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In the three weeks since I self-published The ABCs of Homesteading For Kids, curious friends, family, and the social media community have asked me so many questions about the self-publishing process.

In this blog post, I’m digging into the most common questions I’ve received about self-publishing a children’s book:

• Do you pring and ship self-published books yourself?
• How much do you make with self-publishing?
• Do self-published authors have an agent, editor, or manager?
• Why would someone decide to self-publish?
• Do self-published authors illustrate their own books?

Do you print and ship self-published books yourself? 

I do not. I publish my books through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) through Amazon. Books are printed and shipped as ordered, and I can order in bulk for special events or large-quantity purchases. This eliminates a lot of work and keeps my upfront costs very low. 

There are multiple avenues to self-publishing, and some do involve a more hands-on approach. I encourage thorough research to see what best fits your needs, lifestyle, and capabilities.

How much money do you make with self-publishing? 

The answer can differ — but here are the quick facts:

• Each publishing platform will offer a different royalty rate. For instance, KDP offers a fixed 60% royalty rate on paperbacks sold on Amazon marketplaces. Royalties for ebooks and hard copies are different.
• If you purchase author copies (copies you can sell yourself), you pay the printing cost. This way, you can make more from each copy you sell; however, you buy them upfront, and if you don’t sell any, you have sunk costs.
• You cover all your own expenses: editors, illustrators, public relations, marketing, cover design, ads, author copies, ARC copies, etc.

How much you make depends on many things, mainly how many copies you sell and how low you can keep your costs. Here are a few of the realistic statistics for self-publishing authors:

• The average self-published book sells 250 copies.
• The average self-published author makes $1,000 per year from their books.
• 33% of self-published authors make less than $500 per year.
• 90% of self-published books sell less than 100 copies.
• 20% of self-published authors report making no income from their books.

Needless to say, don’t go into the self-publishing (or really the fiction writing world at all) to make money. Do it for the passion, for love, for the experience.

Do self-published authors have an agent, editor, or manager? 

While we don’t start out with agents, editors, or managers in the traditional sense, it is possible for indie authors to be picked up by agents or become large enough to need a manager at some point.

Typically, we’re a one-man/one-woman show with a lot of support groups. I currently hang out with the Kid Lit Support Squad group (and am looking for more groups to join!)

Why would someone decide to self-publish? 

If you’re a writer aspiring to someday publish, you may have an idea of the publishing industry and how scary it can be. Long, overly detailed, and deeply researched story short: approximately 1-2% of writers seeking traditional publication achieve it. I decided to self-publish for a lot of reasons, the main ones being: 

• Timeline. I wanted to publish this year, and traditional publication can take somewhere around 2-3 years. On top of a 1-2% chance of publication, I opted for a less traditional route for my children’s book. However, my novel will be seeking agent representation in the next few months.
• Convenience. While self-publishing is a lot of work, I personally felt it was the same, if not less, than seeking traditional publication. I queried my novel for a few months, and the amount of work that went into research, drafting letters, revisions, more research, and waiting for a response felt similar to the time it took to format, re-format, and publish The ABCs of Homesteading for Kids.
• Control. I was eager to work with my chosen illustrator and to let her creativity soar. A traditional publication route may have intervened on these efforts.

There are many benefits to traditional publications as well (mainly the expertise), and there are benefits to self-publishing. Stay tuned for a blog comparing both.

Do self-published authors illustrate their own books?

I did not illustrate my own book — although I know plenty of indie authors who do both the writing and the illustrations (Cat Parry is one of my faves).

Any tips for authors considering self-publication?

Explore all of your options! Research, talk to self-published authors, and learn from others’ mistakes and successes. Ultimately, make the decision that makes the mose sense for you.

If you’ve self-published (or are considering it), ask your questions or tell me the questions you’ve been asked in the comments. 

until next time,

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