Finished your children’s book? Here’s what to do next.
Take the first step to writing your children’s book story. Download the free children’s book template here to help you get started.
Congratulations! You’ve finally finished writing your children’s book. It’s an incredible achievement and you should be proud of yourself. But you might be wondering what should you do now that you’ve finished your story?
Finishing your story draft is amazing, however, your work is not yet done. Here’s what you need to do now that you’re finished.
What to do after you’ve finished your children’s book manuscript:
Congratulations on finishing your children’s book! Now that you have a finished draft the next step is to get your book published.
While it may seem daunting, it is a necessary step if you want to share your story with the world. Here’s what to do once you’ve finished writing your children’s story, including how to get started with the publishing process.
1. Revise and Edit Your Story
Before you start thinking about publishing, make sure that your story is the best it can be. Re-read it, revise it, and edit it until it is polished and ready to be shared with the world. (Use these 4 simple editing tricks to help you get started.)
I also highly recommend you consider sharing your story with other writers or trusted readers to get feedback and suggestions for improvement. Finding a local critique group or online group is a great place to start, but make sure they know about or write children’s books themselves so they can give you the best feedback.
(You can also book a professional critique with me.)
2. Find a Literary Agent or Publisher
If you want to get your book published traditionally, you’ll need to find a literary agent or publisher. This article will help you get started.
But the key is to do your research and find an agent or publisher that specializes in children’s books and is a good fit for your story. After you find someone who seems to be a good fit, look at their submission guidelines and follow them carefully. (Failure to do so can result in an instant rejection letter.)
Take our mini-course on how to send your book to a publisher to help you.
3. Self-Publish Your Book
If you don’t want to go the traditional publishing route, you can easily self-publish your book through many online platforms, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, that allow you to publish your book as an e-book or a physical book.
But keep in mind that self-publishing requires more work on your part, such as editing, formatting, and promoting your book. If you haven’t had your book reviewed by experts who understand the industry, it can keep you from being successful.
I recommend working with a publishing house like BiblioKid Publishing to help you understand the self-publishing process.
4. Create a Marketing Plan
Whether you choose traditional publishing or self-publishing, you’ll need to promote your book to get it in the hands of readers. This includes creating a marketing plan that includes social media, book signings, and other promotional events. You can also reach out to book bloggers and reviewers to see if they are interested in reviewing your book.
Read this article to help you start thinking about the marketing process.
5. Keep Writing
Writing a children’s book is just the beginning. If you want to build a career as a writer, you’ll need to keep writing and honing your craft. Keep reading and learning, attend writing workshops and conferences, and never stop improving your skills.
In conclusion, once you’ve finished writing your children’s story, the next step is to get it published. Whether you choose traditional publishing or self-publishing, make sure that your story is polished and ready to be shared.
If you’d like a professional critique, you can book one with me here.
Check out these other resources to help you:
- Get the editing workbook to help you complete the edits
- Use these 4 simple editing tricks to help you get started
- Review the proven process on how to get published here
