My Self-Published Easter Coloring Book ~ and How YOU Can Do It TOO!

In 2014 I wrote a children's story about a girl who was just in love with candy, and a bunny that just might be a robot.

It was a story and a coloring book, and it was out before the whole coloring fad. (Maybe I started it! ;) I had just come out of a contract with a small publisher and I decided that I would put the book out right then, rather than waiting for someone to pick me up. (That can be a loooong time.)

So I drew the pictures, brushed up the story, (which could STILL use a good edit), got it formatted, and self-pubbed it on CreateSpace.


Francine on AMAZON
Much to my surprise, Francine and the Super Spy Bunny was the number ONE Easter book for several weeks that year on Amazon, listed as a Hot New Release, and I actually made some money.

I want to tell you that you CAN do this without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars! I know a few unfortunate souls that hired a vanity press to put the whole thing together, and they regretted it.

Here is the Reader's Digest version of what you need to do:

1. Write your story

  a. Edit, edit, and edit some more. 

2. Draw your pictures (if there are any)

3. Design the cover and the back (or hire someone to do it. I self-pubbed four books and did three of the covers myself.)


The back of Francine.
4. Design the title page

5. Design dedication page (if there will be one)

6. Choose your font. (Do not pick anything crazy, you will most likely regret it. You want the book to be readable. You can pick a fancy first letter for the first word of each new chapter, but that is as far as I would go with wild font.)

7. Format your book or hire someone to do it for you. (I hired someone--it was not another thing I wanted to learn. Maybe someday...)

8. Get your file from the formatter and decide what you want to do! You can upload to Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble or any number of distributors, OR sell it on your own on your blog or website.



I am putting together a more comprehensive guide to self-pubbing and am wondering if this information is something any of you feel you need. If this is something you are interested in please tell me in the comments below.

Also look for my latest Easter coloring book, The Bunnies of Cuteness, coming SOON!

xo

Oh! You an enter the Fancy March Giveaway HERE! It is an artistic spa-like experience, and you don't even have to leave the house.