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How to Publish Your Own Children's Book
Kenneth Guentert
5.5" X 8.5", 32 pages, $10.00
b/w, Illustrated

Changing technology has made it easier than ever for you to publish your own children's book. However, if you don't understand the publishing process, you may not be able to take advantage of these changes and could make some costly mistakes along the way,  To remedy this, Kenneth Guentert has written this step-by-step guide that walks you through the process of publishing your own children's book, from developing the concept to getting it down on paper and from preparing it for the printer to marketing it successfully. The result should be a project that is both saleable and financially viable.   

Kenneth Guentert  has more than 30 years of experience in publishing. He has been an editor-in-chief, a marketing director, and a production manager for independent book publishers. Currently, he is president of The Publishing Pro, LLC, which provides coaching, editorial, design, and production services to publishers of all types. 

How to Publish Your Own Children's Book is currently available in both E-book and printed formats. The E-book does not have a shipping charge. To order with your credit card, click on the "add to cart" button below and follow the instructions to check out. Once your credit card is processed, the E-book will be emailed to you. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required.) Processing is not immediate and may take a day or two. If there is a problem with your order, call 719-630-0783

How to Publish Your Children's Book, E-book format

How to Publish Your Children's Book, Printed format

TABLE OF CONTENTS  

  1. Your Concept

  2. Your Audience

  3. Your Buyers

  4. Your Business Plan

  5. Your Marketing Plan

  6. Your Production Plan

  7. Your Pricing Strategy

  8. Your Storyboard

  9. Your Partner, the Illustrator (Sample chapter)

  10. Your Partner, the Writer

  11. Writing and Illustrating Your Book

  12. Presenting Your Work to a Book Preparation Shop

  13. Working with Your Book Preparation Shop
  14. Implementing Your Marketing Plan

YOUR PARTNER, THE ILLUSTRATOR

If you are the writer and have finished your storyboard, you are ready to approach an illustrator.

You probably have given some thought--or worry--about this already. Relax. You have already done important footwork. You have defined the kind of book you want, its audience, its tone, and its dimensions. You have done a storyboard, so you know exactly how many illustrations you need and in what dimension. These are the specifications you can take to an illustrator.

How do you find the right illustrator?

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Make a small sample book containing copies of the type of work you like. You may not be able to locate or afford the particular illustrators, but you can use your sample book to show prospective illustrators what you are looking for.

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Get referrals and samples from book preparation specialists, graphic shops, and printers.

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Network. Ask around.

Once you find an artist, you'll be able to give your artist a clear set of your expectations. That's because you've done your footwork, come up with a storyboard, and have a good set of specifications.

However, you'll still need to negotiate a deal.

There are three ways to go. Which way you go depends on how involved your artist wants to be in the project--and how involved you want him or her to be.

bulletWork for Hire: You can pay the artist for drawings that you will then own. This is a "work for hire" arrangement. This is the best way to go if the illustrator wants to make some quick money, isn't worried about owning the illustrations or participating in the ownership of the book. You then own the art and have the right to re-use it. Generally, this is the simplest way to go.
bulletLicensing: You can pay the artist for the drawings and let them retain ownership of the art. This is less advantageous to you, but it may be the only way to go if the artist is already well known or if you want to use art that is already in publication.
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Co-authorship: You can make the author a co-author. In this case, you and the author agree to share the project's expenses and profits. You don't need to do this equally--you can agree to any split you want. This is a good way to go if the illustrator identifies so much with the project that she wants to be involved in the business end. (Note: don't confuse this legal arrangement with putting the name of the illustrator on the cover. That's a separate decision, and you can do that even if you have made a "work for hire" arrangement with your illustrator.) This is a trickier arrangement, just because partnerships can get complicated, but it has considerable advantages. You eliminate your upfront costs, share your expenses, and potentially add to your sales energy. It's worth considering if you have a strong positive relationship with your illustrator.

Whatever you do, do it in writing, not with a handshake.

How Much Should You Pay?

I can't give you one rule of thumb. There are too many variables. But here are some things to consider: 

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What kind of illustrations do you want? Line drawings can be done quickly. Oil paintings take a long time. Keep this in mind when you select the type of art you want. 

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How fast does the illustrator work? Illustrators base their prices both on the time they have to spend on a drawing and on what the market will bear. Some illustrators, like caricaturists, can work very quickly. You'll get better value from the fast ones.

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How experienced or well known is your illustrator? If your author is famous, of course you are going to pay more. However, a veteran illustrator may be able to work more quickly than an amateur. A talented but unknown teenager may give you a good price.

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How do you plan to work with the illustrator? If you are inexperienced, you may try to interact with the illustrator in ways that are quite costly, for example by asking for repeated revisions. Veteran illustrators may know this is a hazard in working with inexperienced authors and build it into their asking price. Or they may set some parameters to try to control the revisions.  

© 2003 Kenneth Guentert. All Rights Reserved.

How to Publish Your Own Children's Book is currently available in both E-book and printed formats. The E-book does not have a shipping charge. To order with your credit card, click on the "add to cart" button below and follow the instructions to check out. Once your credit card is processed, the E-book will be emailed to you. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required.) Processing is not immediate and may take a day or two. If there is a problem with your order, call 719-630-0783

How to Publish Your Children's Book, E-book format

How to Publish Your Children's Book, Printed format

 

The Publishing Pro, LLC
511 Custer Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719-630-0783
Last updated: 11/06/11