Introduction

In our current economic climate sadly the cost of living has skyrocketed. The price of gas and electricity has increased, and unfortunately some families are only left with the option to heat or eat. Children's activities have become costly, especially when on a tight budget, and going out for free play is now a popular option.

The following article is uniquely created for parents, carers, or educators who want to encourage children and young people to explore their imagination and write a book, with the main focus on picture books. While it is admirable to fold a few pieces of A4 paper in half and add two staples in the middle, imagine what a real book would look and feel like in your hand. I have been working in the publishing sector since 2006 and I will be on standby to assist and support you in this creative endeavour, just reach out to me.

Did you know that publishing a book can cost anywhere between £1,500 - £4,000? The cost can depend on the size of the book, if it has colour illustrations, typesetting, whether it require a professional proofread, or a developmental edit, and so many other variables.  It is important to remember that this guide shows you how to create a commercial paperback book for free, the only cost is the time you spend researching and uploading. Resources mentioned in the article are listed and linked at the end. 

You do not need to be a gifted writer to create a book with your child, you just need to have the following three elements:

·         A curious mind to research the publishing industry online, mainly via YouTube video

·         A suitable device with access to the internet and to be competent in using the internet, intermediate to advanced knowledge would be best suited to this project

·         Determination, perseverance, and consistency

Make use of and review the resource links below to gain valuable training and insights into turning your child’s book from a thought into a paperback. If you choose a hardback option it is more expensive and sizes are limited. Remember it is FREE to write, you are just spending your time. This is a quick-start overview on how to publish a book with your child, and with these easy steps you will be able to accomplish such a task in approximately 4 - 12 weeks.

1.      Understanding your audience

If you sell to everyone you sell to no one, it is time to now validate your niche market. Never say your book is for everyone because that is an untruth. The reason why you MUST identify the age group you are writing for is that this will ultimately help you later in targeting and understanding their interests when selling your books. Decide what age group you are writing for and be sure to consider reading levels in this process.

Early years: 0 – 5 years old

Middle age: 6 - 8 years old

Upper age: 9 – 11 years

Research popular themes, genres, and styles within children's literature to tailor your book accordingly. Remember Amazon is a highly-ranked search engine, so take a look there and see what is trending by installing the plug-in Amz Suggestion Expander to see what readers are looking for. 

2. Crafting an engaging story 

This is where you will need to use your skills, talents, and gifts to develop relatable characters that children can connect with from your child’s imagination. Ask your children to draw three different characters of who they want in their storybook, get them to give each character a name, and find out what they like and dislike.

To create a compelling plot with a clear beginning, middle, and end you need to let your young person's narrative run free-form. Using an audio recorder on your phone, tell the story together, with each of you taking turns to catch those story gems. Incorporate elements of suspense, humour, or adventure to keep young readers engaged. The sillier the story the better, children love to giggle.

Top Tip: Do not use AI to write your book as Amazon can ban your book before it has even been published.

3. Illustrations and visual appeal

Hiring a skilled illustrator to bring your story to life visually is costly and prices range from £80 to £120 per image in the UK and this is the lower end of illustration costs. I am going to show you a FREE way to access creative art illustrations. Canva is a free design account and has thousands of copyright-free child-friendly illustrations.  It is worthwhile to note that the artwork you use here has millions of users that can access it, this means it will not be original to your project. For a more bespoke professional look paying for a designer is best, especially if you would like to sell merchandise like cups and t-shirts to accompany your book.    

4. Navigating the publishing process

Now it is time to prepare and polish your manuscript to turn it into a captivating paperback book that may land your child a publishing deal. If self-publishing for the first time you must familiarise yourself with the process of

-Formatting

-Printing

-Book distribution (of your book)

Do note that if you’re working with a larger group of children, it can take longer to publish as much more organisation is required. See the video tutorial on how to upload your book onto the Kindle Direct Publishing platform.

Top Tip: Remember Amazon's minimum page count is 24 pages. Make sure your book reaches this amount with your artwork and be sure to use fillers from the table of contents page from my JUST WRITE IT workbook for example title page, dedication, about the author, etc., if your story is a short one.

5. Promotions and marketing your child’s book

Why not get renumerated for your time, with all the hard work you and your child or children have put in to create your epic book? Develop a comprehensive marketing plan to generate buzz and visibility for your book, utilising channels such as social media, the author's website, book signings, and school visits. Engage with local libraries, bookstores, and schools to arrange readings or workshops and establish connections within the community. Creating 2 to 3 established marketing strategies to help you reach your target audience will contribute to raising awareness about your book.

Top Tip: The key here is to sell your books as a bulk order and not one-to-one distribution.

Now you have everything you need at your fingertips to create a book to hold in the palm of your hand. The main thing is to finish what you started and not get disheartened, as it is a lot of work and involves some new learning. If you can spare some time for this fun activity it will be worthwhile. Use the tools and your resources fully.

Contact Winsome Duncan and let her know how your book publishing process is going:

http://www.peachespublications.co.uk/contact.html

https://www.instagram.com/peachespublications/

Winsome has also written an article about amplifying young voices in UK children's literature, which you can find here.

And we recorded a podcast episode with Winsome, which you can listen to here, or wherever you find your podcasts. 

Resources:

Research Book Themes Ideas with Amz Suggestion Expander:  https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/amz-suggestion-expander/cpeaihkccbeemkfefcapijechkbfjlhb

Open a free Canva account: https://www.canva.com/join/trusting-role-relative

How to create Canva illustrations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKZKocAHNXA

Create a Kindle Direct Publishing account: https://kdp.amazon.com/

Sell More Books -Just Market It workbook: https://amzn.to/4aRkbrM  

Check for page fillers from content pages -Just Write It workbook: https://amzn.to/49BfK3e