How to self-publish a picture book?

How many times were you actually thinking about publishing your book? A lot? Imagining your own book printed in wonderful colours and shiny covers, looking impressive and definitely professional? And how amazing it would be to hold it in your hands and show it to family and friends, possibly even try to sell it? Well, here is a good news: it is not as difficult as it might seem, and what is more, everyone* can do it.  (* As long as you  have got some savings put aside to be able to pay for it!) 

Well, I certainly have and after doing some research, a bit of hard work and having a great deal of fun, it finally happened. Here is the result:

3 EASY STEPS TO SELF-PUBLISHING:

Step 1. It would be good to start with the book you want to publish. 

Presuming that you have written a book, know what it is going to look like and you also have illustrations ready, the most important thing to consider is whether you will prepare it for print yourself or designate somebody else to do it for you. If you don't feel like you are up for it, there are certainly people out there who are capable of helping you out, but remember that, most likely, it would be associated with some additional expenses. 

I have decided to do it myself simply because it is great fun and to be involved in every stage of publishing your first book is more satisfying than eating a box of Belgian truffles! (..or at least that's what people tell me as I'm allergic to cocoa). 

Things to think about first:

•  Size - Very important, because: for example standard A4, common size, easy to cut out of A2 sheets, no excess or little waste equals more copies of your book for the same price. Whereas, unusual shape or size would indicate more excess waste and more large sheets to be used to cut pages out, so a bit more expensive.

• Number of pages - Usually multiples of 8. The most common children book would have 16 pages (that includes end papers, title page, content page, etc.) 

• Body - All what is between the covers! The title page, end papers, page layout, design, fonts, last page, maybe copyrights page.

• Cover - It needs to be captivating, clear and have all the information about the title and the author, obviously!

Tips!* 

- number of pages plus paper weight could determine what binding the printers can offer (sometimes it can depend on the thickness of the book.)

- have a look at the published children books and see how pages end papers are designed, it is a great help to get your head around the basics.        

VERY IMPORTANT!  remember, you need to leave at least 3mm bleed to allow printers cut pages to size. More info on bleeds.

Also, colours of your files should be set to CMYK.

Step 2. Research : the market and your budget

a) The Market - There are many printers offering to print booklets, books or brochures at different prices. Don't settle on the first one you find, check their location, compare prices and ask for details, for example: if you order 100 copies will the price go down, what papers they use, if they can print the size of your book, timescales, binding options, delivery costs, etc. 

b) Your Budget - When you know how much it costs to print a book in various formats and using different materials, check your budget! Decide on hardback/paperback, binding, materials, number of copies, quality of paper, gloss/mat covers. You might also consider additional decorations like ribbons or cut outs.

 
Tips!* 
- worth considering printers around your area to cut down on delivery costs!
- ISBN number in UK and some more info for self-publishers. 

Step 3. Decide which printers and place your order

Once you have everything ready for your book and know which printers to choose, place your order. I found it hugely satisfying to talk to them face to face and select the paper, cover papers and so on, but you might find it easier to just email or give them a call. 

What to ask about:

• files format that would go to print
• whether they need double or single page view
• colours (CMYK)
• file resolution
• naming of the files (page numbers, neat folders)
• file transfer: usb, internet, email, zipped, etc. (I used WeTransfer and it worked really well!) 
• timescales

Tips!* 

- request a proof copy/first draft for colour check.

- keep in touch with them! (check if they got the files, and if they were able to open them ok, if they need anything else. Double check they make a note of all your instructions and follow them.)

- make sure you still have all the original files in case there are any adjustments/changes to be made.