Book publishing in general has changed significantly in recent years. So are children's books. If you've ever written a children's book, you may want to publish it. This article will show you the steps you need to take to conquer the market if your goal is to publish literature for children.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Self-Publishing
Step 1. Know the risks
While some forms of self-publishing are inexpensive, children's books are not. This is because to reach your readers, you have to print books on paper – most children won't rely on their e-readers to read Richard Scarry or Roald Dahl. Moreover, children's books are highly competitive and profits per book are generally small even for successful books.
Step 2. Choose a Service
Small print is generally a good choice for self-publishing children's books, as it is important to have a physical form for promotion. Small printers will generally charge for a number of copies of your book, usually between 50 and a few hundred, and will print and ship them directly to you. Alternatively, you can opt for a print-on-demand service, which will print one copy per request, and charge you each time. This kind of printing is easy to find on the internet. Try to see and compare the prices and packages they offer.
Use of expensive colors. Be prepared to pay a lot more for a picture book than a book without pictures or with black and white pictures
Step 3. Collect funds
Now that you have a printing service, you'll need to find a way to pay for your book's printing (even if you opt for a print-on-demand service, you'll need to print at least 20 copies of the book to promote it in stores). Start by asking friends and family for a small donation, and try to add it to your savings. Offer them a copy of the book after it has been printed, as a token of gratitude.
- Other popular options include kickstarter or finding additional work to finance your book.
- There are several other methods on how to earn money without borrowing on other wikihow pages.
Step 4. Print and promote
Once you've paid the publishing price and shipped some of your books, start the promotion. Start with a local independent bookstore. Show your book to the shop owner and ask if he or she can put it in the bookstore for a commission. Ask major bookstores too, but don't expect to always get a positive answer. Also offer a Book Reading event at the bookstore that picked up your book. This is great for boosting business for both you and the owner, so those who agree to sell your book will generally approve reading as well.
- Once you've got your hands on bookstores, try talking to the library. Donate your book to each branch of the library, and ask the librarian if there is a way you can do a reading at the local branch of the library.
- Consider schools. Elementary schools are good places to reach young readers, but it's generally difficult to break through to school and read in class. Instead, ask the librarian about the possibility of donating books and then talk to the school staff about the possibility of reading books. If they refuse, don't force it.
- Sell on the internet. Be sure to put up a page or facebook page to promote your book. Interested people can order it from there. It also provides a neat way for parents to get information about you and your book before buying it.
Method 2 of 3: Traditional Publishing
Step 1. Decide if you want to hire an agent
If you already have a manuscript, the next logical step is to submit it to the publisher. Unfortunately, many publications will not glance at your book without the support of a book agent. By providing a commission on your earnings (usually 15%), an agent will critique the manuscript, promote it to publishers and negotiate a payment contract.
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It can sometimes take a long time to get a good agent to work with you if you've never published something, and there are a lot of bad agents and scammers out there. Be careful, and only work with agents recommended by trusted sources. Some of the best places to find an agent include:
- Guide to Literary Agents, a book published annually by Writer's Digest Books
- Literary Marketplace, yearbook available in the research section of most libraries (in the United States).
- The Association of Author's Representatives (AAR).
Step 2. Find a publisher
If you decide not to hire an agency, you should find out which publishers accept manuscripts for children's books. Carefully scrutinize the latest issue of the Children's Writers and Illustrators Market or walk around the book fair and take note of each publisher that might fit your manuscript.
- Pay particular attention to publishing guidelines and registration advice. Many publishers will simply discard manuscripts that do not comply with the submission guidelines. If you can't find the details you need, try emailing or sending a package with an envelope containing your address and stamps to the publisher and ask for a manuscript submission guide.
- Look for children's books that are similar to yours in terms of content and target audience and take note of the publisher. They will most likely see your script.
Step 3. Submit your manuscript
Send it to each agent or publisher according to the manuscript submission guidelines. Follow the format requirements as prompted. Be prepared to get an answer about 3 months after submission. If you don't hear it after three months, chances are you won't hear at all.
Unless you're a professional illustrator, don't send pictures. Publishers generally choose their own illustrators to avoid potential copyright issues. If you want to include your own illustrations in the book, it would be best to move with an agent who will have better arguments than you
Step 4. Never give up
Keep printing the script and submitting it. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Many authors are rejected up to 50 times before their first book is published. Rejection is not a sign to stop; this is a normal part of the publishing process. Eventually, someone will offer you a contract, or you'll run out of publishers for you to send to. Don't stop until that point.
- If you are offered a contract, do your research to make sure the contract is fair. If you have an agent, the agent will do this for you, if not, consider hiring an expert to consult with you for an hour or two about the contract and whether the contract is good enough to sign.
- If you've been turned down a hundred times and the agents are showing no interest, it may be time to quit. Join a writing workshop or reread books on how to write children's books. Maybe you'll find that one or two simple mistakes that keep your book from getting noticed.
Method 3 of 3: General Instructions for Preparing the Book
Step 1. Do market research
This step is of course very important in any literature publication. Browse major bookstores and online, find out what books are selling well and are popular with children today. How does it compare to your work? Is it similar or completely different? Are you following a familiar theme or writing something completely new? By researching the market, you will find out where your work is in the current market, and where and how to target it.
Step 2. Determine the age group
Setting a target age for children's books is not as simple as setting a target for adult books. Think carefully about your book's target age. Is the content very simple? Or a little more complex and suitable for slightly older children? Is your book meant to be read by a parent or teacher, or will children be able to read it on their own?
Step 3. Think about the design and layout of the book
Many people will say that the size of the text in children's books should be larger, or that it can be enlarged online for easy reading. You may also need to think about the size of the book yourself if you plan to sell it in print. Famous children's book writers such as Beatrix Potter deliberately printed books in small sizes so that they could be easily grasped by young children.
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Illustration is very important in children's books. Pictures are important for telling children's stories, and some have argued that illustrations are more important than words in children's books. If you are not an illustrator, find a professional to help you. Children, especially young ones, are very interested in visuals. They will find it easier to understand and enjoy stories with pictures.
Can You Give Me Any Advice for Publishing a Children's Book Step 4
Step 4. Edit your story
While editing, pay attention to the language you use. Children's stories should be made following a simple structure with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Think carefully about the language you use in the story. It's a good idea to use basic words for most stories, but don't be afraid to slip in longer words every now and then. Longer words will benefit children's education as well as attract their interest in reading. Also, consider the literacy level of your target book age at school, and try to incorporate that into the story. Research the current educational curriculum if necessary.
Tips
- Write from the bottom of the heart. Don't just write children's books to make money – most children's books won't make much money, and even if they do, this is a side effect of ready-made books. Treat your book as a labor of love, and take the heart to rewrite, revise until it's finally published.
- If an editor asks you to revise a manuscript, be generous and follow their advice. Repost and remind them they have read before.
Warning
- No good agency will ask for a “reading fee” or other fee. They make money when they sell your book, not before, members of the Association of Author's Representatives (AAR), author's representation associations (societies in the US) are generally trustworthy, outside of that society take a good look at the terms and take notes.
- If you self-publish, do your homework. Be careful about additional costs, especially if they are written as a percentage. Don't want to if you don't have a clear idea of the total asking price.
