How to Publish Children’s Books

One very popular genre of self-publishing is children’s books. Writing a children’s book is a noble feat: you’re passing along knowledge to the next generation. It may seem like just a simple little picture book, but these books are so immensely important to these kids. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that children who are read to frequently are more likely to:

• count to 20, or higher than those who were not (60% vs. 44%)
• write their own names (54% vs. 40%)
• read or pretend to read (77% vs. 57%)

These same kids will pull from these experiences as they age. Children who are read to frequently will read more independently when they are older than children who aren’t read to. Therefore, children’s books – whether they’re read by the parent or by the kid—are integral to the development of the child. That’s why writing a children’s book—or several children’s books, for that matter—is such an important task.

Why are children’s books so popular?

It’s pretty simple: parents want their children to read! It’s an essential part of life. Children’s books sell because they’re entertaining and educational to the child. Reading is such a necessary skill that parents are more than willing to buy tons of books for their children. So, if your first thought was, how much money can you make publishing a children’s book?, don’t feel bad. It’s a valid question! In order to create a successful children’s book, you must stay as dedicated to it as you would a novel or a memoir. Like any other book, it is a work of art; just because it’s for kids shouldn’t mean it should be easy or simple. In fact, there’s all the more reason to make it as good as possible.

Writing a children’s book: what to do, what not to do, and how to stay inspired

The genre of children’s books is pretty broad. Some people expand this to include YA (or Young Adult) novels, but for the sake of this article, we’ll be referring to picture books and middle grade (think chapter books for elementary students) books.

Children’s book publishing companies are looking for well-written, intelligent, instructive, and playful books. Therefore, when writing a children’s book, you must be sure to dedicate lots of time to it. The plot should be understandable by a child, obviously, but it should also work to teach a lesson. The moral of the story should be clear enough that a kid can understand, but you shouldn’t need to spell it out. This can be more difficult than it seems. It’s hard enough to craft a plot, but to imbue that plot with a lesson is even harder. There’s a reason people say that the way you can tell if someone truly understands something is if they could explain it to a five-year-old. That’s because it has to be broken down simply, and therefore you have to know it inside and out.

Now, of course, with any novel, you may find yourself burnt out. In order to stay inspired, read popular children’s books of the day, books like Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, Matilda, and anything by Dr. Seuss.

Self-publishing a children’s book

If you’ve been wondering about how to self-publish a children’s book, you’re on the right track. Self-publishing a children’s book is the best choice: it expedites the long process of traditional publishing, and the final product is stunning. With glossy pages perfect for photographs and drawings and several different types of binding, POD publishers like DiggyPOD are perfect for aspiring children’s book authors. Your book is infinitely customizable with vibrant color, laminate covers, glossy pictures, and large pages that are easy for tiny hands to grab.

Play around with the DiggyPOD Quote Calculator to see how your book might come to life by choosing size, page count, paper stock and lamination type.