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When a kid pulls your book off a school library shelf, you aren’t just a "self-published author"—you’re a storyteller who has passed the test of the world’s toughest gatekeepers: Elementary School Librarians. But here’s the no-nonsense truth: You can’t just walk into a front office with a stack of books and a smile. Schools are government-funded and highly regulated. If you want in, you have to play by their rules.

Your Amazon book listing doesn’t need to be perfect on Day 1 — but the more polished and professional it is, the better your chances of making a sale.  Use this checklist to audit your book’s page today (and revisit it regularly after launch). A few thoughtful tweaks can make a big difference!

But, if you want to SELF-PUBLISH a children’s picture book, then YOU are the publisher, and you are going to have to invest some money to create a quality product.  So, how much should you expect to invest? 

If you’re looking to lengthen a book that’s short on pages, here are some ideas that will not only help you meet the minimum page requirements, but will also add value for your readers. 

Here’s why they’re wrong and why you should ALWAYS have your manuscript fully edited BEFORE your illustrator begins:

While patent, trademarks and copyrights are 3 foundational types of intellectual property, they are completely different and separate animals.

Today, I want to share three of my favorite resources for writers that I use almost daily—tools I couldn’t imagine running my author busines

If you've written a book and plan on self-publishing, you might wonder how to actually get your book on Amazon.

Kids love something to snuggle up with while they read! As a children’s book author myself, I recently had a plush owl produced to sell alon

Every best-selling author was once a beginner. Learning how to write and publish—no matter which publication route is best for you—is just a

Choosing the perfect freelance illustrator for your book is one of the hardest parts of the self-publishing process. 

When a client asks, “How do I format a picture book?” I have to stop and clarify which type of formatting they’re talking about. 

Board Books vs. hardback books vs. paperback books...Oh my! In this post, we’ll describe the three most common print formats.

There were a few things I wish I’d known prior to starting my own independent publishing company, Phoenix Media & Books.

Here’s a round up of my favorite FREE writing contests and challenges for children's book authors.