Marketing your self published children's book

Marketing takes planning, organization, and consistent action. There are two main methods for getting your book listed for sale on amazon, as well as a couple of ways to make your book more attractive to readers. Sell your self published children s book or ebook on your own website and on social media through blurb, or sell through amazon. Sep 12, 2019 boost your books success and sell more copies of your book by following 20 marketing tips and tactics for selfpublishing authors. If you want to selfpublish a childrensbook but dont know where to start, this book would be mybest recommendation. A self published author can quickly get their print and ebook distributed to the most important online retailers by using just a couple services, all of which have no or very low upfront costs. How to publish your childrens book amazon kindle direct. How to list and sell your selfpublished book on amazon. How to selfpublish and market a childrens book with karen inglis. Successfully market your self published book with smith publicity. Dec 17, 2016 karen inglis is a successful selfpublished childrens author with close to 10,000 sales across five titles.

Maria has grown her business by finding unique ways to market her books, so i cant wait to learn from her. Apr 21, 2015 how to plan your self published picture book print project and reach your readers through schools and bookshops. As previously mentioned, marketing children s books can be difficult. When i heard that karen inglis was releasing how to self publish and market a childrens book i invited her along to talk about the particular problems that self publishers of. Here are seven key marketing tips for childrens books most of which i have tried. Whether you have a publisher or you selfpublished your childrens book, you are the one who can make it successful. I spent a long time studying the promotional methods of successful selfpublished authors before i released my debut thriller, hunter. It can be a lot of work to get your book out there and into the hands of the right readers, but when you follow the tips listed above, youre a lot more likely to see your sales rise. Common approaches to book marketing will often fall short as you attempt to appeal to your target readership kids and the people who are likely to buy books for them. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. How to market your childrens book free course reedsy. If you want to self publish a childrens book, there are certain facts you need to know before you begin, so you can walk into the process with your eyes wide open. Weve also provided the programs in the table below to help you.

In todays article, darcy pattison gives some tips for successfully selfpublishing a childrens picture book. Marketing a book on amazon is a very specific task and can be different from general book marketing, since you have to play by amazons rules. There is the idea that book publishers will handle all the marketing. When to start marketing your book and how to balance your time. You can promote your book yourself with email, websites, and other outreach. Self published book marketing for authors smith publicity. Three keys to marketing childrens books ingramspark. Sell your work on or buy the books you need immediately. Five simple ways to promote your selfpublished book. A guide for firsttime authors in the early 1990s, julia donaldson a former busker and wife of a university lecturer was approached by a publisher who wanted to adapt one of her songs for the bbc.

Most books, even good ones, will languish, invisible among millions of available titles, unless you do something to make them stand out and become visiblediscoverableto some target audience. In fact, most despise this aspect of being an author. Apr 02, 2020 book marketing for selfpublished authors. Selfpublishing and book marketing services bookventure. How to market and sell your book in five steps forbes. Getting a self published children s books into the hands of your readers comes with a unique set of challenges. After youve read this article, youll be ready to release your beautifully crafted story book to the world, to your loved ones, and most importantly, to those special little ones in your life. Self publishing books for children can be challenging because of higher printing costs and difficulties in marketing to your target market. Your work will be vying for attention alongside that of established childrens. The hardest part of selfpublishing a childrens book is selfmarketing it. See more ideas about book publishing, writing a book and childrens books.

How to market childrens books selfpublishing and book. Many, if not most authors who self publish for the first time make mistakes. How to market childrens books online selfpublishing advice. How i sold over half a million books my self publishing story and my top tips for success i am so excited to be talking about this today, because i know a. Promotions for these titles have to appeal to two distinct groups. There are simply too many books published each year a million or more in the us alone to rely on. I could really afford to produce 20 books, one for each student in the class in. Apr 17, 2017 maria dismondy is a selfpublished childrens book author who has sold close to 300,000 books. As a childrens author and illustrator i am always trying to find new and innovative ways to reach my audience. Ive been contacted for an interview for a local magazine by the. How to write a childrens book in 9 easy steps complete. I wont, however, because it would end up being a very long list of credits. In my case, considering the nature of my fulltime job, i.

However, to introduce and sell your title to your target market and. Beyond professional media outreach, there are so many tips, ideas and even tricks and insider tactics. If a publisher asks for money to publish a children s book, that is a red flag. Give a talk at a local school if its appropriate content works well for childrens fiction, history or other educational content. If theres one question that is eternal and ongoing in our author community, then its how to sell more books sales are always on our mind and wherever we are in the bestseller chart, we look a little enviously at those above us in this article, we have ideas and solutions for you 50 of them in fact which should be more than enough ways to promote your book. How to selfpublish and market a childrens book with.

So i apologize to all those who have asked me these two. Here are 9 uncommon tips that ive used to turn my books into bestsellers, including my self published. There are three things that make marketing childrens books so different from other genres. Nov 01, 2018 i cover all of the above and much more in how to selfpublish and market a childrens book a practical and indepth guide based on my seven years of childrens selfpublishing. Authors of selfpublished childrens books, in particular, have their marketing work cut out for them. The book marketing services at outskirts press help authors promote highquality books with exceptional book marketing services.

Eevi jones outlines the precise path to fulfilling your dream of becoming a published childrens book author. Choose the right categories and keywords for your book. The next and most important step is how to promote it. If youre in the process of writing a book, you should already be thinking about book promotion now. This is a vital step in the promotion and marketing of your book, andif done rightwill make the rest of the process infinitely easier. As previously mentioned, marketing children s books can be. Close your eyes and picture yourself at a book reading. It is completely normal because you are trying to do something. The title of this post should be credited because i have been asked how to market a selfpublished book or how to promote a book, so many times.

Other important considerations for self published children s authors. Getting a selfpublished childrens books into the hands of your readers comes with a unique set of challenges. Learn how to write a children s book in 9 easy steps in this guide written by moms choice award winning author eevi jones. Developing a promotional strategy webinar recording youtube.

In reality, the publisher should always pay the writer. Many self published authors have no interest in sales, advertising, or business in general, as they tend to be altruistically artistic. Ultimately, your earnings depend on where and how you publish your book, the royalty structure involved, how much of an advance you receive and what type of book. Nov 22, 2016 what does it take to promote your selfpublished book. In todays show, karen inglis explains how she sells thousands of copies of her books for children and tips for how you can do it too. There are a lot of ways to get a step ahead of the rest when it come to selfmarketing your childrens book.

Self publishing is on the rise and many people are bypassing the traditional route of seeking the affirmation of publication worthiness via commercial publishers and are striking out on their own, with. You will find everything you need to know to write, illustrate, publish, and market your paperback and ebook. However, if you dont get the following nine marketing strategy basics right first, you could be wasting a lot of your time, energy and money. In general, the function of a book marketing department in a traditional publishing house is to help the various sales departments get your book in front of bookstore buyers, book distributors and. Top 5 facts about selfpublishing a childrens book just because childrens books seem shorter and simpler doesnt mean the publishing process is shorter and simpler, too. She regularly goes into primary schools and has held many book signings in waterstones and independent bookshops across southwest london. Find out who your book appeals to, get to know those people well, and be where they are, both online and off.

It will follow a highly intricate marketing plan that will ensure its full marketing potential. Marketing selfpublished books explained in 9 basic steps. For book promotion purposes, childrens and young adult books ideally have newsworthy themes, and authors have expertise in the theme covered in the book. The following steps show the proper way to publish a children s book for free, and to get paid for doing so. Below you will find many such things, but we urge to push the limits, push yourself outside your comfort zone as it relates to. Just because you wrote a new book doesnt mean that your book is guaranteed to sell. While writing tends to be a solitary endeavor, marketing.

Dont be fooled by expensive self publishing packages that claim to distribute your book to thousands of outlets. Most kids books are published in hardback to standup. How to selfpublish a childrens book will turn you into a published children s book author. Many children s writers who are new to the field believe its normal to pay to have a book published. Selfpublishing books for children can be challenging because of higher printing costs and difficulties in marketing to your target market. Here are five tips on how to promote your self published book.

With the advent of ebooks, there is no longer something called a backlist. While writing will get your book published, promotion and marketing is what will get you sales and more readers. Many authors just want to write, and dont want to market. Authors of selfpublished childrens books, in particular, have their marketing. How to publish a childrens book for free pen and the pad. Kids are loyal readers but it might be difficult to interest them at the initial stage. There is a lot of competition out there, so how can you compete. Selfpublishing and marketing books for children with karen. As a self published author, you should know as much about marketing your book as you do about writing it.

The authors friendly, accessible writing style makes the whole process far less daunting, guiding youstep by step through the various stages, from planning your book through to publishing and on to marketing. Your book will also be given the best marketing services possible. What does it take to promote your self published book. Whether you call it self publishing, indie publishing, printondemand or hybrid publishing, there is no disputing the fact that authors now have many more options to see their work in print beyond traditional publishing. Fiction and nonfiction writers alike can create, print, and sell their books through all major retail channels. Print one childrens book at a time or print in volume with offset for deeper discounts and a lower per unit cost. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Here are five tips on how to promote your selfpublished book. Attract readers with a great book sales description. Everything you need to know to write, illustrate, publish, and market your paperback and ebook how to write for children series volume 1 at. I also discuss russell blake s success and what i constantly have to. Are you an aspiring childrens book author, or enamored with the idea of sharing your writing talent with kids from around the world.

The secret to selfpublishing childrens books lulu blog. Sign in to kdp by using your amazon account or create a new one. Still, stories of books especially self published books succeeding without any marketing, are rare. Here are 9 uncommon tips that ive used to turn my books into bestsellers, including my self published wall. Karen inglis, children s author and alli advisor on selfpublishing books for children in the second of three posts in this series, allis children s author advisor karen inglis shares valuable advice gained from the bookseller s children s conference on how to sell books within the challenging market of children aged under, notoriously difficult to reach. As previously mentioned, marketing childrens books can be difficult. Enter the required title information your book title, author name etc. So, if youll have to promote your book all by yourself anyway, then why surrender most of your royalties and rights to a publisher. How to successfully selfpublish a childrens picture book. You can use kdps cover creator tool to create a book cover or upload your own. Inside the book, there are links to download order forms and flyers to use when contacting schools. Mar 15, 2018 the cornerstone of your childrens book marketing efforts will always be your connectionsthose you have established and those you build through inperson readings. How to publish your children s book on amazon kindle. Then read on to get the inside scoop on how you can make money writing and publishing children s books on amazon and amazon kindle.

Donaldson had the edge over most firsttime authors, in that she had a background in kids tv. Follow through on publicity and marketing, and keep it going. Jul 19, 2018 post some free content or excerpts from your book on thats great for exposure and you can also sell your book here if youre looking for additional retail outlets. But the good news is that marketing is also about fostering connections and relationships, which can be rewarding to you and your fan base. Apr 28, 2017 marketing selfpublished childrens books is an interesting task, different from the marketing of a regular book for one sole reason. Book marketing creates awareness for a specific book among booksellers and consumers. Easily publish textbooks, course materials, and research. Below are some key steps you need to take in order to learn how to market your book on amazon. If you are just starting your selfpublishing journey you might as well get our 2018s best selfpublishing resources article. The goal of marketing, of course, is to generate book sales. Prepare your book with a good cover and professional editing. Mar 14, 2018 we have to do things right and set our efforts up for long term sales. My biggest tip to a self published author is commit to your book.

If you would like to sell your selfpublished book on amazon, youll need to know how to get it listed for sale on the website. Marketing selfpublished childrens books requires appealing to both kids. Jan 14, 2014 in today s interview, karen inglis shares her fantastically detailed and honest information about writing, self publishing and marketing books for children. The key steps to selfpublishing in print and as an ebook and how to get your story into young readers hands. With these services you will be equipped with everything you need to succeed as a self published author. Marketing selfpublished children s books is an interesting task, different from the marketing of a regular book for one sole reason. This article will tell you the tips and avenues that can help you promote your book.

Nov 25, 2017 childrens indie author and illustrator zoe sadler shares her top tips on how to reach both parents and children by promoting your selfpublished books at literary events such as book festivals. The happily ever after if youre dedicated to your story and ready to shoulder the work involved in crafting a childrens book, selfpublishing is a great way to get the. Although finding a publisher can be challenging, self publishing options have made it easier to get your children s books on the market on your own. Book marketing and promotion provide the most traction for your book, but most self published authors and small independent publishers do not have large budgets to pay for extravagant book marketing campaigns.

There are hundreds of ways to market self published books. How to market a childrens book, as well as titles for young adults, is similar to all book marketing, but with notable additions. When i discovered selfpublishing back in 2010 it was, as for many. In the introduction, i mention my own goals for 2014, as well as commenting on joe konrath s resolutions for writers. How to make money publishing childrens books on kindle.

The wonderful thing about marketing yourself as an author is that there a virtually limitless ways to do it. Dec 25, 2018 you construct a book marketing strategy and forge ahead step by step. There are successful self publishers in every niche, but authors of childrens books face more challenges than most both on the publishing and marketing side. Nov 18, 2019 marketing your book before its publication helps ensure there are readers ready to buy the book during its launch and beyond. You cant market direct to your readers, you are competing with some huge, established names from traditional publishing, and its more expensive to commission illustration and print color books. Sep 19, 2017 book marketing consultant tim grahl defines your platform as whatever plan and methods you use to connect with readers and sell books. How to sell more books on amazon self publishing school.

Marketing a selfpublished book and empowering kids with. Here are a few key elements for a good book marketing strategy. Selfpublish a childrens book make a childrens book. Your launch is just the beginning, and you absolutely must continue marketing your book to build your brand. Childrens publishers tend to fill their lists with commissioned books by writers they publish regularly, so they may have little space for the untried author, even though they seek exceptional new talent. Authors of selfpublished children s books, in particular, have their marketing work cut out for them. Mar 12, 2015 unless and until you set up the right distribution and get the right recognition with booksellers, your selfpublished book will not reach bookstores. How i sold over half a million books selfpublishing youtube.

After publishing your book, youll want to promote it to prospective readers. Selfpublishing childrens books a look at the numbers. The services include quality printing that covers a variety of forms. In this post, well show you how to publish a childrens book and get it into the hands and hearts of young readers everywhere. However, when you look at annual writing incomes for authors publishing at noadvance houses, the averages are very comparable to self publishing.

The title of this post should be credited because i have been asked how to market a self published book or how to promote a book, so many times. But how does a regular person one with no connections to the arts become a published author. Even if your book is the next great american novel, it wont be a success if. The great news is its never been easier to write, publish, and sell your. But if you are publishing by yourself and wish to be read by as many among your target audience as possible, you will have to learn an additional skillhow to market your books. Aug 01, 20 promote and market your book like a master. Marketing your book for selfpublishers and indie authors.