Essential Tips for Self-publishing a Children’s Book
- Michelle M. White
- 2 days ago
- 10 min read
Children’s books may look simple on the surface, with their bright colors, charming characters, and short text, but behind every polished spread is a carefully coordinated team effort.
And for self-publishing authors, that process often starts long before the illustrations are drawn.
A beautiful children’s book is thoughtfully planned, with clear pacing, intentional visuals, and a production process designed to support young readers. Whether you’re writing a picture book, early reader, or illustrated chapter book, understanding how design and illustration work together will save you time, money, and significant frustration.
In this article, we’ll explore how to:
Understand the difference between illustration and book design
Bring a designer onto the team at the right time
Plan your book map and spreads before any artwork begins
Choose and hire the right illustrator
Give effective art direction
Avoid common layout pitfalls (like gutter placement!)
Budget realistically for your project
Prepare your manuscript to fit your reader’s age and comprehension level
Protect yourself from predatory “quick publishers”
These principles will help you create a professional, engaging children’s book that reads clearly, looks beautiful, and reflects the quality your young readers deserve.
Important note for authors seeking a traditional publisher:
If your goal is to secure a publishing contract, you do not need to choose an illustrator or prepare illustration notes. In traditional publishing, the publisher selects and directs the illustrator as part of their internal creative process.
The tips in this article are specifically for self-publishing authors who are managing their own production team.
1. Children's Book Design vs. Illustration: Two Different Roles, One Shared Vision
One of the most common misunderstandings in children’s publishing is the assumption that illustrators also handle book design. In reality, these are two distinct professions, each with their own expertise, and your book benefits enormously when both roles are understood and respected.
Illustrators bring your story’s world to life. Through color, expression, movement, and setting, they create the emotional landscape of your book and help tell the story. Their work shapes how young readers feel as they move through each scene.
Designers, on the other hand, guide how those illustrations and your text work together on the page. They focus on composition, readability, typography, and the overall flow from spread to spread. Their role is to shape the reading experience, so the book feels polished, balanced, and effortless to navigate.
A designer’s work includes:
Putting the text and illustrations together on the pages for a consistent and visually compelling narrative
Establishing page-by-page layout and overall structure
Determining where text should be and establishing the flow
Making sure your front- and back-matter are professionally presented
Ensuring printer requirements are followed with safe zones and gutter margins
Designing the front and back cover to attract attention
Preparing final production-ready files for your printer
When the roles are blurred (something that happens often), problems can surface quickly: text unintentionally covers key artwork, characters fall into the gutter, illustrations are created in proportions that don’t match the chosen trim size, or the book ends up feeling visually inconsistent.
Understanding the distinction between illustration and design protects both your investment and your story. It allows each professional to do their best work and ensures that, from the first sketch to the final file, your book is crafted with intention.
A designer isn’t there to “decorate” your pages; they’re shaping how young readers experience your story. When design and illustration work together from the beginning, the result is a children’s book that feels cohesive, clear, and truly beautiful.
2. Bring a Designer in Before the Illustrations Begin
Many authors assume the process begins with artwork, but the most successful children’s books start with layout planning. When a designer is brought in early, they can map your story in a way that supports the illustrator rather than correcting their work after the fact.
Designers create what’s often called a book map, which is a visual blueprint outlining:
The total page count and what goes on each page
Where page turns land
Which scenes should be shown in spreads
How much text belongs on each page and how much space it will take up
Whether the text sits inside the illustration or in its own dedicated area
This map becomes the guide your illustrator works from, preventing unnecessary revisions later. A designer will also do preliminary typesetting, placing your manuscript directly into the planned layout so the illustrator can see exactly how much room the text will require.
This early collaboration helps avoid the most expensive mistake in children’s publishing: beautifully finished illustrations that simply don’t fit the book.
3. Choosing the Right Illustrator for Your Story
Selecting an illustrator is one of the most exciting steps in creating a children’s book, but it’s also one of the most significant decisions you’ll make. Beyond style preferences, you’re looking for someone who understands visual storytelling, professionalism, and the technical demands of book production.
Spend time reviewing portfolios with an eye toward:
Style compatibility. Does their artistic voice match the tone of your story: whimsical, bold, gentle, humorous, or modern?
Experience. Illustrators who have worked in children’s publishing understand safe zones, bleed, pacing, and how images guide young readers’ eyes across the page.
Reliability. Look for consistent communication, transparency about timelines, and a willingness to collaborate with your designer.
Budget. Illustration is often the largest portion of your overall cost. Rates vary widely based on complexity and the number of illustrations required, so it’s essential to request detailed quotes upfront.
The right illustrator will feel like a creative partner, not just an artist for hire, and their experience will elevate your book in ways that resonate on every page. They help a child’s eyes and ears work together as someone reads the book to them.
4. Giving Clear Illustrator Instructions (and Why They Matter More Than You Think)
Illustrators are skilled visual storytellers, but they can only bring your world to life accurately when they understand what you envision for each scene. Clear, thoughtful illustration notes expand creativity by providing a foundation that helps the illustrator translate your story into consistent, engaging artwork.
These notes don’t have to be long or technical. They simply need to communicate the essential elements of the scene, the emotion behind it, and the way the designer plans to place the text. Keep an open mind, leaving room for the illustrator’s expertise to help shape the visual story.
Here are the core components to include in your illustration notes, along with examples to show what those notes might look like:
The cast of characters
It’s best to start with having the illustrator create the characters before beginning the page sketches. Clear instructions about who they are and how you want them to look will be key, however, allow it to be a collaboration between you and your illustrator’s creativity.
Sample note: “The fox’s backpack should always be red,” or “Grandma’s glasses should match the round style shown in the character sheet.”
The action or emotion of the scene
Describe what’s happening and how it should feel so the illustrator can capture the right energy.
Sample note: “Lila is running toward the treehouse, excited and out of breath,” or “The animals are gathered quietly for bedtime, with soft, sleepy expressions.”
Character expressions or poses
Children rely heavily on facial cues and body language, so notes about expressions help your illustrator maintain emotional consistency.
Sample note: “Max looks surprised, with wide eyes and hands in the air,” or “The duck should look slightly annoyed, tilting her head to the side.”
The environment and mood
A brief description of lighting or atmosphere helps the illustrator match the tone you envision for each scene.
Sample note: “It’s early morning with warm light coming through the window,” or “The forest feels magical and glowing, not dark or scary.”
Where the text will be placed
Let your illustrator know which areas must remain uncluttered so the designer can ensure clear, readable text placement. This is where your designer’s preliminary typesetting comes into play.
Whether the spread crosses the gutter
If art spans both pages, your notes help protect important elements from being swallowed by the spine during printing.
Sample note: “This illustration should span both pages, but keep the frog and the lantern away from the center fold,” or “This scene stays on a single page with no art crossing into the gutter.”
Any visual elements that must stay consistent
Consistency supports clear understanding for young readers who often notice small details adults overlook.
Sample note: “The family portrait on the wall should be the same on both pages,” or “The tree is on the right of the swingset.”
These notes give your illustrator the context they need without dictating every detail. They also make the entire production process smoother: your designer can plan layouts with confidence, your illustrator knows exactly what to draw, and your final files require fewer revisions.
A bonus benefit: these same notes can often be repurposed later as alt-text in your ebook version, supporting accessibility and ensuring your story is inclusive for all readers.
5. Choosing Your Trim Size Early to Avoid Expensive Revisions
In addition to clear illustration notes, it’s important to choose the right trim size before any artwork is created. Trim size shapes every decision your illustrator makes. A square book, a vertical book, and a landscape book each guide the story in different ways, and the proportions influence how characters and scenes are drawn.
If the trim size is chosen after the illustrations are completed, you may find that art has to be cropped awkwardly or even redone.
Choosing the size upfront ensures that:
Every illustration fits the layout
Backgrounds and compositions are proportionally correct
No important visual details are lost
Characters don’t feel stretched, compressed, or cramped
Your designer can help you select a size that fits industry standards, suits your genre, and is most economical for printing. This single decision saves time, money, and frustration.
6. Protecting Your Art from Gutter Issues
After choosing your trim size, the next step is understanding how the artwork will interact with the gutter, which is the inner fold where the pages meet. This may seem like a small detail, but it has an enormous impact on illustrated books. Anything placed too close to this area risks being swallowed by the spine, especially in hardcover books or print-on-demand formats with tighter binding.
If artwork is placed too close to the center fold, important details can disappear into the spine. Expressions may be distorted, characters can be “cut in half,” and the emotional impact of a scene may be lost. It also requires the reader to pull at the binding in order to see the full image, potentially damaging the book.
Illustrators must know:
Which spreads extend across the gutter
How much space to leave on each side
Which areas are “no-go” zones for faces, hands, or key details
Your designer marks these areas clearly on the book map so the illustrator can avoid placing essential elements there. This prevents the heart-sinking moment when a beautiful spread looks broken or incomplete in print and keeps your spreads clean, balanced, and fully visible once printed. This careful planning also helps you understand the overall scope of your project, both creatively and financially.
7. Budgeting Realistically for Your Children’s Book
Children’s books are among the most visually intensive genres to produce, which means the costs are higher than those for text-only books. Between illustration, design, editing, and production, a professional-quality picture book typically falls in the $2,000–$3,000 range. Highly experienced and successful illustrators can come at a premium price.
Your investment ensures:
Artwork that connects emotionally
A layout that supports early literacy
A cover that appeals to parents and booksellers
Production files that meet printing standards
Planning your budget early helps you move through the process confidently and avoid unexpected expenses later.
8. Why a Children’s Book Editor Is Essential
Before planning the visual aspects of your book, it helps to turn your attention to the foundation of every children’s story: the writing. Just as the visuals require thoughtful preparation, the manuscript deserves the same care, particularly when you’re writing for young readers.
Editing for children’s books goes far beyond checking grammar or fixing typos. A skilled children’s book editor understands the developmental stage of your audience and helps shape your manuscript accordingly.
They look at:
Reading level and vocabulary
Sentence length and rhythm
Page-turn pacing
Age-appropriate themes
Clarity for both the child and the adult reading aloud
A well-edited children’s book feels effortless, musical, and engaging. It meets children where they are developmentally, which makes the story resonate more deeply.
Reading Aloud: The Most Overlooked Editing Tool
Children’s books are meant to be read out loud. When you read your manuscript this way, you’ll immediately hear which sentences run long, which words are difficult to pronounce, and which transitions feel abrupt.
Reading aloud reveals:
Tongue twisters that interrupt flow
Awkward or overly complex phrasing
Repetitive sentence structures
Emotional tone that doesn’t match the scene
Words that may be too advanced for your audience
If you find yourself stumbling, losing breath, or instinctively wanting to reword something, your readers will too. This simple practice strengthens clarity, rhythm, and the read-aloud experience, which is an essential part of writing for children.
9. Avoiding “All-in-One” Publishing Packages That Cut Corners
As you prepare to bring everything together, your manuscript, illustrations, and design, it’s also important to choose your publishing partners wisely. Many new authors feel overwhelmed and turn to companies that promise to handle every step of the publishing process for one low price. Unfortunately, these packages often result in poor-quality art, unprofessional design, and files that aren’t actually print-ready.
I’ve worked with many authors who came to me after spending thousands on services that delivered:
Low-resolution illustrations
Inconsistent styles
No control over the style or presentation
Incorrect sizing and formatting
Covers that don’t meet printing standards
Long delays or no communication
If a company promises to do everything quickly and cheaply, it’s usually a red flag. A reputable professional explains their process clearly, is transparent about costs, and gives you full ownership of your files. Your book deserves that level of care.
Final Thoughts
A beautiful children’s book honors a child’s imagination on every page.
The story, illustrations, and design all work together to create an emotional, readable, visually engaging experience for young readers.
When you bring a designer in early, choose the right editor and illustrator, plan your book map, and budget realistically, you set yourself up for a smoother publishing journey and a beautiful final book.
Children deserve books that honor their imagination.
With thoughtful planning and the right team, you can create a book that feels intentional, joyful, and deeply professional.
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