• Home
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosure
  • Resources
    • Book Design and Layout
    • The Business of Self-Publishing
    • Self Publishing Services Directory
    • Additional Self Publishing Resources

Martin Publishing Services

Publishing and Design Services for Authors and Presses

in Book Design and Layout

Illustrated Children’s Book Publishing Process Overview

While a few illustrators do use Adobe InDesign (the industry standard for book layout), it’s a beast of a software to learn, so they usually stick to what they know, which is Photoshop and/or Illustrator (equally as beastly).

The issue is that neither Photoshop nor Illustrator are book layout apps. They are image editing/creation apps and simply are not designed to do layout.

This creates many, many issues from a project management standpoint, which is why it is essential that the right tool be used for each stage of the project.

While the illustrator should be using your manuscript to storyboard the illustrations, the text should not live in the Photoshop/Illustrator file. A book designer will take your manuscript in its text-only state (Word file, Google doc, etc.), collect all of the illustrations, and then will use InDesign to bring them together into a layout.

Illustrated Children's Book Layout Overview

Here is an overview of the publishing process for an illustrated children’s book.

Step 1: Validate your book’s concept by running a PickFu campaign.

Step 2: Do a cost analysis.

  • Will you use print-on-demand (Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, BookBaby), short-run digital printing done stateside for print runs of up to 1000 (Total Printing System), or off-set printing for quantities of 500 – multiple thousands (IAPCBooks.com)?
  • Page count will determine cost. Offset printing requires 4-page increments. Plan your manuscript accordingly. PrintNinja.com has an amazing resource dedicated to educating about the offset printing process and file prep requirements. (IAPCBooks.com is less-expensive than PrintNinja.)
  • Binding will also determine costs. Paperback, case-laminate, case-laminate with dustjacket?
  • How will you distribute your book? Distribution plan will also impact cost. Regardless of which print method you use, there will be costs that impact the allowable retail price.
  • Illustrator expense
  • Editing expense
  • Layout expense for finalizing the cover, the interior, and seeing the project through to the very end. (I generally charge $500 for this service for children’s books. Request a quote to get an exact quote.)

Step 3: Finalize your manuscript to send out to beta-readers and receive quotes from editors.

  • Make sure it meets the correct word count range for its market.
  • Make sure to use vocabulary and sentence structure that is best for its market.
  • If it’s a rhyming book, then research how to do it well.

Step 4: Go through beta-reading.

It’s best to use people who aren’t concerned with your feelings and who are also experienced in beta-reading. I recommend BetaBooks.

Step 5: Find an editor.

You want to select someone who specializes in children’s books for your target age group. I recommend ShaylaRaquel.com.

Step 6: Find an illustrator.

You want to select someone who fits your style and your budget. Make sure your budget allows for hiring an illustrator who has worked on print books before. I recommend HireAnIllustrator.com to start your search.

If the illustrator does not have a process in place, run. Professionals have processes they need you to adhere to. You should not be leading them. They should start with getting lots of parameters about your project (trim size, page count, printing process, etc.).

In addition, the illustrator should begin with storyboarding your project. This is when sketches are done before any time is committed to finalizing the artwork.

Read this article on how to contact an illustrator.

Step 7: Find a book designer.

You want to select someone who is seasoned and experienced in the printing option you chose, offers typesetting, and has a process in place to move you from beginning to 100% finalized printing success.

Typesetting ensures that your words are presented in a manner that is visually appealing, not just thrown on the page.

Book layout is its own skill, just like illustration is its own skill and writing is its own skill. Most illustrators have dedicated their time to learning illustration and are not equipped to format a book for offset printing standards. (I generally charge $500 for this service for children’s books. Request a quote to get an exact quote.)

Step 8: Market your book.

You can connect with book bloggers, run your own social media campaigns, use Kickstarter as a means to fund your book while also taking advantage of the marketing that this strategy provides. You can hire someone to market the book for you, or you can take a course on how to market your book. I recommend Dana Kaye’s Your Breakout Book course.

Note: I am not an affiliate for any of the sources I listed. These are all sources that I personally know and trust.

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

Previous Post: « Illustrated Children’s Book Layout Considerations for Offset Printing
Next Post: Promotional Image Guidelines and Examples for Authors »
  • Home
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Resources

martinpublishingservices

A 1-minute video overview of how I move from conce A 1-minute video overview of how I move from concept to finished cover. This is the highest bird's eye view possible, as in reality it took me approximately 20 hours to complete this cover.
I so loved working on this cover Beth Stillman Bla I so loved working on this cover Beth Stillman Blaha. Her writing is phenomenal and honed to a fine point by @shaylaleeraquel's editing skills! I can't wait to add this beauty to my bookshelf.

@beth62881
I often have requests to use watercolor in the cov I often have requests to use watercolor in the cover design, but most of the time, it's just because the author likes the look, not because it has anything to do with the content. I like the design to reflect the title/subtitle/theme of the book, not just pick a design style at random. So finally an author has a title that actually supports using a watercolor theme. Yay!

In watercolor, a bloom is a flow mark created when liquid is added to an already drying wash. These unpredictable textures are also known as blossoms, backruns, or even cauliflowers. These terms all refer to the same thing. They occur because water always seeks a state of equilibrium. (@watercoloraffair_com )

This is a concept that the author had that I was able to polish up and bring to life. #bloomwithdeb
I love tapping into the sci-fi side of my designer I love tapping into the sci-fi side of my designer skillset. Fiction novels give me room to flex, because I can delicately weave in the elements of the story.

Since this book is based in Alamogordo, NM, and also New Mexico State University as a setting, I chose a serif typeface that is similar to the typeface that NMSU uses.

As you read the story, elements of the cover will be revealed to you when you go back for a second look.
"Nurses, you know how to heal others, but who is h "Nurses, you know how to heal others, but who is healing you? It’s time to focus inward and begin to honor yourself. 'Emotional Triage' offers an unassuming, real-life perspective on caring for others while still caring for yourself."

Thank you, nurses, for all you do.

"Emotional Triage" by Olivia Lovejoy, RN, releases next week.

@olivia_lovejoy_rn_author
Of all the things I ever wanted to be, a lawyer wa Of all the things I ever wanted to be, a lawyer was never one of them. If you're a lawyer and you don't want to be, connect with Philippe and snag a copy of his soon-to-be-released workbook to help you discover what you actually want.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Market Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in