Would you love to see your picture book published and being enjoyed by children and families?
While many aspiring children's authors dream of a contract with a major publisher, a growing number are experimenting with indie-publishing to hone their craft or to publish a story for a niche audience.
Here are six top tips for aspiring authors who are thinking about self-publishing a picture book.
1. Set a goal for your self-published picture book
Have an honest think about your self-publishing goal.
Do you want to create just a few copies of your picture book to share with your family and friends, without spending too much money? Do you mind if the finished product looks a bit homemade, or would you prefer to publish a picture book that is indistinguishable from trade-published titles? Do you want to make a printed book, an ebook, or both? (Keep in mind that ebook sales are generally low for picture books.)
Setting a clear goal for your picture book project will stand you in good stead for your self-publishing journey and help you plan your budget.
2. Edit until your story shines
Even the most brilliant authors have their work edited. Every one of them. And often extensively. Humility and hard work are key to the quality of your finished product, so don’t assume your first draft (or even your third) is good to go.
Ask for feedback from honest, trusted friends or members of your writers’ group. Sometimes feedback can be confusing, but do listen carefully to people’s responses and consider making edits, especially if you start to hear a trend, such as: “I don’t understand the ending”.
Whether you pursue trade publishing, indie publishing or both, critique groups and professional manuscript assessments are great ways to hone your craft and make your stories stand out to potential publishers and readers.
3. Find a balance between DIY and expert help
Know your strengths and your limitations. If you’re trying to make and market a high-quality book, it is very likely that you will need to invest in expert help for some tasks.
Whether you're a primary school teacher or a social media guru, you are bound to have some specialist skills to bring to the table. For other tasks, such as illustration and design, it may well be best to work with a professional to make your picture book the best it can be.
4. Be realistic about your budget
While you explore your self-publishing options, make a list of all the potential costs. Then factor in some contingency funds for any unexpected expenses.
Your biggest costs are likely to be paying an illustrator (unless you are an author-illustrator) and getting the book printed, depending on whether you choose traditional offset printing or print-on-demand.
You may be thinking that your book sales will cover all of your costs. But don’t be so sure. Selling books is hard and it’s very common for creators not to break even.
So be very conservative about how many books you expect to sell and start thinking early about potential sales avenues. Perhaps you know someone who owns a gift shop or, if your book is about a particular theme, perhaps you could try to sell it through a like-minded organisation.
5. Beware of ‘vanity’ publishers
It’s totally understandable to feel a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of self-publishing and wonder if there’s someone out there who can just take care of everything for you.
When you start searching for self-publishing information online you will almost certainly come across companies offering to publish your book for a (sometimes hefty) fee. These companies are known as ‘vanity’ publishers, and their offerings can sound very shiny and appealing.
Many of these companies don’t set out to be deceptive but, in reality, their services may not be good value for money.
In short, when something seems too good to be true, it may very well be. So do lots of research, ask lots of questions, and take time to mull over your options.
6. Collaborate with care
When you self-publish a picture book, you have the privilege of being very close to the production process and making lots of decisions along the way, probably including working directly with an illustrator to bring your story to life.
This is a wonderful process, however you should check yourself when it comes to giving feedback. Yes, you need to ensure that the artwork does justice to your story, but don’t be overly prescriptive, as this will almost certainly impact the quality of your book.
If you choose your illustrator (and any other contributors) carefully and develop a good relationship with them, you should be able to trust their expertise and allow them the freedom to work at their best and add value to the book. Probably in ways you never thought possible. This is where the magic happens.
A final thought…
Above all, self-publishing a picture book should bring you joy. So keep checking in with yourself throughout the journey and make sure you are not overstretching your budget, or your energy.
We live in a very busy world and life can often get in the way of our creative dreams. So, once you decide to self-publish a book, be true to that goal.
Set aside a bit of time each day, or each week, to devote to your passion project and eventually you will be unboxing your creation.
Learn more
My How to Write a Picture Book + Manuscript Assessment course include three bonus modules on self-publishing, exploring budgeting, design and working with an illustrator.