Have a finished children’s story you’re ready to publish? Download our free publishing checklist to help you get started with your publishing journey.
Congratulations on writing a children’s book! Now it’s time to start thinking about how to get it published. The publishing industry is very competitive, so it’s important to make sure your book is as polished as possible before you submit it to publishers or plan to publish it yourself.
Here are the 5 steps to take in order to get a children’s book published in 2023.
How to Prepare Your Children’s Book to be Published
While a publisher can help you finish your children’s book, there are still some things you must complete yourself before you can move forward with the publishing process. To help you learn what those are, we’ve broken them out into 5 things you must do to get a children’s book published today.
Step 1: Write a great book
This may seem obvious, but it’s worth repeating: the first step to getting your book published is writing a great book. This means having a strong plot, well-developed characters, and engaging writing. It also means making sure your book is free of errors. (If you’ve never studied how to write a children’s book, we recommend taking this course before you do anything.)
Step 2: Get peer feedback
Once you’ve finished writing your book, it’s a good idea to get feedback from beta readers or writing groups. This feedback can help you identify areas where your book can be improved.
We can also review your story for you, too. Learn more about our editing services here.
Step 3: Edit and proofread your book
Once you’ve gotten feedback on your book, it’s time to start editing and proofreading. This is where you’ll fix any errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You may also want to consider hiring an editor to help you with this process. (Here’s the link to hire our team if you need an editor.)
Step 4: Format your book
Once your book is edited and proofread, it’s time to format it for publication. This includes things like setting the margins, font size, and line spacing. You’ll also need to create a table of contents and an index.
We’d recommend using a book designer to help you, but you can also do this yourself with a program like InDesign.
Step 5: Submit your book
Once your book is formatted, it’s time to start submitting it to publishers for print and distribution. Be sure to do your research and submit your book to publishers who are interested in your genre and are actively accepting submissions.
Visit our submissions page here, too, if you’re ready to get your children’s book published with our team.
Getting your book published can be a long and challenging process, but it’s definitely possible if you’re willing to put in the work. By following the tips above, you can increase your chances of getting your children’s book published in 2023.
Need some additional tips to help you prepare your book for publication? Follow these 3 steps:
- Make sure your book is unique. There are millions of books out there, so you need to make sure yours stands out from the crowd.
- Do your research. Learn as much as you can about the publishing industry and the publishers you’re submitting to.
- Be patient. It can take time to get your book published. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back from publishers right away. Keep submitting your book, and eventually, you’ll find the right home for it.
We hope these tips help you on your journey to getting your children’s book published.
If you’re ready to get your children’s book published this year, apply to work with us here.
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