Are you tired of traditional publishers’ long process for publishing children's books? Do you want another option to get your book online? Amazon has heard you. You can use the Amazon self publishing option and launch your book in 24 to 72 hours.
Authors like Adam Dreece built their reputation by publishing a children's book on Amazon KDP. In this guide, we’ll discuss how to write a children's book, what are Amazon children's book publishing services and how you can earn $10,000 on Amazon.
Before we jump into Amazon KDP services, let's discuss Amazon's traditional ways to publish a children's book and how it's different from self-publishing.
What are Amazon's Traditional Imprints
Amazon operates multiple classic imprints that appeal to various genres. For children's publications, the principal imprint is Two Lions, which specializes in picture books, middle-grade novels, and children's literature.
Unlike self publishing on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), submitting to an imprint like Two Lions requires a traditional publishing method. Amazon's editorial team picks and develops books that meet their criteria and business potential.
Finalize Your Drafts
To publish a children's book with Amazon's traditional imprints, your manuscript must meet their industry standards:
- Clearly highlight your book’s target audience.
- In children’s books, the target audience is toddlers, middle-graders, and early readers.
- Point out your book theme in the starting. You can also highlight the characters of the book in the title.
- Use appropriate content. Look out for the language, subject, and pictures for the intended age group.
- If you are publishing a picture book then you need to hire an illustrator from Ace Book Writers.
- Hire a professional editor to make your manuscript error-free. You should know that your book needs to be 80% done.
- Do not provide them with the raw manuscript of your book. This can lead to rejections.
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Research Submission Guidelines
Amazon's imprints, including Two Lions, do not accept unsolicited manuscripts directly from authors. Instead, they collaborate with literary agents. To publish your children's book using Amazon's imprints, you need to hire a literary agent. You can follow these steps:
- Look for agents who specialize in children's books and are familiar with Amazon's imprints.
- Make a compelling query letter for your book that includes a synopsis, target demographic, and why Two Lions is the right fit.
- Carefully follow the submission rules provided by each agent.
Get Help: You can hire Ace Book Writers as a literary agent for Amazon Publishing Two Lion imprint. They can also help with the book’s story writing, editing, and illustration.
Why Do Authors Choose Publishing with Two Lions?
Publishing a children's book on Amazon with Two Lions has various benefits:
- You can work with Amazon's professional team for editing and drawings.
- Amazon's imprints have a vast network. If you are chosen, then your book will for sure become a best seller.
- You also don't have to worry about marketing your book. Amazon will do it themselves.
Note: Amazon Publishing is best for publishing a children's book. However, you may lose ownership of your book, receive less royalties and your feedback will be less considered. Instead, many authors favor Amazon KDP self publishing services.
How to Write a Children’s Book for Amazon KDP
If you've ever wanted to write a story for young readers and publish it with your ownership? Then Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is for you. KDP is a platform that helps authors self publish children's books on Amazon.
Although Amazon publishing children's books is easy with KDP, not many authors succeed in grabbing attention due to writing mistakes. Here, you can learn how to make a children's book in simple steps.
Step 1 Brainstorm Your Ideas
Before jumping into writing the book, you need to brainstorm your ideas. Ask yourself:
- What will be your story theme?
- Who is your target audience?
- What will children learn from it?
- How many characters will be in the book?
- How many pages, words, and chapters will be in the book?
- What will be the plot of your book?
- Do you want an illustration or not?
If you are struggling with getting answers to these questions let's discuss each one by one.
What will be your story theme?
You can write children's books on themes like friendship, adventure, overcoming fears, fighting the monsters to save the day, family, kindness, teamwork, honesty, hope, and problem-solving.
Who is your target audience?
You can write books for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2-5), Early Learners (Ages 6-8), and Middle Grade (Ages 9-12). For toddlers, make picture books with simple, repetitive language and vibrant illustrations. For early writers, write short stories with clear text and attractive illustrations, and for middle grade, you can write chapter books featuring more complicated themes and fewer images.
What will children learn from it?
Understand what you want children to learn from your book. If it is about friendship, then they will learn how friends can help in overcoming hardships. If it is about teamwork, then write how teamwork helps in conquering castles or finding a hidden treasure.
How many characters will be in the book?
Children's books are simple so don't add too many characters that will be hard to remember. Write 3 main characters with simple side characters. Remember to use talking animals and trees in the book. Like, in Snow White, animals and dwarfs help snow white fight the old lady.
How many pages, words, and chapters will be in the book?
You can choose how many pages, words, and chapters you can write according to your target audience. But, remember, do not write too much as children need simple stories to learn.
What will be the plot of your book?
This is the important part of brainstorming. You need to carefully write about the plot. Keep the story simple and interesting. Children have short attention spans, so avoid too complex storytelling. Don't write in a serious tone; be kind and add some humor to it. You can also check 101 children's book story ideas with this link.
Do you want an illustration or not?
Illustrations are important in children's books. They help in visualizing the story. If you can't draw, consider working with a professional illustrator from Ace Book Writers or using design software such as Canva. Illustration is usually important in the board or picture books of children.
Tip: Amazon KDP provides full-color and print-on-demand options, making it simple to publish illustrated books.
Step 2 Drafting Book Story
After brainstorming all ideas and story outlines, you can now start writing the first draft of your book. You don't have to be perfect while drafting. Just write words and a story without editing. If you find it hard to write your book then you can hire a ghostwriter from Ace Book Writers. They will write for you without getting credit.
Step 3 Edit and Proofread
Next, you can now edit and proofread your book story. Many authors question, Does Amazon edit your book? The answer is no. Amazon KDP does not offer editing services, so make sure your book is error-free before publishing. You can edit your book in the following ways:
Self-Editing
You can check your manuscript's clarity, language, and flow.
Professional Editing
Consider employing an editor from Ace Book Writers, who specializes in children's books.
Beta Readers
To get fair feedback, share your book with friends, family, and beta readers available online.
After thorough editing and proofreading, you are now ready to publish your own children's book.
How to Sell Children’s Books on Amazon KDP
Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a user-friendly platform that enables authors to sell children's books worldwide. Here, you’ll learn how to sell children's books on Amazon.
Why Choose the KDP Children's Book Platform for Self Publishing
KDP provides options for self publishing children's books in both ebook and print forms. Here's why it's the best platform:
- Your book is available to millions of people worldwide.
- No need to keep inventory; your books are printed when ordered.
- Earn up to 70% royalties for eBooks and 60% for paperbacks.
Format your book for KDP
Before publishing your book, make sure it is properly formatted.
- For eBook format, you can use Kindle Kids' Book Creator to generate fixed-layout eBooks for illustrated children's stories.
- Save the file to a compatible format, such as MOBI or AZW.
- For print format, common trim sizes for children's books are 8.5" x 8.5" and 6" x 9".
- Make a high-quality PDF for the interior and cover.
Design a Cover
Create a quality cover that draws attention and matches the story's concept.
Publish on Amazon KDP
Follow the steps below to publish your children's book on Amazon KDP.
- Register at KDP.
- Send your manuscript and fill out the book title, description, author name, author bio, and keyword KDP children’s book.
- Attach your book and illustrations in a print-ready PDF or eBook form.
- Set a price ( eBook for 35% or 70% and paperback for 60%) that accurately reflects the value of your book while being market competitive.
- Make sure to preview your book by using Amazon's preview tool to confirm that the formatting and illustrations are perfect.
- Once you're satisfied, click the publish button, and your book will be accessible on Amazon within 72 hours.
How to Publish a Picture Book on Amazon and Earn $10,000
Here's how to publish a children's book on Amazon by simply following the steps mentioned before in this article. However, there are some changes you can make to earn $10,000 by publishing a picture book on Amazon.
- Aim for a word count of 300 to 1,000 words, depending on the target age range.
- Hire a professional illustrator to get a vibrant and high-quality picture book.
- Make sure that the drawings are formatted to meet Amazon's preferred trim sizes, such as 8.5" x 8.5". 3.
- Hire a competent editor or proofreader to improve your writing.
- Use Canva or Adobe InDesign, or hire a formatting specialist to effortlessly merge text and images.
- Next, set up an Amazon KDP account.
- With KDP, you can publish both Kindle eBooks and print-on-demand paperbacks.
- Create two PDF files, one for the interior and one for the cover.
- Enter information such as the book title, description, keywords, and category (for example, "Children's Picture Books").
- To optimize the 70% royalty income, aim for eBooks between $2.99 and $4.99.
- For print books, prices range from $9.99 to $14.99, depending on production costs and market demand.
Pro Tip: Select categories and keywords intelligently to make your book simpler to find. Examples include "bedtime stories for kids" and "funny picture books”.
To earn $10,000, you need to promote the book effectively. How? Let's see:
- Use A+ Content (available on Amazon KDP) to boost the visuals and details on your book page.
- Share illustrations and post on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
- Use hashtags such as #ChildrenBooks and #PictureBooks.
- Run Amazon ads to target parents, teachers, and caregivers.
- Begin with a small daily budget and try keywords like "publishing a children's book on Amazon."
- Collaborate with parents, bloggers, or influencers reviewing children's books.
- Provide free copies in return for honest feedback or visibility.
Estimation of how many books to sell to reach $10,000
To make $10,000, you should sell approximately:
- 2,000 eBooks with a price of $4.99 (70% royalties = around $3.50 for each book)
- Approximately 1,250 paperbacks are priced at $12.99 (earning around $8 per book after printing costs).
- Use Kindle Countdown Deals or provide free eBooks to increase awareness and get reviews.
- Use Amazon's Expanded Distribution to reach libraries and bookstores.
- Consider publishing on multiple platforms, such as IngramSpark, to expand your network.
- Create a series of picture books to build a loyal audience. Readers who enjoy one book are likely to buy more.
How long does it take to publish a book on Amazon
Publishing a book via Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is a short procedure. The process of writing, editing, designing, and formatting is what takes time.
Writing and Editing
This is dependent on the length and complexity of your book. A short book could take a few weeks, whereas a more detailed one could take up to months.
Formatting
If you've worked with products like Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign, formatting can take a month. Hiring a professional formatter can take weeks.
Illustrations (Optional)
For books such as children's picture books, illustrations may take several weeks, depending on your illustrator's schedule.
The whole finalizing of your manuscript can take a month to a year.
Uploading
If you do not already have a KDP account, creating one takes roughly 15-30 minutes. Adding your book's title, author name, description, categories, and keywords will take 30 minutes to 1 hour. It takes a few minutes to upload your manuscript and cover (as PDFs for print books or in Kindle-ready format). Using the KDP Previewer to check for formatting issues can take 15-30 minutes. The estimated time for uploading will be 1-2 hours.
Review and approval by Amazon
Amazon reviews your book to ensure that it complies with their publication criteria. Digital books (eBooks) are typically approved within 24-72 hours. Print books may take 24-72 hours, with occasional delays due to formatting concerns. It will take 1–3 days for approval. Once approved, your book will be available for purchase.
Overall, it will take up to a month to a year to publish a children's book on Amazon.
Note: The estimated time depends on your consistency and passion for publishing a book.
How long does it take to publish a book on other platforms
The requirements of the platform, the kind of book, and the review procedure all affect how long it takes to publish a book on platforms other than Amazon KDP. An outline of well-known platforms and their timelines is provided below:
Comparison Table
Platform | Estimated Time to Publish |
Amazon KDP | 1-3 days |
IngramSpark | 5-10 business days |
Draft2Digital | 1-3 days |
Smashwords | 2-5 days |
Barnes & Noble Press | 1-3 days |
Apple Books | 2-5 days |
Kobo Writing Life | 1-3 days |
Google Play Books | 2-5 days |
Key Takeaway: Amazon KDP and Draft2Digital are the fastest self publishing platforms. However, firms like IngramSpark have a large distribution network.
Steps to Self Publishing Children's Books on Amazon Through a Publishing Company
Amazon's self publishing platform is already easy to use. However, to publish your own book on Amazon require other services like writing, editing, designing, marketing and more. A book publishing company like Ace Book Writers can help you with that.
Here are the steps to make a children's book through companies:
- You can either write the whole book by yourself or you can hire a ghostwriter writer from the company.
- The benefit of using ghostwriting services is that they don't take credit for their work.
- Look for a company that has a proven record of self publishing on Amazon KDP.
- Choose Ace Book Writers for self publishing on Amazon as they provide a full package of services like ghostwriting, editing, formatting, illustration, publishing, and marketing.
- Also, they provide affordable packages by providing authors with 100% ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the quickest platforms for self publishing is Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). With Amazon self-publishing, you can anticipate that your book will be live and available for purchase in as little as 1-3 days after uploading it. For eBook, 24-72 hours for review and approval. For print books 24-72 hours, though it may take longer if there are formatting issues.
You can create a children's book by writing in simple language, using repetitive, rhymes and easy words for children to understand. Get a professional illustrator to create bright and colorful images. Make sure your illustrations align with the tone and message of your story. Format your book and publish it on the Amazon KDP platform.
Pricing, promotion, and audience demand are some of the variables that affect children's book earnings potential. Depending on the price, the royalty rate for eBooks might range from 35% to 70%. For printed books, 60% after minusing printing cost. You make $4 per book if you sell a $10 paperback book with a $3 printing cost.
Books are normally reviewed and approved by Amazon KDP in 24-72 hours. The procedure is usually faster for eBooks, with approvals typically being finished in a day. The review process for print books could take longer, particularly if the cover or formatting is complex. Your book will be approved quickly and easily if it complies with all Amazon self-publishing requirements.
In a Nutshell
A single concept and dedication are the first steps towards becoming a successful children's book author on Amazon. With this guide, you can easily publish a book on Amazon and become successful like Rachel Abbott and Mark Dawson, who self-published and made six figures. So go ahead, post your narrative, and let readers everywhere be inspired by your book. The next big thing might be your success story!
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