They also must ensure durability for heavy handling, maintain top-quality color rendering, and choose cost-effective materials to maintain a competitive retail price in the children’s books market.
The publishing aspect
Understanding the market.
Understanding the market is important for sales. Word counts scale with age. Picture books often stay below 1,000 words. Authors should visit physical bookstores and see where children’s literature sells best.
Physically examining successful titles, authors can analyze current trends, identify the direct competitors and ensure the book’s format and content align with the expectations of both retailers and young readers.
Editing and refining the book
Finishing the draft is only the beginning. Self-editing is essential for identifying plot holes and refining core ideas before presenting the work to professionals. Authors need to go beyond personal review and engage with the following to obtain invaluable external perspectives:
- Writing communities.
- Professional editors.
- Test readers.
Incorporating constructive feedback and iteratively polishing the manuscript ensures the final story is structurally sound and free of errors. It is time-consuming, but it is necessary as it turns a rough draft into a compelling and market-ready children’s book.
Getting an agent
Authors must contact agents in securing traditional deals (if they want one). They should find one that specializes in children’s books. They possess the industry contacts needed to pitch the manuscript to the right publishing house.
When approaching agents, authors must strictly follow their specific submission guidelines to ensure their pitch is considered. Whilst landing an agent does not guarantee a sale, they have the expertise and networking to improve the chances of successfully navigating the competitive children’s book market.
Submitting to publishers
Without an agent, authors need to target publishers that accept submissions without agents, especially in the genre of children’s books. They should research their specific interests to ensure a match.
They need to avoid vanity publishers. No legitimate publishing company would charge an author for publication. If a company asks for an upfront payment to publish their work, it is a scam.
Marketing the book
If authors find an interested publisher, the publisher takes on most of the marketing work. If they decide to take the self-publishing route, they must take on the marketing themselves. Marketing is a full-time job. They must be ready to put in a lot of work into acquiring both readers and visibility for the book.
Conclusion
Writing and publishing a children’s book is not an easy job. It is a disciplined field requiring a disciplined approach to ensure the book resonates across the right audience and also satisfies parents. Then, authors need to choose their publishing paths carefully to ensure their book reaches the right audience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Do I need to find my own illustrator?
A: In traditional publishing, the publisher usually chooses and pays the illustrator. If you are self-publishing, you are responsible for hiring and managing an artist who understands “full-bleed” print requirements.
Q: What is the standard page count for a picture book?
A: The industry standard is 32 pages. This is due to how paper is folded and bound in traditional printing “signatures.”
Q: How do I know my book’s age bracket?
A: Research similar titles. Board books are for ages 0–3, picture books for 3–8, and middle-grade books for 8–12. Matching your word count to these brackets is essential for retailer acceptance.
Q: What are the key steps in publishing a children’s book?
A: Apart from understanding the market, authors must edit and refine the manuscript, get the right agent, submit it to publishers, and market the book if they are taking the traditional publishing path.
Q: Can this checklist help me sell my children’s book online?
A: This checklist can help authors make the best children’s book and get it published and sold at the right place at the right time.