Pros to self-publishing your children’s book:

• Having full authority over any creative or commercial decisions is a great advantage when it comes to creating illustrations.

• Rather than waiting for a publishing deal from an agent, consider publishing your work sooner.

• Author can put diversity at the forefront. For more on the lack of diversity in traditional publishing, see here.

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Cons to self-publishing your children’s book:

• The author could fall into the vanity publisher/assisted self-pub trap. Hint: If you have to pay, run away. For everything you need to know about vanity pub: shaylaraquel.com/blog/vanitypublishers.

• Self-publishing in the correct manner can be quite expensive, especially when it comes to children’s books due to the need for illustrations. Hiring professionals to complete the work may only add to the cost.

• It is no secret that there is an abundance of poorly written self-published books. To be successful, you must strive to be the best amongst them.

1. Know your genre and word count.

• Kids aged 5 to 9 typically read books that contain between 1,000 and 2,500 words, although most stories from this age group are generally shorter, around 1,500 words.

• Teens from the ages of 13 to 17 are the target audience for Young Adult (YA) literature, which typically contains less than 70,000 words (unless it is science fiction/fantasy).

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2. Settle on one objective for the plot.

Since you only have 400–700 words, you don’t want to throw in several objectives for the main character to accomplish. It’s a little too confusing for kiddos. Try to stay on track with one goal. For example, in Mother Bruce by Ryan T. HigginsBruce the bear is in a predicament; a group of goslings have taken residence near him and they seem to have no intention of leaving. How can Bruce get rid of them?

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3. Keep your message timely.

There’s a whole lot of stuff going on in our big world. Our kiddos could use some guidance. You’ll see children’s books on topics you never would’ve seen back in the days of Dr. Seuss. For example, in Drawn TogetherA young boy visits his grandfather, but due to the lack of a shared language, they experience confusion, frustration, and silence. However, a special moment occurs when they both realise their shared passion for art and storytelling, leading to a connection that surpasses verbal communication.

Examine ideas such as culture, language obstacles, households with mixed backgrounds, intimidation, and additional topics.

4. Remember the importance of diversity.

• In the past 23 years, a mere 11% of children’s literature has been characterized by multicultural content.

• In 2016, only a small fraction (6%) of children’s books were authored by African American and Native American writers.

• In 2012, out of 3,600 books, only a small fraction featured African Americans, at 3%, and a lesser proportion related to Latinos at 1.5%.

My point is to remember that there are people of different ethnicities throughout the world. We should be aware and appreciative of the diversity in our society.

Resources:

• The Diversity Gap in Children’s Book Publishing, 2017

• https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/overwhelming-whiteness-publishing-industry

• https://hubpages.com/literature/Multiculturalism-in-Childrens-Books-in-America

5. Write your best story.

Writing your own story is a great way to impart a lesson to your children. Consider the type of story you want to tell, whether it be fun and lighthearted or more serious and meaningful. As you write, imagine the characters, whether they be human or animal, and what they might bring to the story.

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6. Send to beta readers who read in your genre.

It is essential to remember that when seeking someone to provide feedback on your work, ensure that they are familiar with children’s literature. Many mothers are excellent choices for beta readers. It is also important to consider that the parents of your target demographic are millennials, who typically have a desire to ensure their children learn valuable lessons.

• Millennials are often known for their dedication to helping those who are in need; around 70% of them donate their time and skills to causes that they are passionate about.

• Many millennials would rather experience something exciting and meaningful than buy something they desire. Living life with passion and adventure has a higher priority for these individuals than acquiring material items.

Resources:

• https://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/Millennials_Research/Gen_PR_Final.pdf

• https://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/08/millennials-are-more-generous-than-you-think.html

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/24/millennials-are-actually-more-generous-than-anybody-realizes/?noredirect=on

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7. Create an illustration storyboard.

Once your story has been written, you will need to determine what each illustration should look like. To do this, you can create a storyboard, which contains a set of words on one page followed by a description of what the illustrator should draw in the brackets.

Think about creating a Pinterest board of illustration styles that match the tone of your book. This can be used as a reference for your illustrator.

8. Make rewrites.

What did the people who read the beta version of your book think of it? What feedback did they have for you? Utilize their opinions to make the necessary changes and then take a break from the book for a couple of weeks. Put the book aside and focus on your marketing plan. You can dedicate your time to creating a website, Facebook page, or Instagram page.

Take another look at it and make any last modifications before continuing on to step 9.

9. Send book to editor.

When selecting an editor for your children’s book, it is important to find someone who is passionate about working with this genre and can provide you with the best guidance. If you are new to the world of editing, it is helpful to become aware of the appropriate and inappropriate things to do while working with an editor.

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10. Hire an illustrator.

It is essential to create a contract when collaborating with an illustrator. This document should cover the details of the project, such as the scope of work, payment terms, copyright information, and any other particulars.

Finding illustrators can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Start by inquiring with your editor if they know someone suitable. It can also be beneficial to check in with other authors you’re familiar with. This can help you stay within your circle of contacts before looking further afield. Additionally, it can be useful to ask in author-focused Facebook groups.

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11. Send final manuscript and final illustrations to interior formatter.

Once editing and illustration are complete, the manuscript and illustrations should be sent to an interior formatter. This person should be knowledgeable in InDesign in order to turn the book into a PDF.

12. Send formatted manuscript back to editor for proofread.

Now that you have pulled together your words and illustrations into a single PDF, it’s time to send it back to the editor for a last review before it’s finished.

13. Choose printer and order proof copy.

I have had experience with several printers and I can confidently suggest two of them for their quality and user-friendliness. These are the machines that I recommend for anyone looking for a reliable printer.

• IngramSpark

• Amazon KDP Print

It is essential to not overlook requesting a proof; it is easy to miss details during the editing process. Requesting one proof copy and thoroughly examining it is strongly advised. If any changes need to be made, it is important to inform both the editor and illustrator so they can make the modifications and get the project completed.

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14. Take it for a test drive.

Why not share this story with your children, nieces, nephews, or cousins and observe their reaction? Will they stay engaged throughout the reading? Are they enthralled by the tale?

15. Make any final changes and publish!

Bonus: If you want a step-by-step guide on how to self-publish your book, including marketing and printing tips and tricks, then grab the free Pre-Publishing Checklist

Bonus Awesomeness on Self-Published Kid Lit from Brooke Vitale:

https://brookevitale.com/blog/how-to-self-publish-a-childrens-book

Shayla Raquel is an experienced editor, successful author, and book promoter who works personally with authors on a daily basis. Shayla has had a passion for literature for as long as she can remember and has been part of the publishing world for a decade. She specializes in self-publishing.

She offers guidance on her blog, which has earned recognition, to both budding and experienced authors in terms of writing, publishing, and promoting their books.

She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, “The Rotting” (in Shivers in the Night), The Suicide Tree, #1 bestsellerThe 10 Commandments of Author Branding, and her book of poetry, All the Things I Should’ve Told YouIn her limited spare time, she serves as a coordinator for the Yukon Writers’ Society, delves into the realm of true crime, and is captivated by squirrels. She resides in Oklahoma with her canines, Chanel, Wednesday, and Baker.