christine sharp

author, illustrator, book designer, editor, photographer, artist

Part 10: PR — book launch, web presence, book talks and more

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My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children

From ‘Bertha and Bear’ by Christine Sharp, 2017

You’ve secured a publishing deal with your dream publisher, and your book has been scrubbed and shined till its spick-and-span, ready for publication. What now? Clearly, you need to let people know about your book so they can buy it. You didn’t do all that work for nothing!

There are a few ways to broadcast the good news of your book.

BOOK LAUNCH

First of all, there is the question of a book launch. Why is this a question? Isn’t it a given? Well, not necessarily.

While publishers do their best to market your book – they want your book to sell, after all – most publishers these days do not have it within their budget to organise and pay for a launch. I remember this came as a surprise to me. For some reason, (probably because of all of the stories and misinformation I’d heard), I imagined the publisher would throw a party to launch their latest book-baby into the world. But, as a wise woman (my agent) told me, ‘Unless you are the captain of the Australian cricket team, a launch isn’t usually part of the deal’. She was right. In other words, if you want a launch – and it is likely you do – you are going to have to do it yourself.

Saying this, in my experience, your publisher will certainly support you in hosting a launch, as will the bookstore, should you choose to hold your launch in a bookstore. For each of my three children’s picture books, my publisher, and the bookstore owners and staff, all threw their weight behind launching my books. They helped to publicise the launches, booked seats using their booking system, provided wine, created displays, honoured me with their presence and, importantly, sold books.

Your launch can look however you’d like it to look. You may like to host a morning tea, with coffee and tea available for the adults and treats for the kids. There may be a reading and an activity. Or, you may prefer to hold an evening event and offer wine and nibbles, gearing your launch towards parents, rather than the children themselves. It usually depends upon who you believe will be coming. Do you mostly have child-free friends or friends whose children have flown the nest? A nighttime launch may be for you. Do you, on the other hand, have friends with gaggles of children in your target readership? Perhaps a daytime launch is best.

Consider where you’d like to hold your launch. For each of my picture books, I’ve organised launches at bookstores where I now live, where I used to live and in my hometown. Bookstores are ideal for launches as, if your book is being stocked in your bookstore of choice, your launch will benefit the bookstore by creating sales. It’s a win-win situation. Bookstores often host launches, so they will be well-versed in what is required to create a successful launch.

Your book, however, may be suited to launching in a different kind of space, perhaps because of its particular themes or because of your connections. As long as you are able to sell books at your launch, you can hold your launch there. Do be aware, however, of pesky things like insurance. You don’t want to hold your launch somewhere where, if one of the guests, young or old, falls over and breaks something crucial, you have to foot the bill. Best to gather your party in a space where all of the insurance bits and bobs are in place ­– and somewhere easily accessible by differently abled persons.

For your launch, you will probably want to consider catering. The bookstore may have a wine sponsor and you might be able to purchase a catering package. Alternatively, you may like to provide catering yourself. This is an arrangement between you and the bookstore. Ask questions and talk to your local bookstore about the possibilities.

Remember to let everyone know about your launch. Your publisher and the bookstore will promote the event, but you’ll need to spread the word to your networks, too. Share the event on social media, send an email to your database, and send your friends and family a personal invitation. If there are any book reviewers you’d love to see at your launch, make sure you or your publisher invite them and send them a copy of the book.

It is also a good idea to ask someone – a published author, someone who has shepherded your writing career, a well-known figure, or a valued peer – to speak at your book launch. Ask someone you respect and admire, and perhaps present them with a thoughtful gift as a gesture of thanks.

Remember to thank the relevant people at your launch: your publisher, editor, the bookstore owner and team, your partner, family and friends, and the guests who have bothered to come. Life is busy and the people who choose to attend your launch are there in support of you and your book. They deserve your thanks.

After the speeches and a reading, and perhaps an activity for children, it is usual to do a signing. This means sitting at a table and signing books for people as they buy them, often made out to someone in particular. Before your launch, consider what it is you’d like to write to your readers in their copy of the book. You may be able to think of a witty one-liner or a warm and heartfelt message relevant to your story. It does not have to be the same for every book, but you’ll be surprised by the number of people who ask you to write something to their child besides your signature.

Speaking of signatures, decide how you are going to sign your books. It can be prudent to protect the signature you reserve for signing banking and legal documents, and create a new one, designed for just this purpose. You don’t want to give too much of yourself away – especially in these days of identity theft.

Also, here are two small but important things to do: First, find a good pen and have a backup on hand for when that pen runs out. Particularly if the pages of your book are shiny, you’re going to want to sign them with a pen that won’t smudge. Second, before you write someone’s name in a book, be certain you have the right spelling. Get the recipient to write the name on a piece of paper first, if you can. Don’t assume a familiar-sounding name is spelled as you imagine it. It may well be different, and you don’t want to write the wrong name in a book.

Finally, remember to enjoy your launch. This is the celebration of your creative work. Hopefully, you’ve gathered friends and family, people who are thrilled to see you launch your book. Take the time to connect with them. If they are in a position to buy a book, they will. Regardless, they are there for you and that is enough.

From ‘Bertha and Bear’ by Christine Sharp, 2017

WEB PRESENCE AND SOCIAL MEDIA

In the lead-up to and following your book launch, you are going to need to put your publicity hat on. An author, at any stage of their career, needs to take responsibility for their own publicity. Particularly as a newbie author, you will have to manage your own website, social media, database and more, unless you have the funds to have someone manage it for you – but that’s not as much fun, is it?

Of course, your publisher will promote your book in their e-news and catalogue; they may put your book forward for various awards and pitch you to writers’ festivals; and they may coordinate readings at libraries and bookstores, but often, particularly once your book has been launched and it is ‘old news’, it is up to you to keep the flame burning. Your publisher’s marketing budget will only stretch so far, and there should be no-one more interested or invested in your book’s marketable life and your publishing career than you.

First things first. Do you have a web presence? In this day and age, when almost everything happens online, you must. You need a website or a blog, and an actively growing social media following. You don’t need to be across all social media platforms (who’d have the time?), but choose one or a few that you genuinely like. Then, once you’ve created your website or blog and your chosen social media profiles, work at keeping them current, relevant, welcoming and interesting. Post thoughtful, useful and inspiring content to your blog – you’re a writer, after all – and share meaningful content on social media. Nurture your followers and grow your readership.

Don’t be afraid to share good news with your tribe. A new book deal, an award – let your followers know so they can be happy for you. This is not always easy to do, perhaps particularly in Australia where culturally we’ve been taught to knock down the tall poppy and side with the underdog. We don’t want other people to think we’re up ourselves, do we! But, you’re going to have to get used to sharing your triumphs (and sometimes your hardships) with people, and being your own champion and publicist. You’ll grow more comfortable with it as time goes by; or, at least, the post-sharing angst will become easier to tolerate – mostly.

Not only will a vibrant online presence help to grow an audience for your book or books, it may well help you land another book deal. These days, if you are penning a well-written blog and demonstrably attracting a growing following, you are a more attractive proposition to a publisher. This may be more the case for nonfiction authors, yet it still applies to children’s picture book authors and illustrators. Basically, if you have the means to begin building an online profile, do. Just don’t get so bogged down or distracted by your social media interactions that you fritter your time away and neglect your real work – your books.

From ‘Bertha and Bear’ by Christine Sharp, 2017

BOOK TALKS AND MORE

As well as building your online brand, take some real-life action to further your writing career.

Consider reading for children at your local bookstore, or at bookstores further afield. While many appearances will be voluntary, you can grow your readership and make lovely connections with your readers. You might like to read your book and conduct an activity with the children. Just be sure to communicate clearly with the bookshop about what materials are available and what you will need to provide.

If you are a great speaker with an interesting topic or repertoire, you might consider joining a speakers’ agency with the aim of generating presenting work at schools, libraries and writers festivals. School visits are (or should be) paid, and some authors can earn a living wage through touring schools. Take a look at the recommended rates of pay for public and school appearances on the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) website.

If your time and funds allow, why not hit the road? You can visit bookstores and libraries and have a lot of fun along the way. Organise it all in advance, of course, and publicise it well.

If you have a new book contract, a few months before the release date, consider creating a media list to help your publisher’s marketing manager. The marketing manager will already have a reliable list of children’s book reviewers, but if your book explores a specialised area, it is well worth marketing to people in that field, too. For example, my second book, Sylvia, is set in an organic market garden. So, a couple of months before it was launched, I spent a day or two researching publications, such as gardening magazines. Once I’d identified some potential avenues for publicity, I contacted each publication and asked if they’d be interested in receiving an advance copy of the book for review or exposure. Most were interested and a few were not. I passed on the list of positives to the marketing manager, who then sent each one a book and the media release. As a result, the book gained exposure to a targeted, relevant readership.

There are many things you can do to build your readership and your profile. If you’re feeling stuck, sit down with some paper and coloured markers (why not?), possibly with a friend or two, and brainstorm some ideas. You’ll be surprised at how many things you can think of. Write a list and refer to it whenever you find yourself thinking everyone has forgotten about your book (which you happened to find squashed under a stack of more recently released books, down at your local bookstore). If you’re feeling disheartened, do something about it.

Remember, in the world of publishing, unless you’re already a superstar, it is up to you. Be proactive and promote your good work to the world.

Chris x

If you found this post helpful, you may like to read other posts in the series: My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children. I will publish the posts over the coming weeks and announce them on Facebook and Instagram, but if you want to make sure you don’t miss a post, subscribe to my newsletter for free.

My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children:
Part 1: Know and love your readers
Part 2: Ideas and inspiration
Part 3: Character, theme, rhythm and rhyme, and all of that writing stuff
Part 4: Who’s who in the zoo (writer, illustrator, editor, designer, publisher)
Part 5: Editing and storyboarding
Part 6: Illustration
Part 7: Traditional publishing or self-publishing
Part 8: Submitting your manuscript — the slow business of traditional publishing
Part 9: Contracts, advances and royalties
Part 10: PR — book launch, web presence, book talks and more
Part 11: Who are you and who do you want to be?
Part 12: Resources

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Part 8: Submitting your manuscript — the slow business of traditional publishing

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From ‘Bertha and Bear’ by Christine Sharp, 2017

My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children

Inspiration has struck, you’ve put in the hours, your story is begging to be published and you’ve decided you’d like to take the traditional publishing route. The next step is to submit your manuscript to a publisher or a literary agent, usually via email. But, before you do, you want to be sure you are sending off your best work. This may be the one and only time your dream publisher casts their expert eye over your story, so you really want it to sing. My advice? Once you believe you’ve perfected your manuscript, engage someone impartial to critique it — not your best friend, who no doubt will be supportive, and certainly not someone without experience in the industry or in your genre, but an objective professional. Contact your local writers’ organisation to find a manuscript assessment service or locate a good editor who can help you polish your work. Then, once you’ve ironed out any problems and your baby is well and truly ready for its chance-of-a-lifetime audition, you can send it off with confidence.

But not too much confidence. A sobering statistic: apparently, around 97% of manuscripts sent to publishers are rejected. That’s a lot, isn’t it? Don’t despair. Many manuscripts have been rejected, sometimes multiple times, before being picked up by the right publisher. You may just have to knock on more doors to find the right home for your book.

In any case, to find a suitable publisher, you need to do some research. Spend some time in your local bookstore (buy a couple of beautiful books while you’re there) and find out who publishes your favourite books. A bookstore is better than a library for this particular task as you can begin to understand the trends and tastes of the current market. Make a list of the publishers who publish the style of work you are hoping to produce, then go online and find the ‘submission guidelines’ page on their website. Check to see if they are currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts, and specifically if they are accepting work in your genre. There is no point in sending your manuscript to publishers who are not presently open to receiving it. Some publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts period, in which case it may be necessary for you to secure a literary agent. Again, research literary agents to find a good match and then approach them with respect. A good agent can be an author’s best friend. (Read more about literary agents here.)

Once you’ve targeted a couple of suitable publishers, carefully read their submission guidelines and follow them. Don’t let a good story be relegated to the reject pile because you failed to comply with the guidelines. Write a considered and communicative cover letter and craft it with the same care you gave your manuscript. It represents you, after all. Check it and check again and, once you’re sure, press ‘send’.

Now, we wait … and you may need to be patient, as some publishers can take several months to reply. Some may send you a receipt of acknowledgement and then only contact you again should they have an interest in publishing your story. At least you’ll know if you’ve not heard from them within the specified period that it is time to send your manuscript to the next publisher on your list. Again, check your next publisher’s submission guidelines and follow them to a tee.

The whole submission process can take far longer than you had anticipated and it may be downright depressing. But, buck up, little camper, and take heart. You’re going to need all of the resilience you can muster to keep backing your own work, now and into the future. You may well face rejections, even after you’ve had one or more books published. Or you may, one day, read less than favourable reviews of your work, and you’re going to need to believe in yourself. So, should your manuscript fail to start a bidding war and you find yourself feeling deflated and defeated, you are going to need to pick yourself up and try again. Either revisit your manuscript with fresh eyes to find the problem, or keep sending it out in search of the right publishing deal. In the meantime, you can begin work on the next story, and the next …

From ‘Bertha and Bear’ by Christine Sharp, 2017

On the other hand ­– and it does happen – a publisher may read your submission, become all sorts of excited and present it with enthusiasm to the publishing committee, who collectively decide you’re the best thing since unsliced sourdough bread and make you an offer. Hooray! Now, I’ll talk a little about contracts, advances and royalties in the next part of My 12-part guide, but, here, let me just say that beyond the thrill of the moment, this is only the beginning. You may have to wait for a surprising amount of time to see your book on the shelves of your beloved bookshop. From the time of submission to the time of release, it can often take a year or two or more. The publishers have a schedule to adhere to and they’ll try to find the best time of year to release your particular book. It may be that the book is perfect to launch just before Mother’s Day, or it might be a great fit for Christmas or spring. And just because the book has been accepted, it does not mean the publisher won’t want to make changes. It will likely need editing and re-editing, and, if it is a picture book, there is the illustration process to consider.

All in all, traditional publishing can be a sometimes frustratingly slow process. However, should you find a great publisher, who happens to believe in your book, they will help you to shape and shepherd it so that it becomes a work of which you are truly proud and one that will have a good chance of surviving, even thriving, in the competitive book market. Good luck.

Chris x

If you found this post helpful, you may like to read other posts in the series: My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children. I will publish the posts over the coming weeks and announce them on Facebook and Instagram, but if you want to make sure you don’t miss a post, subscribe to my newsletter for free.

My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children:

Part 1: Know and love your readers
Part 2: Ideas and inspiration
Part 3: Character, theme, rhythm and rhyme, and all of that writing stuff
Part 4: Who’s who in the zoo (writer, illustrator, editor, designer, publisher)
Part 5: Editing and storyboarding
Part 6: Illustration
Part 7: Traditional publishing or self-publishing
Part 8: Submitting your manuscript — the slow business of traditional publishing
Part 9: Contracts, advances and royalties
Part 10: PR — book launch, web presence, book talks and more
Part 11: Who are you and who do you want to be?
Part 12: Resources

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Part 7: Traditional publishing or self-publishing?

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A sketch for ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children

Not that long ago, people sneered at self-publishing. They thought of it as the last resort — for writers whose work wasn’t good enough to be snapped up by a publisher. This is no longer the case. There are now some great books out there that are self-published, and it is a very valid option — in fact, a great choice — for some writers. But is it both an option and a good choice for you? And, in particular, is it a good choice for authors of children’s picture books? In this post, I want to offer you some information that may help you to decide between the self-publishing and traditional publishing routes.

Please note: this article is primarily talking about printed books. E-books cost far less to produce, but most picture books for children are printed. We’re focusing on printed books here.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

Self-publishing

There is a lot to consider if planning to venture into self-publishing. It involves a great deal more than writing, illustrating and designing your book, then sending it to print. This isn’t to say it shouldn’t or can’t be done. But, the first thing to note is, should you choose to self-publish a children’s picture book, you will need a substantial sum of money and a vast amount of time to invest in the project. And, if you have the funds and free time, you need to be sure you can make it worth your while.

I am now going to address each step of a typical pathway to self-publication, which will help to explain the process. If all of the work and expense outlined below does not turn you off self-publishing picture books, and you are confident you can make a go of it, good for you. But let’s take a look at what is involved.

MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT

Imagine you’ve written your story — a manuscript for a children’s picture book — and you’re happy with it. You’ve read it to your family and a few friends, and they all think you’re brilliant and you should be published. If you are thinking you’d like to self-publish your story (because you’ve heard you get around 85% of the profits as opposed to a measly 10%), the first thing you are advised to do is send your manuscript to an objective reader for a manuscript assessment.

Take a look at the websites of your state writers’ centres and most will offer manuscript assessments or mentoring programs for writers. These programs vary in cost, but they are well worth accessing because a professional has the skill to see any problems and is equipped to work with you to ensure your manuscript is up to scratch — well, not just up to scratch, but something worthy of being published. It is very difficult for your mother or your bestie to tell you if your writing sucks, but it is the job of a dedicated writing team to do so. Do some research to find the right professional assessment or mentorship program, and then take the plunge.

EDITING

Now that you have a completed manuscript in your hands, which has been given the tick of approval by a professional, should you pay to have it edited? The answer is yes, depending upon how thoroughly your manuscript was assessed and developed. If it was simply assessed, you should most definitely have it edited. If, however, you and your manuscript went through a mentorship program and your work has been scrutinised by several keen pairs of eyes, and one of those pairs of eyes belonged to an editor, then perhaps not. But do remember the importance of editing and know that most writers are not editors. You want to make sure your book is the best it can be, and that it goes to print without any typos or grammatical issues.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

ILLUSTRATION

Next, you need to consider the illustrations. If you are a writer and an illustrator, then you may begin the process of illustrating your book. If, however, you want an illustrator to create beautiful illustrations for your book, you are going to have to find the person for the job. Now, this step can be tricky, primarily because people generally underestimate the time it takes to illustrate a book and therefore undervalue it. Here’s a link to the recommended rates of pay for book illustration, according to the Australian Society of Authors.

You’ll need to research illustrators (try The Style File) and find someone whose style you love, and you’ll then need to communicate with them very clearly about what you want. Provide them with a design brief, and respect their working process and their time. You will more than likely need to allow more time for the illustration stage of creating your book than you’d imagined. Illustration takes time and many illustrators have work booked in months in advance. And remember to expect to pay your illustrator for their work. Good illustrators are professionals who expect and deserve to be well rewarded for their expertise.

If, on the other hand, your brother or your good friend has a knack for drawing and is keen to do the illustrations, you may consider working something out. First of all, be sure their work really is good enough to feature on the pages of your book, and know that just because someone can replicate a cartoon, or even draw a still life particularly skilfully, doesn’t mean they can illustrate a picture book. Think about your buddy’s suitability for the job before approaching them, to avoid unnecessarily hurting their feelings later.

Also, just because your illustrator is your friend doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay them. Look at those professional illustrator rates and think about what you are prepared to pay for your illustrations. Of course, some self-published authors promise illustrators, especially if they’re friends, a percentage of the profits, but you cannot be sure your book will ever earn enough from sales to pay your own way, let alone your friend’s. This is something for you and your friend to work out, but be sure to be careful or you’ll create rifts and resentments that needn’t occur.

BOOK DESIGN

Next you will need to have the book designed. This means laying out the book in InDesign or another professional design program, and making it print-ready. Again, if you’re lucky, you may have the skills, or you may have a friend who’s a deft hand at design, but it is likely you’ll need to contract a book designer. Be aware that not all graphic designers are good book designers. Book design is a specialised subset of graphic design, and you’re best to find someone good at their craft. As far as I am aware, there is no set rate for book design; you’ll need to contact a book designer (oh, hello, I am one) for a quote.

IMPRINT PAGE

At this stage, don’t forget about the imprint page. Take a look at various books and check out the information they include on their imprint pages. In a self-published book, you’ll want to credit the people involved, say something about copyright, mention your website (you do have a website, right?) and include your ISBN and catalogue-in-publication data.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

PROOFREADING

Next, think about having your finished book proofread by a professional. Something may have gone amiss during typesetting and you don’t want your book going to print with an avoidable error. This shouldn’t cost too much because, presumably, your book doesn’t have too many words and most proofreaders charge per word or words per hour. Most picture books have under 500 words, more again under 250. Again, this is a highly recommended step.

COLOUR REPRODUCTION

Your next consideration is colour reproduction. I won’t go on about it here as I’ve talked about colour reproduction in other posts, but it is a valuable step of the process. Colour reproduction ensures your illustrations are colour matched to the stock on which they are to be printed. You don’t want your book coming back to you with dull or horridly bright images. Colour reproduction ensures this won’t happen. You’ll need to contact a pre-press company for a quote on your book.

PRINT

Next, at last, is print. At this stage (well, actually well before now), you need to decide upon a printer. First of all, it is interesting to note, that fewer picture books are self-published than most other genres simply because of the costs involved in printing a full-colour book, however short. As it is, most picture books are printed offshore, usually in China, because it is less expensive per unit. You may like to contact some local printers as well as some offshore printers to make a price comparison, but do factor in the price of shipment and tax of offshore printing, too.

There is no hard and fast rule here. Many local printers who specialise in books do a wonderful job. (On that note, do be sure the local printer you choose is experienced in and equipped to print and bind books before you decide to go with them.) The benefits of going local are that you can converse with the printer directly about your job and you are keeping business in the country.

The upside of sending books offshore is cost. There are several sustainable offshore printers who do amazing work and who cost considerably less than local printers. Reputable offshore printers have local representatives with whom you can speak directly about your book, and who will keep you informed about the printing process.

In the end, it is up to you. Do your research; check out who printed your favourite books by reading the imprint page; get in contact and source some quotes. Then do the best thing for you.

The other viable and increasingly popular option is print on demand. This is as it sounds: instead of ordering thousands of books in the hope of selling them all, you can have books printed as they are ordered by customers. This is a safe way of wading into the publishing pool and, while the cost per unit may be slightly more, it may well save you lots of money in the long run. Again, do your research.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

STORAGE

Now, imagine you have ordered thousands of books and you need to store them. Where? Perhaps you have a great big weather-proof storage shed out the back or a ginormous lock-up garage that’ll do the job, but chances are, you don’t. Boxes of books take up more space than it is likely you have and you need to store them somewhere safe. I’ve known people to hire storage space in their local area, and there are also dedicated book warehouses dotted around the place. Again, you’ll need to do some research. Ask around, make some calls, and find out what will work for you and your budget.

DISTRIBUTION

If you are self-publishing your book, you are also responsible for the distribution — that is, unless you are interested in having your book represented by a professional distributor. A professional distributor is not obliged to represent your book should you wish to engage them. A distributor has their reputation to protect and will only work with you if they feel they can place your book with booksellers — that is, they believe booksellers will want to stock your book. A good distributor has established relationships with booksellers and knows where your book is likely to be stocked. Check out book distributors online and make some enquiries. There are, of course, costs involved, which will be dependent upon your arrangement with the distributor.

Alternatively, if you decide you would rather distribute your own book, be ready to hit the road. Not only are you going to have to make a lot of phone calls and send a lot of emails, you are going to have a far greater chance of placing your book with booksellers if they can see a copy of your book and meet you. They are going to want to know that a) they like your book and believe they can sell it, b) you are a reasonable person with whom they feel confident they can do business, and c) you are prepared to do the work it is going to take to sell your book. (What? More work? I’ll explain more about marketing in a moment.)

Again, no bookseller is obliged to stock your book and many bookstores are reluctant to stock self-published books because it means negotiating a new business contract with each author — think about the paperwork that means for the bookseller. Yes, many booksellers prefer to deal with the distributors with whom they already have a solid relationship. Another thing for you to consider.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

MARKETING

If you are having a book published, regardless of whether it is being self-published or published traditionally, you are going to have to market yourself and your book. This is true even if you hire a professional publicist, which we’ll look at in a moment. If you are intending on being a successful published author, you will need, at minimum, to have a website and a social media following, and, importantly, an email database of interested readers. Not that long ago, this wasn’t the case, but times have changed and now all authors, unless they are already super-duper famous, need to actively grow their public profile if they are to sell books. I’ll talk more about this in Part 10: PR — book launch, web presence, book talks and more.

If you are self-published, you need to be even more invested in your marketing. Again, you may have to hit the road, this time to do author talks, readings, school visits and book signings. You will want to try to drum up media coverage, be it a radio interview, a mention in a relevant publication or a book review on a blog. You will want to get your work out there, in front of as many people as possible to sell your book. There are a lot of people competing with you for their time in the sun, so you need to come up with some interesting angles to sell your book.

If you can afford it, you can hire a publicist. A good publicist is worth their weight in gold. They already have relationships with the media, and they know proven methods and valuable secrets to marketing your book. Also, and it is worth noting, it is far harder to self-promote than you may imagine. It is tiring to keep talking yourself and your work up when you are feeling deflated having endured a few knockbacks. Tricky, too, particularly in Australia, where our culture encourages us to play ourselves down. Having someone, such as a publicist, toot your horn for you can be a lifesaver.

PROFIT

My three children’s picture books are published by UQP, so I am not an expert when it comes to the percentages of profits of self-published authors. You can do your own research, just as I have; there are plenty of articles on websites that talk about the various profits to be made in self-publishing.

Some sources say to expect 85% profit from sales of self-published books, although I imagine this figure relates more to e-books than hard-copy books, especially those sold through retail outlets — booksellers require and deserve a slice of the pie too, you know. And, before clapping your hands you will need to take into account not only your investment and the ongoing costs of distribution and marketing, but the fact that traditionally published books generally make more sales, in Australia and overseas.

I think the main exception to that rule is authors who already have a huge following; say, a TV celebrity who puts out a picture book or a professional blogger with many thousands of followers. Those people attract more sales because they already have celebrity status and people will buy what they sell. Saying that, most celebrities will choose to be traditionally published rather than self-published as they a) can crack ripper deals, b) would rather the professionals do what they do best and c) don’t have the time to manage a self-published book. A very popular blogger, on the other hand, may well be able to sell thousands of books through their website and dodge the costs of selling through the traditional channels.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

Middle ground … and a warning

If you choose to self-publish, but you don’t want to tackle everything yourself, there are various reputable organisations and businesses out there dedicated to helping authors bring their books to the world. Many credible publishers now have self-publishing arms — a great middle ground to getting your book published. They have publishing expertise and can help with everything, from manuscript assessment through to marketing, for a fee. Again, and as with everything, do your own research and look at the self-published books in their portfolio for evidence of their efficacy. If you believe you’d like to pursue self-publishing, it may be just what you need to help you navigate the journey.

Do be aware, however, that there are many unscrupulous people lurking around, very happy to sell you a pipedream and make a ton of ill-gotten cash in the process. Don’t be the person caught out with a thousand books stacked up in your spare room (and the lounge room and the sun room and your daughter’s garage), with dashed hopes and a pile of bills. DO YOUR RESEARCH.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

Traditional publishing

This section on traditional publishing is far shorter than the first section on self-publishing, primarily because I don’t want to cover the same ground.

As you are probably already aware, should your manuscript be accepted for publication by a traditional publisher, the publisher will bear responsibility for and shoulder the cost of editing, illustration, book design, typesetting, proofreading, printing, storage, distribution and a degree of marketing. Not only will your book cost you nothing, apart from the substantial amount of time you spend writing, editing and perfecting it, you will be paid an advance against sales to seal the deal. That’s right: instead of paying to have your book published, you will be paid. It may well not be a jaw-dropping amount of money, but you will not be out of pocket.

You can expect your royalties to be around 10% of sales, which isn’t bad when you think of all of the work (see Self-publishing above) you didn’t have to do to get your book on bookshelves around the country, hopefully even overseas. You can focus on what you do best — write — while the professionals can do what they do — publish your book.

Not only that, but having your book published lends it credibility. You, or your agent, have submitted your manuscript to a publisher who has endorsed your work. Publishers will only publish books that they believe are worthy of being published, that fit their list and that they believe they can sell. Why publish a book if it is a dud? Of course, it happens, but to publish your book, your publisher is saying that they believe in you.

Credible publishers know the ropes of publishing, and they will hold your hand through the process. They will let you know what is expected of you, and they will do their best to create marketing and sales opportunities for your book as they want your book to be successful — their profit depends on it.

Saying that, even though your publisher will dedicate a certain amount of marketing dollars to your book, the money will only stretch so far. The more boutique the publisher, the smaller the marketing budget is likely to be; and the more unknown the author, the smaller the budget again. The captain of the Australian cricket team may well get a book launch paid for by the publisher, but the average early career author will not.

You are still responsible for a great deal of the marketing of your book and of yourself, as an author. It is likely you will need to organise and pay for your own book launch, and that you will need to supplement your publisher’s marketing efforts. You may like to write social media shout-outs, and rustle up media opportunities and book readings. It will all help to sell your book and advance your writing career. Do all of this in cooperation with your publisher and be sure to communicate with them about any of your marketing efforts. You don’t want to double-up or omit something the publisher has done or has not done.

From ‘Aurora’, an illustrated novella, work in progress, by Christine Sharp

Yes, it is very difficult to enter the world of traditional publishing. I heard somewhere that an astonishing amount of submissions — around 96%, if I remember correctly — are rejected. There are a lot of children’s picture books out there, so imagine just how many are being sent to publishers on a weekly basis! But, if your work is good, if your idea happens to fit the publisher’s list, and if the publisher can envisage your book in the hands of little readers around the country and the world, then you may well be just what they’re looking for.

My thinking: consider attempting the traditional publishing route before launching into self-publishing, unless you have money and time to spare, and an impressive social media following. In some cases, self-publishing is the best route to take, but it more often leads to dead ends and disappointment. Either way, before you decide to self-publish or before you submit your manuscript to publishers, do your best work. Your book represents you and the world deserves the best you have to give. You owe it to yourself.

Chris x

If you found this post helpful, you may like to read other posts in the series: My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children. I will publish the posts over the coming weeks and announce them on Facebook and Instagram, but if you want to make sure you don’t miss a post, subscribe to my newsletter for free.

My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children:

Part 1: Know and love your readers
Part 2: Ideas and inspiration
Part 3: Character, theme, rhythm and rhyme, and all of that writing stuff
Part 4: Who’s who in the zoo (writer, illustrator, editor, designer, publisher)
Part 5: Editing and storyboarding
Part 6: Illustration
Part 7: Traditional publishing or self-publishing
Part 8: Submitting your manuscript — the slow business of traditional publishing
Part 9: Contracts, advances and royalties
Part 10: PR — book launch, web presence, book talks and more
Part 11: Who are you and who do you want to be?
Part 12: Resources

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Part 5: Editing and storyboarding

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My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children

From ‘Bea’ by Christine Sharp, 2013.

These two topics — editing and storyboarding — are not necessarily closely related, but they are both, nonetheless, crucial elements of writing and publishing picture books for children. Why I thought I’d tackle them in the one post, I can’t remember now, but seeing as I had already outlined my 12-part guide before I’d written the posts, I am sticking to my guns. So, here’s part 5 of my 12-part guide. I hope you find this information useful on your journey towards becoming a published children’s book author.

EDITING

Never underestimate the importance of editing. Any good writer will tell you that they’ve spent a great deal of time polishing and perfecting their manuscript. In the case of children’s picture books, editing is imperative: there are so few words in a picture book, each word and every sentence counts.

Edit and craft your work. Do not settle for good enough. Do not settle at all. A memorable story needs to have perfect rhythm and the words need to be exactly right. Remember to read your story aloud as you are writing it. How does it sound? Consider your rhythm and your choice of words. Could you choose another word make the sentence more interesting? Check your spelling, your grammar and your punctuation. Wrestle with your writing and buff it until it shines.

Remember, too, editing does not only occur once you’ve secured a publishing contract. Make sure you edit your manuscript before you submit it to a literary agent or publisher. I’ve spoken with a few aspiring authors who assume, should they be accepted for publication, that their idea is enough — it is the editor’s job to whip their story into shape. Of course, while it is true an editor will help you refine your manuscript, it is your responsibility as the writer to make your story the best it can possibly be before you submit it. How insulting to send a publisher a half-baked story containing errors, and what a waste of an opportunity. Edit your work and give yourself your best chance of being published.

On that note, writers are not always the best editors of their own work. Indeed, while some writers love to write and can tell a cracking story, their writing may be far from grammatically correct. Not all writers are editors and that is okay. Also, even if a writer has a firm grasp of the written language and of editing, they are often too close to their work to clearly see the problems. Consider contracting a professional editor to edit your work before submitting to publishers or agents. While I cannot promise you your story will be accepted for publication, you will definitely better your chances.

If you are truly determined to become a published author, and if you want readers to love your stories and your writing, always, always edit your work.

STORYBOARDING

A storyboard is a tool used by authors, illustrators and designers to map out a book (or a magazine, film, animation, play etc.). It is usually done after the manuscript has been edited, at the start of the illustration or design process. A storyboard is used to organise the text across the number of available pages of the book, to iron out any problems. Illustrations are usually sketched on the ‘pages’ of the storyboard, so the author, illustrator, editor and designer can each see the author’s concept of the book. Storyboarding helps the author to nut out any issues, and detect any dead spots or sequence dilemmas.

I highly recommend children’s book authors take the time to create a storyboard, even if another person is illustrating the story. By dividing your manuscript across the pages, you’ll begin to understand the flow and pace of your book, and you’ll see more clearly just how your story is going to look in a book format. It can be a little daunting, and plotting your story takes time, but it is an exercise well worth doing.

Also, you do not have to wait until you have secured a publishing contract to mock up a storyboard. In fact, once you’ve written your story and edited it — remember the importance of editing — it can be a great idea to create a storyboard. As already explained, a storyboard will reveal to you any problems that need to be tackled, and you can attend to these before you send your story to publishers.

The standard picture book for children is 32 pages. The storyboard, however, is made up of 40 numbered pages. How can this be? Let me explain. Here’s a mockup of a storyboard, below.

  • Page number 1 is actually facedown, stuck to the inside front cover of your book. It is the reverse of the first endpaper page.
  • Pages 2 and 3 are the endpapers at the beginning of the book. When doing your storyboard, particularly if you are also illustrating your book, you may like to consider if you’d like your endpapers to feature a plain colour, a pattern or an illustration.
  • Page 4 is usually reserved for the imprint page. Information listed on the imprint page may include the publisher’s name and contact details; the author’s name and birth date; the name of the illustrator and designer; copyright information; and the ISBN and catalogue-in-publication details. In children’s picture books, because pages are so few, the imprint page may also house a short author biography, an author photo and even a dedication. The imprint page is sometimes better placed at the end of the book on page 37, depending upon the space required for certain illustrations and the flow of the book. The best place for the imprint page can be determined through the storyboarding process.
  • Page 5 is usually the title page, which may feature the title of the book, the authors’ name, the publisher’s logo and an introductory illustration.
  • Pages 6–37 are reserved for the story. The text and illustrations are plotted across these 32 pages or 16 spreads. The storyboarding process can help you decide where you want to place single-page or half-page illustrations, where you intend to have double-page spreads, and where you’d like to see text and no illustrations.
  • Pages 38 and 39 are the endpapers at the end of the book. These usually mirror the endpapers at the beginning of the book.
  • Page 40 is the reverse side of page 39, and it is stuck facedown on the inside back cover of the book.

Feel welcome to download my free Children’s Picture Book Storyboard template so you have one at hand. When you’re creating your storyboard, you’ll need to use a much larger sheet of paper or several sheets of A4 paper, as the spreads and pages represented in your storyboard need to be large enough for you to draw and write on them. If you are creating your storyboard using computer software, you can make it whatever size you like, but do keep in mind you or your publisher may need to print it out.

That’s all for now. My next post will look at illustrating children’s picture books. Exciting things to come!

Chris x

If you found this post helpful, you may like to read other posts in the series: My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children. I will publish the posts over the coming weeks and announce them on Facebook and Instagram, but if you want to make sure you don’t miss a post, subscribe to my newsletter for free.

My 12-part guide to writing and publishing picture books for children:

Part 1: Know and love your readers
Part 2: Ideas and inspiration
Part 3: Character, theme, rhythm and rhyme, and all of that writing stuff
Part 4: Who’s who in the zoo (writer, illustrator, editor, designer, publisher)
Part 5: Editing and storyboarding
Part 6: Illustration
Part 7: Traditional publishing or self-publishing
Part 8: Submitting your manuscript — the slow business of traditional publishing
Part 9: Contracts, advances and royalties
Part 10: PR — book launch, web presence, book talks and more
Part 11: Who are you and who do you want to be?
Part 12: Resources

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