Hello writers!
I get asked about children’s books a lot these days, especially since launching our hybrid press, Purple Butterfly Press.
I will say that the process to do a children’s picture book is both very different and very similar to an adult book. It’s more complex because, well, illustrations and layout are far more complex than a book that is just all typeset.
While you’re still exploring your options, my best advice would be to go to the SCBWI website and scroll down to the FAQ where they specifically have guidance for getting started and finding and hiring an illustrator.
How much does it cost to self-publish a children’s book?
If you’re planning to self-publish a children’s book, you should plan on investing at least $5,000, but more realistically, more than that, unless you are illustrating or you have a friend or family member who will be doing the illustrating, editing, layout, etc.
Estimated Costs associated with a children’s book (these can all vary tremendously):
Editing: $200-$1000 depending on length and quality of writing
Illustration: $1500 – $10,000+ depending on all kinds of factors
Layout: $500-$2000
Promo and marketing: $50 – $10,000+
I work with authors to basically project manage the publishing process to help you find the best routes and options for all of these to save you time and money. I also focus largely on helping you build your author platform, build up toward a big launch, and help you actually sell the book once you’ve published it. As a project manager, my fee is $1500, which includes the cost of layout, (up to $500) the actual “production” of the book and the elements needed, (ISBN, etc), guidance on where/how to load and publish, author coaching and guidance on promo and launch.
You can also join our free Facebook group, which has many children’s book authors and you can ask questions there.
