We’ve heard it said once or twice that juvenile and children’s literature is marginalized to the periphery of the publishing industry, but nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, the juvenile and children’s genre is the foundation for future marketplace and revenue opportunities in all categories. If you are thinking about getting into this growing and important genre, we have a few tips for you about the independent juvenile and children’s market.
There are four main things to know about juvenile and children’s publishing. First, know your readership. Know who they are, what they want, and how and where you will connect with them. Next, recognize your abilities and the gaps in your skills as an author. Identify resources that can help you to fill those gaps. Finally, when you’ve identified what to outsource, you’ll want to find and work with service providers who have the skills and knowledge you need.
So the first thing to understand is your readership. The children’s market is unique. It is the only genre in which books are marketed to a target audience that generally does not make the purchasing decisions. According to a Gallup poll, 82 percent of all children’s books are bought by women, and the consumer research study on book purchasing shows that 72 percent of juvenile books are bought by people between the ages of twenty-five and twenty-nine. So what exactly are people buying? Sixty percent of juvenile books are bought as paperbacks. Fifty percent are fiction, and 25 percent are coloring activity books. Another 25 percent are educational books. If you want to sell books in this market, the books must appeal strongly to children, but they also have to appeal to the parents or guardians who make the final purchasing decisions.
Now that we know who buys our books, let’s look at where they buy them: online book retailers, discount stores, book clubs, chain bookstores, food and drug stores, independent bookstores, mail order, toy stores, variety stores, warehouses, and price clubs, just to name a few. Readers find us through our marketing efforts using websites, social media, business cards, brochures, media kits, and so on. But let’s add to this list newspapers, book fairs, holiday events, organizational newsletters and magazines, school programs, and word of mouth. To take advantage of all these opportunities, you should always be prepared to pitch your project in thirty seconds.
Once you have an idea of what your readers want and how to connect with them, you need to be aware of your current abilities and any gaps in your skills or knowledge. Can you illustrate, or do you need to get an illustrator? Do you have special computer skills? Do you know about publishing costs and considerations? What do you know about format and design and how the size of your book may affect production? Size matters. Bigger books mean bigger production costs. Nonstandard sizes are considered specialty items and will cost more. More pages means more content and more cost. Do you want a hard or a soft cover? Color costs more to produce, but most children’s books are in color or have splashes of color.
As you can see, there’s much to know. The more you understand beforehand, the better your chances of success. Most people don’t have all the different skill sets needed to navigate this whole process without help, so you need to identify the gaps in your expertise and figure out how to fill them. This could mean educating yourself, or it could mean finding a service provider who can help you through the process.
The fastest-growing independent book publishing option is known as supported self-publishing. In this method, authors can purchase publishing services and use print-on-demand technology to produce books, just like we do at AuthorHouse. Finding an independent publishing service provider can be daunting even in the best circumstances. Some service providers may have excellent capabilities but may specialize in specific areas—religious books, for example. So how and where to begin? Investigate. Investigate other self-published books in your market. Find examples of children’s books that you know were self published and that fit your vision for your work. Try contacting independent authors to ask for recommendations. Look carefully for a publishing company that offers the full set of services that fits your needs based on your assessment of the skills you already have. And make sure the publisher is legitimate and not a scam; unfortunately, there are a lot of scams out there.
Your publishing service provider should be able to help you carry out your publishing goals. That means the publisher needs to be on board and needs to understand your vision. The publishing company should have a knowledgeable technical support staff that is fully accessible, and a personal representative would be ideal. You should never feel that you are being pressured into services that you may not need or want. And finally, you need to feel the love. Your service provider should assist like a concerned partner and never appear to be pushy or intimidating.
Most service providers offer startup packages, which should include all of the basic items necessary for your book. Obtaining an International Standard Book Number or ISBN is standard. The ISBN will follow your book from the time of publication until it goes out of print, and it will allow buyers and retailers to find your book easily. There should also be one-on-one author support; a custom, full-color cover; and custom interior design. Electronic proofs should be a part of the package. Online distribution through online retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble should also be a part of the package of any reputable service provider. Professional marketing consultation should definitely be a part of the package as well—or at least the publisher should be able to tell you where to go for marketing advice. Marketing tips are absolutely essential for new authors, because they give you an idea of where to begin when you don’t have a clue. Complimentary author copies are also essential; you should never have to pay for your first copy. And a personalized back cover should never be a separate service; it should also be a part of the basic package.
You’re likely to spend plenty of time and money on your book project. So when you look for a publishing service provider, be sure to find one that stands with you all along the way and meets your needs. If you want to learn as you go and not just have it done for you, find a provider that supports and encourages your desire to learn. It’s another way to learn what you don’t know without feeling the pressure of learning it all before you undertake a project. Know your goals and how much you can invest in terms of time, money, and involvement in a project. Knowing your goals will make it easier to select a publisher that fits your needs.
Once you find a publishing service provider, how can you be assured that the publisher will take on an aspiring juvenile children’s book project from an unknown author and bring it to print without losing control of your content? First, ask what rights you have, and make sure you understand them. Needless to say, everything should be in your written contact.
Now that you have a better idea of your options, we invite you to join the revolution, get involved, and stay involved in this exciting marketplace.
This information was helpful and now I have to put it into action. I have my idea. Aggie has lived near her grant parents all of her life book 1 Granny's Cobbler A Counting Book, Book 2 Aggie's Purple Hands and Book 3 will be Aggie's moving to a new town and how she begins devastated, but as she arrives at her new town her attitude makes changes. I am looking for children author and some of our professionals to chime in and help me get a plan.