As you go through the process for your children’s book, try to keep in mind what colors and font are best suited for your book cover and the interior pages. After you determine the book trim size you’ll use, you can work on formatting your illustrations. But the best place to start may be with a storyboard.

How to create a storyboard for your children’s book

The first step in this process is creating a storyboard, which you can use as both a starting point and a roadmap to keep your book design on track.

When you create a storyboard, you are building a foundation for a beautiful book design. Your storyboard helps you figure out which sentences or paragraphs in your book should be accompanied by an illustration.

Eye-catching illustrations go a long way to marketing kids’ books. Although a storyboard might seem like an unnecessary step, it can really set you up for success in the long run.

What is a storyboard, and how is it made?

A storyboard is basically a visual representation of the children’s story that you’re writing. It helps you as the writer determine how many illustrations you need. And when you partner with an illustrator, it helps them understand the story and what you’re looking for.

To start making your storyboard, go through your story line by line and identify which parts should be illustrated. Some children’s book authors like to draw rectangles to help break up their overall story into smaller, more manageable sections. Each rectangle represents a section of your story. Just write some notes or sketch some ideas in each rectangle to create a visual storyboard for your children’s book.

Which tools can help you create a storyboard for your children’s book?

There are several tools you can use to create your storyboard. If you’re self-publishing your children’s book, there are two main options:

• Paper and pen or pencil. This might sound old fashioned, but some of history’s most famous children’s picture book illustrations started with a handmade storyboard!
• Graphic design software. You can use programs like Canva or the Adobe Creative Suite to create a storyboard template and add your notes and sketches directly into the software.

If you’re working with a publishing house, they might have resources like specialized software to help. However, you can also easily create a storyboard on your own if you’re self-publishing!

How long does it take to create a storyboard for a children’s book?

Creating a storyboard takes time, so try not to rush it. Keep in mind that a storyboard is a great way to communicate with your children’s book illustrator. If you rush your storyboard, your children’s book illustrations might miss the mark.

The actual time it takes to create your storyboard will depend largely on how long and complex your story and characters are. Each scene and character illustration takes time to both develop and create. So be patient and try not to rush this fun, creative process!

Layout, colors, and font options for children’s books

Choosing the layout, colors, and fonts for your children’s book is exciting! You really get to see your book come to life. These components will help create your book’s overall aesthetic, so it’s important to consider them as you begin to lay out the book.

How do you lay out a children’s book?

Once the storyboard is done, authors who self-publish picture books often work with their illustrator to develop the book’s layout. Here are a few questions that might help you create the layout:

• How many illustrations do you want, and how much of the page will they take up? You’ll have larger and more plentiful illustrations in a picture book than a more text-heavy book for a young adult reader.
• Where will the text be in relation to the book illustration on each page?
• Will you recycle an illustration for the book cover, or will the front and back of your book have their own imagery?

How can color choices affect your children’s book?

As you lay out your book, keep in mind that the color choices affect how your readers perceive your book.

Color choices greatly affect your readers’ initial reactions. If your book is catering to a young reader under the age of five, try to include bright colors to stimulate their minds. And if your story is more appropriate for children a little older, broaden your color spectrum a bit. Use colors that might invoke emotion, such as bright yellow for happiness, or a nice, calming blue.

What font styles and sizes should you consider for your children’s book?

When it comes to structuring picture books and young adult novels, the font you choose makes a big difference.

Young children learning to read will have an easier time understanding a picture book with a large font and clear, simple letter shapes. Conversely, an older child who can understand more complex storylines might prefer a smaller font.

There are millions of fonts out there. So choose the one that fits best with your book!

Common trim sizes for children’s books

Book trim size is an industry term for a book’s height and width. Your ideal trim size will depend on a few factors, including:

• Your reader’s age. The younger the reader, the larger the recommended trim size.
• The ratio of illustrations to text. If you need more room to showcase intricate illustrations, a larger trim size will suit you better than a smaller one.
• Your publishing method. If you self-publish, chances are your printing company will have a few templates for you to choose from. If you’re working with a publishing house, they might be able to create a custom size or shape for your book.

It always helps to research some cover design tips so you can learn more about standard and custom book trim sizes—and to find some examples.

What are some examples of trim sizes for children’s books?

You broke the mold when you wrote your children’s book. And you can do the same with a custom trim size if you’d like! However, depending on how you’re publishing your book and your overall budget, you might want to stick closer to the industry standards.

Here are a few examples of common trim sizes for children’s books:

• 12” x 9” or 9” x 7” for a board book
• 10” x 10” or 10” x 8” for a children’s picture book
• 6” x 9” for a text-heavy chapter book

Why is it important to know the average trim size of a children’s book?

Trim size is a big factor in how you design and lay out your book, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the average sizes.

If you begin to design your children’s book before you choose a publisher, it’s important to have an idea of the average trim size. This way, you and your illustrator can begin laying out the book and just make small adjustments when you choose the printer and get their template.

For example, say you’re creating a board book for very young readers. The book should be large enough to accommodate thick cardboard pages that are easy for little fingers to turn. You might be envisioning a big, impressive 16” x 16” book that showcases large, beautiful illustrations. However, if you start designing such a big trim size, you’ll have to do a lot of cutting if you end up printing a much smaller standard size.

On the other side of the coin, if you know that the average trim size of a board book is 12” x 9”, you can begin designing your book with those dimensions. This dramatically cuts down on your revision time down the road.

In other words, knowing the average trim size of a children’s book makes your life easier when you prepare the book to print and publish.

What does the term “safe area” mean when it comes to formatting a children’s book?

The term “safe area” is basically the boundary in which you can include your text and illustrations. Your book printer needs to leave room around the perimeter of your cover and each page to account for page margins and the binding.

Review the template that your publishing house or self-publishing company provided. There should be an overall boundary as well as a smaller “safe area” boundary. The space beyond the safe area basically allows the printer a little wiggle room so they don’t interfere with your font or illustrations when they print, cut, and bind the pages and covers.

How to format illustrations in a children’s book

All right, you’ve created your storyboard, chosen your colors and font, and picked a book trim size. It’s time to format!

Every part of your book needs to be formatted—even your title page, which probably won’t have much text or illustration. Formatting your illustrations is easier than it might sound, especially if you understand the basic formatting principles.

What factors affect how you format illustrations in a children’s book?

One important factor in how you format your children’s book illustrations is the ratio of illustration to text on each page. Some pages might have a large, colorful illustration with just a little text, and other pages in your book will work well with just a background image and more words.

Another factor to consider is the trim size. You don’t want to overwhelm a small page with a large illustration or too much text. Likewise, you don’t want a large page to look blank. In many cases, your illustrator will have access to software that will help you play around with formatting options so you can design the perfect page.

What software do book illustrators use?

Each professional book illustrator has their own preferred medium. Some prefer the tried and true, old-fashioned method of drawing by hand. However, in the evolving landscape of e-books, computer-based programs have gained popularity over the years.

Nowadays, many illustrators use tablets that they can draw on, just like they might on paper. This allows them to effortlessly save different sketches and color schemes to show the author.

The actual software will vary depending on the type of computer or tablet your illustrator works with. Here are a few of the most common software programs that book illustrators use:

• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• Canva
• Procreate
• Corel Painter

Once your illustrator has created beautiful images for your book, it’s on to the formatting process.

What are the steps to formatting illustrations in a children’s book?

Each book is unique. Although there’s no universally “right way” to format your children’s book illustrations, here are a few steps to take as you finalize your book design:

• Ask your publishing house or printer for their book template.
• Carefully review the template for the safe area and resolution requirements.
• Lay out each page of the book in the template. Play around with the font and illustration size on each page to make sure you’re happy with how it looks.
• Make sure each page’s text and illustrations fall within the safe area.

Most self-publishing companies are happy to answer questions about formatting. After all, they want your book to look great, too! So if you have any questions on the steps you should take to format your illustrations, just contact them for advice.

The right design will help your children’s book shine

Beautiful books capture their target reader’s eye. Since young readers are drawn more to pictures than text, beautiful book design is extremely important in children’s book design.

Let the experts at Elite Authors help you design the perfect children’s book. Visit our website to learn more about our book cover design, formatting, and marketing services!

The post Guide to Children’s Book Design appeared first on Elite Authors.

In order to be a successful children’s book author, you have to market your work in a self-publishing world. This involves determining your target audience and then connecting with them. There are different ways that you can market depending on your audience, book genre, and even your experience marketing previous books. And this process can start even before you even begin creating your new book!

How to find your children’s book’s target audience

Identifying your target audience helps you market to the right people. And when you determine your audience, you can start working on book marketing ideas to capture as many potential readers as possible.

So identify your target audience, perform some market research, and then wait for those book sales to ring up!

What factors determine your target audience?

One of the most important factors in determining your target audience is age group. Have you created a picture book for toddlers? Did you write a middle grade book with more prose and less pictures? Or are you publishing a young adult book with a complex story line and characters? Understanding your target audience’s age group helps ensure that your readers understand what’s happening in your book.

Another factor in finding your target audience is interest. Within each age group, different children have different hobbies and fascinations. So the overall theme and story of your book also help determine your target audience—and where to market your book.

How important is market research to your children’s book’s success?

Market research shows you whether there are enough potential readers to make your book successful. If the market research shows that there are a lot of books available that are similar to yours, that means you might not sell many books. But if the research shows that your target audience doesn’t have access to books like yours, chances are you’ll sell a lot of copies!

How do you determine the appropriate age range for a children’s book?

To determine your book’s appropriate age range, think about your story’s complexity, overall length, and the ratio of text to illustrations. Here are some basic guidelines to determine the appropriate age range:

• Picture books or board books are great for toddlers and young children. They have lots of illustrations and not much text.
• Middle grade books explore more than one main character and deeper plots.
• Young adult books introduce complex themes and issues to the reader. These are almost always chapter books.

How to build your following as a children’s book author

Your following is important. It establishes you as a serious children’s book author and puts you in front of more people. And if you’re hoping to make a career out of writing, your following will help build your author platform and expand your target audience.

Why do you need to build a following as a children’s book writer?

If you want to make a living as a children’s book author, you have to build a following. You can even create an author brand so that your readers can easily find your work.

When you build a strong fan base, your target audience will seek out your books. They might feel a connection with one of your characters or really enjoy your illustrator’s work. You want your readers to want more of your work. When you build a following, you’ll earn more book sales and a reputation as a professional children’s book author.

Why should you work with an agent to build a following as a children’s book author?

Hiring a literary agent can really catapult your career as an author to the next level. An agent will prepare your book for your audience. They’ll help with everything from your book cover design to line editing to make sure your book is perfect. And after that, they can help you get a book deal with a publishing house!

How do you build a platform as a children’s book author?

Building an author platform helps you market and sell your book. You can build a platform to strengthen and widen your fan base, which leads to a solid reputation as an author. And more book sales!

Here are a few components that your author platform should include:

• Expertise. Know what you’re writing about, and let your expertise shine through your book.
• Previous books. Each previous book helps build your platform—even if you’ve changed genres. For instance, if your past work involves a nonfiction novel or an adult coloring book and you’re moving onto children’s books, your platform is already established!
• Existing readers. You can increase your fan base and strengthen your platform by keeping your existing readers happy and wanting more.
• Social media presence. Social media is an inexpensive—and sometimes even free—marketing platform. Your readers (or their parents) are likely on social media. So post about your book and increase your following.

How to market your children’s book online

Book marketing is key to your success as an author. There are different types of marketing, like advertisements, a book launch event where you read part of your book aloud to a group of people, and even book fairs. But don’t forget about the importance of online marketing!

Many people research and purchase books online. So you need a strong online presence to capture those potential readers. The more you market online, the more book sales you’ll earn.

What steps must you take to market a children’s book online?

Since the internet is so widely available, it’s relatively easy to market your book online. Here are a few steps that you can take:

• Create a website for your book. This helps with advertising and lets your target audience read about you and your work.
• Create a blog for your book. You can write the blogs yourself or hire a professional book blogger. You can talk about your personal life, your career, and your inspiration in your blog. You can even throw in a short story or a poem that you’ve written!
• Create a social media presence for your book. Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram are powerful and inexpensive venues for marketing your children’s book.

How can you use social media to market your children’s book?

People love sharing their experiences on social media. It’s fun, easy, and free. And when your book has a social media presence, people can share their experiences about your book. So ask your existing readers to send in pictures of themselves enjoying your book and to leave a review. This is great free marketing for you and can lead to a lot of book sales.

How does the back cover of a children’s e-book help with your online marketing?

Regardless of whether you’re printing your book or publishing it as an e-book on a platform like Kindle or Apple Books, it’s important to have an eye-catching cover to draw your audience in. Book cover creation is an art, so you might need to hire a professional illustrator. Just think of it as an investment in the self-made success of your book.

Where to market your children’s book in person

In-person marketing is great. It allows you to connect with your audience face to face. And when you get to know your readers, you can create more kids’ books that they’ll love! This type of marketing is important whether you’re self-publishing or working with a traditional publishing house. So get out there and meet your audience!

Where can you market a children’s book in person?

There are several ways that you can market your children’s book in person. You just have to know where to look. Here are a few places to start:

• Book launch. This gives you the opportunity to meet your readers and to give them fun facts about your story and illustrations that they might not know.
• Book reading. When you read aloud to your audience, they get a better understanding of how you imagined the characters and what words in the book are most important to you. Your tone and pitch are important here, so be sure to practice!
• Book fairs. Some schools, libraries, and bookstores sponsor and host book fairs every year. And although it might cost a little money to set up shop at a book fair, it’s a great way to meet your audience and earn some book sales.

How do book readings help you market your children’s book?

Book readings help you communicate your message to your audience. As you read aloud, you might emphasize certain words or change your voice to speak for a character. This helps the audience to understand your vision of your story.

A book reading also allows you to talk about your book and give your fan base some interesting information they might not be aware of. What inspired you to write the book? How did you direct your illustrator to create the imagery? You can educate your audience and have a lot of fun in the process.

How can writers’ organizations help you market children’s books in person?

Writers’ organizations are basically sounding boards and support groups for authors. For example, if you’re just starting out as an indie author, you can join a writers’ organization for advice on self-publishing versus working with a traditional publisher. And if you’re an established children’s book writer, you can ask these organizations about marketing ideas you’re not yet familiar with, like book apps or TV advertisements.

The writers in these organizations can also help you market your books in person. They’ll have information on upcoming events, book fairs, and other ideas that you can join. So use your fellow authors as a key resource when you decide where to market your book.

Success in children’s publishing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and hard work. Fortunately, if you plan things out and ask for help when you need it, you can become a successful children’s book author.

Why is it important to think in the long term when marketing children’s books?

If you want to earn a career as a professional children’s book author, you have to think in the long term. Consider the big picture here. What are your ultimate goals for your book? Do you have plans to write more than one book? Will you hire a literary agent to help you get a book deal, or are you more interested in self-publishing?

You can make a living as an author. All it takes is planning and hard work.

What steps should you take before you even write your children’s book?

You can start preparing for success before you start writing your children’s book. Here are a few steps to take:

• Perform market research to make sure that you’re not adding yet another book to an already saturated market.
• Join a writers’ organization to get some advice. They can help you decide between traditional publishing and self-publishing, introduce you to the best illustrator for your book, and provide advice on hiring a literary agent.
• Create an author website for yourself, and talk about your upcoming book on social media. This will help you build interest before you even start writing your book.
• Read other authors’ success stories. During the marathon to success, it’s easy to get discouraged. But learning about other people’s positive experiences can help you stay optimistic and focused.

How can you get professional help writing and marketing a children’s book?

Everyone needs help sometimes. But when you need help as an author, where do you turn?

If you’re working with a literary agent or a traditional publishing house, let them know what you need a hand with. And if you’re a self-published author without those resources, you can turn to a writers’ organization for guidance and advice.

Marketing your children’s book leads to book sales and a great career as an author!

Elite Authors wants to help you succeed as a professional children’s book author. We can take care of your book formatting, editing, and marketing. Reach out to us to learn more!

The post How to Market a Children’s Book appeared first on Elite Authors.

So you have a great idea for a children’s book. You can envision the beautiful illustrations. You can imagine it in the hands of young readers all over the world. And you can hear the sound of book sales ringing up. But how to market your children’s book—that’s a different story!

After you outline your story idea, rough sketch your illustrations, and share your idea with a couple of loved ones—then what? There are so many illustrated children’s books competing for attention in the children’s publishing market. How do you write a children’s book that will attract an audience? Then how do you get that audience to notice your book? And how do you get the word out so that your book dreams transform into book sales?

How to find your children’s book’s target audience

To reach the children—and parents—who will love your children’s book, your first step is to know who your potential readers are. How old are they? What are their interests, challenges, and goals? What other books are they reading?

Looking for the answers to these questions is called market research. Market research reveals whether there’s a market for your book and whether that market is unmet or saturated. For instance, say you want to write a book about trains for eight-year-old girls. How many other books about trains for that age range and gender already exist? Is your particular story idea already covered by one or more books for your same target audience?

In other words, unless your story is unique or directed at an underserved target audience, there may be too much competition for your book to succeed.

Factors that determine the target audience

To determine your target audience, consider the potential reader. Your audience’s age group is the most influential factor in the style, format, and content of your children’s book.

The age group for children’s books ranges from about two to eighteen years old. Within that age range are a number of genres based on age:

• Toddler books and board books
• Young children picture books and beginning chapter books
• Middle grade nonfiction books
• Middle grade fiction books
• Young adult books

Age range most suitable for a picture book

Picture books tell stories through illustrations. They ideally have fewer than three hundred words—sometimes almost none—and are written in a repetitive or rhyming style.

A picture book for toddlers is formatted as a board book. It has thick cardboard pages that make it very sturdy. And it is normally small enough for young children to hold on their own.

If your target age group is between four and eight years old, a hardback picture book with an eye-catching book cover is the ideal format. Picture books for these young readers usually have fewer than one thousand words, focus on one main character, and are heavy on illustrations. These books tend to be larger in size to optimize their illustrations.

How to determine an appropriate age range for a children’s book

If your story is longer, more complex, or has more characters than a picture book, consider an elementary school or middle school age group. Elementary school kids are beginning readers between five and eight years old. Books for these children include illustrations on nearly every page and have fewer than two thousand words.

A middle grade book is usually a chapter book with a complex story line and several characters. This type of book has a target audience of nine- to eleven-year-old kids. These children’s books can be up to 150 pages long.

Young adult books are geared toward a target audience of advanced readers in an age group of twelve years old and up. They are long chapter books—usually at least sixty-five thousand words—that deal with complex adolescent issues, themes, and emotions (hence the reason adults are a target audience, too). Young adults are technology savvy and may own their own Amazon Kindle or tablet.

How to build your following as a children’s book author

The literary world is extremely competitive. Building a following—that is, a fan base—is another tool in your book marketing kit. For example, think of book covers where the author name is larger than the title. Consider books that sell before they are even published. These effortless sales occur for children’s authors who have already put in the work to build a following.

Why it’s important to build a following as a children’s book writer

After you work hard on your children’s book, you want people to read it, right? But sharing the news with your email list of friends and family is not enough. In addition to your book, readers want to know about you. How do you have the knowledge or expertise to write about your subject matter? How do you relate to the personal circumstances of your character?

Readers buy into your “author brand” as much as they buy into your subject matter. Your author brand is your unique identity that is based on your special interests, passions, and expertise.

The work you put into building your author brand will pay off in book sales. You will earn fans and build a following—not just for your first book, but for a whole series.

Why you should work with a literary agent to build a following as a children’s book author

If you’re really serious about getting your children’s book off the ground, get help from children’s literature experts before self-publishing or sending your manuscript to a publishing company. A literary agent can offer a great deal of support in helping you improve the quality and appeal of your book. An agent will offer the following:

• Give feedback to improve your content
• Connect you with an editor
• Connect you with an illustrator if needed
• Help you get a contract with a publisher

The best ways to build a platform as a children’s book author

What is an author platform? Think of your platform as the base from which you can market and sell your book. Your platform is made up of the following:

• Expertise in a particular area
• Proven ability to carry out your commitments
• Contacts and connections
• Social media presence
• Previous books you’ve published
• Personal story and personality

The next section explains how to share your author platform through social media and your online presence.

How to market your children’s book online

When marketing your children’s book online, you are only limited by your creativity. There are some tried and true steps to follow, but also make sure to look into what other authors are doing to create buzz and excitement about their books.

Steps to market a children’s book online

Get out there and get online! This is especially helpful to reach your online audience of young adult readers who communicate through online platforms.

Follow these steps to establish an online presence for both your children’s book and you as a children’s book author:

1. Create a website for your book.

This is just a simple website that tells readers about you and your children’s book. Include a homepage, a book page, and an “about the author” page.

If you’ve created a picture book, share some of your beautiful illustrations. If you have an illustrator, link to their page for even more exposure.

Include an author bio, which is a biography about you, your life, and what inspires you. Keep it short and sweet.

2. Start a blog.

Consider adding a blog page to your book website or your author website. Share blog posts that talk about who you are, what inspires you, and who is important to you. You can also share some of your other work, like poems and short stories.

Invite other book bloggers to write a guest post on your page and return the favor by guest blogging on their page. This not only increases your exposure but also builds connections with other children’s authors.

3. Create an author page on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn (or all three).

As opposed to a personal page, an author page is purely about you as a children’s author sharing your professional goals, plans, and accomplishments in children’s book publishing.

On your author page, you can engage with readers, respond to their questions, and get their feedback. You can post your book reviews and even review other children’s authors’ books—and  ask them to do the same for you!

How social media can help you market your book

Social media is your best tool for getting your book noticed in the competitive market of children’s books for a number of reasons:

• No limits. Social media—as opposed to traditional media—has no geographical boundaries. You can share your post about your new book throughout your friend group, your community, your town, your country, and even around the world.
• Fast and easy access. Social media offers easy access to your book. If you are self-publishing and therefore not yet listed on a publisher’s website, you can include a link to buy your e-book and download it to an Amazon Kindle, a Barnes & Noble Nook, tablet, or even a smartphone.
• Increased connections. Each social medium connects your entire author platform. Your Facebook author page links to your book website, which links to your blog, which links to your book review, and so on.

How the back cover of a children’s e-book can help with online marketing

The back cover of your children’s book can make the difference between a book reader and a book rejector. The back of your children’s book should include these elements:

1. Back cover text—a short paragraph that communicates the following:

• What your children’s book is about
• The intended target age of the reader
• What’s special about the book (e.g., the illustrations, the unique subject matter)
• The conflict or problem faced in your story—but not the solution!

2. A photograph of you and possibly your illustrator (preferably a professional headshot)
3. A stunning back cover design

For the best results, enlist a professional to help you turn your back cover into a marketing tool.

Where to market your children’s book in person

Social media is important, but it’s not the only method of book promotion for children’s book authors. Meeting your target audience live and in person is still a powerful method of book marketing and also a rewarding part of your marketing efforts. You don’t need to plan a national tour—local gatherings are just fine.

Consider scheduling a simple event, such as the following:

• A book reading. These are popular events for young children and an effective method of book marketing for children’s book writers. If you have a children’s picture book, you can share details about the illustrations. For a chapter book for a middle grade age group, you can read an excerpt from your chapter book and then take questions. And if the library does not allow you to hold a book sale, you can pass out bookmarks that list your book’s website—another good tool for book marketing.
• A book launch. This is a chance to celebrate and announce your children’s book whether you are self-publishing or publishing traditionally. If you’re promoting your first book, this is a fun way to meet your target audience while promoting your children’s book and your new career as a children’s book author. Once you become a known children’s book author with a following, a book launch serves to strengthen your fan base and reward your loyal supporters.
• A book club or mom’s or dad’s group meeting. Use social media to find a group that would like a children’s book author to be a guest at their meeting. It may be a small group, but it can lead to expanded word of mouth, book marketing, and book sales.

The kind of venues that are available for marketing your book in person

To choose the best venue to promote your new book, determine where your target audience likes to read, hang out, or discuss books. Ideas include the following:

• Library
• School
• House of worship
• Bookstore
• Cafe
• Book club meeting in someone’s home
• Mom’s or dad’s group meeting at a park

How you can use book readings to market your children’s book

Preparing for a successful book reading will pay off in connections, book marketing, and book sales. You can reach more than just the people who attend in person if you follow these tips for success:

• Get the word out on social media. Invite all your contacts through Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Send a personal email to invite your friends and supporters.
• Practice, practice, practice! Read your book. Practice showing the pictures if yours is a picture book. Get feedback from a friend to ensure you deliver the smoothest book reading possible.
• Take pictures of the event and post them online.
• Be professional and polished.
• Prepare to conduct book sales. Set up your method of payment ahead of time, such as on Venmo or Square.

How writers’ organizations can help you market your book in person

A writer’s organization is more than a sounding board and support group. Membership in a writer’s organization can support your book marketing efforts by helping you build professional connections that can guide you on the path to success.

When looking for a writers’ association to join, look for one that offers benefits. Some ideas of benefits include a group that will help you with the following:

• Put you in contact with experienced authors who can share their expertise and wisdom
• Help you make connections with literary professionals such as editors and publishers, literary agents, illustrators, and producers
• Give you access to job boards, internships, fellowships, writing contests, and online libraries

Success in children’s publishing: a marathon, not a sprint

If all these steps to publishing a successful children’s book seem daunting, remember that they are steps—that is, take them one at a time.

Step 1. Do your research. Make sure your book meets a need, tackles an issue, or addresses an audience that no other children’s book does.

Step 2. Create your online presence. If you are a first-time children’s book author who is self-publishing, take advantage of online tools to help you create a professional-looking website. Hire a professional photographer for a high-quality head shot.

Step 3. Grow your social media presence with a Facebook author page, LinkedIn author profile, or Instagram posts about your writing process and your self-publishing or traditional publishing process.

Step 4. Attend and hold events where you can meet your target audience face to face.

Step 5. Enlist the help of professionals along the way. This is an invaluable way to learn from seasoned children’s writers, make industry contacts, and ensure high quality text, illustrations, front cover, back cover, layout, and printing.

Step 6. Now write your book! Children of all ages will love it.

Tips for getting professional help with writing and marketing your children’s book

We offer several services to help your children’s book writing succeed. Find out more by visiting these pages on our website:

• Expert interior book formatting
• Book cover marketing text
• Expert book marketing services

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