Your Publishing Plan | How to Publish Your Children's Book

Know which publishing path fits your children's book before you spend a dollar or send a single query.

You finished your book, and now everyone has an opinion on how to publish it. Traditional is the only real way. Self-publishing is faster. Any publisher who asks for money is a scam. But the right publishing path depends on your book, not on what worked for someone else.

This course lays out traditional, self, and hybrid publishing side by side, so you can pick the path that fits your book and know exactly what to do first.

With the Course, You'll Know...

1. What "publishing-ready" means on every path, so you know your story is ready before you choose
2. The real upside and downside of traditional, self, and hybrid publishing, so you know what each one costs you and what you get back
3. What happens to your next book if you self-publish first, so you don't give up your debut status by accident
4. How to tell a vanity press from a true hybrid publisher, so you know exactly what you're paying for before you sign anything
5. The 3 questions to answer before you commit to a path
6. The first steps for the path you choose, so you know exactly where to start this week

Your Course Includes...

1. Is Your Story Publishing-Ready? What "publishing-ready" means on every path: a solid story that fits the market, set up in proper manuscript format.
2. Your 3 Publishing Options. Traditional, self, and hybrid publishing side by side: who pays for what, how much control you keep, how royalties compare, and the upside and downside of each.
3. How to Choose Your Path. The 3 questions to answer before you commit, including what self-publishing first means for a future traditional deal, and which books fit a niche or hybrid publisher best.
4. Your First Steps on Each Path. Traditional: agents or publishers (never both), and who's ready for an agent. Self-publishing: why you choose your printer before you hire an illustrator. Hybrid: the checklist of what you need, and the 3 questions to ask before you sign.
5. Your Publishing Plan Quick-Reference Guide (PDF). Every option, decision question, and first step from the course in one downloadable guide you can come back to anytime.
6. Lifetime access

What customers are saying:

• "If you don't know anything about submitting a children's book...you need this! I had an interview with a publisher, and she loved the book. I made some revisions and just resent it today. I felt professional with the information you provided for my proposal!" - Tracey A. 
• "You're a good teacher! Checking up on me definitely motivated me to finish the process, and I'm so very glad I did. It's the roadmap I needed, especially the practical advice and personal experiences." - Linda B. 
• "Thank you so much, Brooke! You've condensed a plethora of information into something easy to follow that makes everything feel manageable. Plus, it's all visually appealing and thoughtfully designed. Highly recommend!" - Michelle A. 

Who's this course for?

Writers with a finished (or almost finished) children's book who want it published but don't know which way to go: traditional, self, or hybrid. It covers picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA.

It won't pick your path for you, and that's on purpose. You'll weigh each option against your own book and goals, so you know exactly why you chose it. If you already know your path and just need to execute it, you'll get more out of the courses built for that specific route.

How soon will you get access?

Your course access is granted after purchase. You'll get an instant download with your login instructions and what to expect, then a separate email with your course invite.

All our courses are self-paced and include lifetime access to the current content and any future updates, for as long as the course remains available to customers. If you've bought a course from us before, you'll use the same login and find everything in one place.

This is an online course. Nothing physical will ship.

Please note: Our digital products are for personal use only. While you can use the fillable fields on your computer or print out the sheets yourself, you cannot share this with anyone else, make a copy, or use this for resale.