So you've written a children's story...now what?!
Like, how do you to turn it into an actual book?
Sifting through information about illustrating, printing options, book marketing, not to mention every article shrouded in book industry jargon, it's exhausting. Then googling everything starts to go in circles and each time you try and come back to it, the same roadblocks appear.
One word: STUCK… or at least moving at a snail’s pace. The dream still feels distant and always a little too out of reach.
Trust me, you're not alone.
In 2018, I finally self-published my very first book —
and I want to show you HOW.
I was in your shoes. I felt paralyzed and never knew what step to take next. It took me years to start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. It wasn’t until I rolled up my sleeves and broke this big goal down into actual tiny daily tasks, was I able to see real progress.
Just like any creative venture, there are endless ways to do it. I figured out a way that works and have since sold over 12k books in 20+ retailers.
I designed this course to help you pull off the bandaid and actually self-publish your first book.
Introducing:
Publish That Picture Book
An easy to understand course to show you exactly how to self publish your children’s book
...and empower you, every step of the way.
“I started the course with only an idea for my book
and within a few months, I had a completed file that was ready for the printer...
this course saved me SO much time.”
-Michele Michael (Bend, OR)
Artist + Mom of 2
See Michele's first children's book "Everywhere We Go" right here
that she created going through this course.
And listen to what she has to say about Publish That Picture Book below!
Are you feeling overwhelmed?
Let's be honest. There is no ONE way to do this. And the options are endless.
This is why I created this course.
I walk you through exactly how I was able to finally fight the overwhelm and make it to the other side. It’s completely possible, even if you don’t know the first thing about publishing.
Let's break down the essential steps... in order... in plain English.
I'll show you exactly how I successfully self-published my first book and that you can too!
We’ll get through it and take it one step at a time…together!
And by the end of this,
you will finally hold in your hand a copy of your first self published, ready to sell, children’s book!
I can confidently say this because it's exactly what I did : )
Stop piecemealing. Stop doubting yourself.
Stop wasting any more time.
Now you can speed up your process and see real progress. Let's finally self-publish your first, ready-to-sell, children’s book!
Gain Confidence
Replacing feelings of imposter syndrome with the confidence that your work is valuable and that you are worthy of achieving your goal!
Learn How
Replacing confusion and overwhelm with actionable steps to follow in the order you need so you can focus on one thing at a time!
Get Results
Replacing the frustration of never making it to the end of the tunnel with the reality of holding in your hand your real live children's book!
You already have what it takes to do this, it's time to take action!
Want to learn about the course, but don't have time to sit down and read about it, I made a video version just for you! Just press play : )
"It might not have happened if I did not find Kristen Riggle."
FROM MY STUDENTS:
"Writing and illustrating this little book has been such a grand adventure. It might not have happened if I did not find Kristen Riggle.
As I became more and more frustrated about the writing process of books I would read online. Almost ready to say no way!! Then I read about kristen she had a whole layout for writing a book beginning to end.
Wow. I felt like it was doable. I could make it happen.
I wrote to her and thanked for the great easy to understand information and the step by step guidance. She wrote back and was so kind and encouraging.
What a wonderful person to have on your side.
She is always there for you all along the way. I would highly recommend working with her. ❤️"
-Beth Allison Gripenstraw (Santa Cruz, CA)
Artist + Ceramicist
Check out Beth's first children's book at www.louletsgo.com!
Her step-by-step guidance is clear, it’s actionable, and it’s packed with insider tips that make this whole publishing process feel a lot less overwhelming.
-Rebecca Thompson (Walnut Creek, CA)
English Teacher + Mom of 2
Listen to what else Rebecca has to say about Publish That Picture Book below!
"Kristen's expertise and encouragement gave me the confidence to bring my story to life and navigate this whole industry and she broke it down step-by-step."
HERE'S EVERYTHING YOU GET INSIDE THE COURSE:
MODULE 1
PLANNING
Learn how to create a plan that will help you make more confident decisions to create a more cohesive book in the end. The planning stage often gets overlooked, but a little effort up front can go a long way.
Plus you'll learn about the book industry standards for word and page counts, the different types of editing, and common books sizes and dimensions.
INSIDE THIS MODULE, YOU'LL WALK THROUGH THE STEPS TO:
☑️ DECIDE ON YOUR WORD + PAGE COUNT
☑️ EDIT YOUR MANUSCRIPT
☑️ NAIL DOWN BOOK SPECIFICS
(EX. BOOK DIMENSION + ILLUSTRATION STYLE)
☑️ CREATE A MOCKUP BOOK
MODULE 2
ILLUSTRATIONS
Learn how to draft, create, and digitize your illustrations or if you don’t want to do it yourself, how to hire your illustrator including a cheat sheet with helpful questions to ask your illustrator before hiring.
I'll share my foolproof framework (aka. my illustration breakdown formula) to show you how to make a personalized schedule that you can actually stick to! This one is a game changer for your productivity and peace of mind.
INSIDE THIS MODULE, YOU'LL WALK THROUGH THE STEPS TO:
☑️ DRAFT YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS
☑️ CREATE YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS
☑️ OR HIRE YOUR ILLUSTRATOR
☑️ DIGITIZE YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS
MODULE 3
BOOK LAYOUT
Now it's time to find your printer and learn exactly how to layout your book interior (or learn how to hire a book layout designer to do this for you.)
I cover how I went about printing in the beginning (and what I do now), exactly which printers I've used, and what I'd do differently if I did it again.
We'll also finalize your best work and establish some social proof before even sending it to print. To do this, we walk through how to get feedback and testimonials before launching your book to the public.
INSIDE THIS MODULE, YOU'LL WALK THROUGH THE STEPS TO:
☑️ FIND YOUR PRINTER
☑️ DO YOUR BOOK LAYOUT
☑️ OR HIRE A BOOK LAYOUT DESIGNER
☑️ REACH OUT TO BETA READERS
MODULE 4
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Onto the final pieces to officially self-publish your book!
I'll help map out what front and back cover content you need to have prepared for your final book layout (and provide a handy worksheet and checklists to stay organized).
I'll walk you through the creation of your book blurb, your author bio, and dedication to name a few and I will show you some real life examples to give you an idea of ways you can make your own!
All of these things can be intimidating at first, but I will show you my exact process to accomplish each of these tasks.
INSIDE THIS MODULE, YOU'LL WALK THROUGH THE STEPS TO:
☑️ ACQUIRE YOUR ISBN
☑️ COMPILE REMAINING CONTENT
☑️ COMPLETE YOUR FINAL BOOK LAYOUT
☑️ REGISTER FOR YOUR COPYRIGHT (U.S. ONLY)
☑️ SEND YOUR BOOK FILES TO PRINT
11 FREE Bonuses
To Support Your Results
And don't worry, I don't expect you to just start filling them out all at once!
Each one compliments the corresponding lesson and has been intentionally created to help hold your hand through the process of completing each step of the self-publishing process.
I will let you know when to start on each one of these bonuses and will be sure you are ready for that specific step. This will give you the peace of mind that everything will get done when it needs to. No need to worry about what's coming up ahead, all you need to to do is focus on each lesson and the task at hand : )
☑️ Mindset Pledge Worksheet + Roadblock Reminders
☑️ Book Planning Worksheet
☑️ Illustration Workflow Checklist
☑️ Hiring an Illustrator Cheat Sheet + Checklist
☑️ Finding Your Printer Spreadsheet
☑️ Hiring a Layout Designer Cheat Sheet + Checklist
☑️ Formatting Your Interior Pages Manual
☑️ Beta Reader Feedback Cheatsheet + Checklist
☑️ Book Content Worksheet + Checklist
☑️ Final Book Layout Checklist
☑️ Book Launch Party Planning Guide + Worksheet
VIP instructor
Learn from a PRO
Jacob Riggle is a professional graphic + UX designer, has formatted and designed each of my very own children's books, and just so happens to be my husband!
Inside the course, Jacob shares his screen and provides a detailed tutorial giving you the opportunity to choose for yourself if you want to do your own book formatting or hire this out (we cover both!)
Discover the ins and outs of Adobe InDesign specifically for the purpose of formatting your book.
Learn how to:
☑️ Manage your files and stay organized
☑️ Prepare your illustration files for print
☑️ Set up your InDesign file
☑️ Work with layers
☑️ Work with parent pages
☑️ Add text and illustrations
☑️ Export your files as a PDF and for print
☑️ And more!!
Watch as Jacob breaks down how to format your interior pages as well as the final book layout utilizing Kristen's book and walking though each step, in real time.
"Publish that Picture Book really broke the whole process down into manageable steps"
FROM MY STUDENTS:
"I knew I wanted to write a children's book, but I truly had no idea where to start.
Publish that Picture Book really broke the whole process down into manageable steps that I could follow to achieve my goal.
Kristen is so sweet, encouraging, and helpful, and it has been a pleasure working with her."
-Nerissa Hall (Tucson, AZ)
Creative Entreprenuer + Mom of 3
You can do something to change it...right now!
The choice is yours:
Continue doing the same thing without getting results
OR
Invest in yourself and join Publish That Picture Book to finally set in motion the biggest turning point in achieving your dream...
...and ACTUALLY self-publishing your children's book!
Example Curriculum
- Welcome to Module 3 (2:16)
- Lesson 1: Finding Your Printer (7:07)
- Lesson 2: Formatting Your Interior Pages (Outsourcing) (4:52)
- Lesson 3: Formatting Your Interior Pages (DIY) (32:59)
- Lesson 4: Reach out to Beta Readers (7:08)
- Bonus Lesson: Survey Monkey Tutorial (9:07)
- Lesson 5: Analyze Feedback + Edit (2:48)
- Module 3 Recap (0:52)
"Kristen's well-organized course material demystified the process for me"
"Figuring out how to self-publish a picture book is daunting! Fortunately, Kristen's well-organized course material demystified the process for me.
As a teacher, Kristen is knowledgeable and generous. She has conducted in-depth research into each step of self-publishing. This course synthesizes that research, which is accompanied by lessons from her own experience as a successful author and illustrator.
Kristen was positive and supportive throughout the course. She helped me break down a large goal into clear, well-ordered, and achievable steps.
I know that "Publish That Picture Book" is a valuable resource that I will continue to learn from as I work on current and future projects. Thank you, Kristen!"
-Rachael Morlock (East Aurora, NY)
Freelance Writer + Editor
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
☑️ Create a professional looking children’s book
...that someone will have to look in the fine print to see that it was actually self-published (not done by a well-known publishing house!)
(Because you’ll get: Lots of real life book examples and book industry standards advice to train your eye)
☑️ Save time and not worry about doing hours worth of research to figure out what to do next (and how!)
...so you can finish your book faster and start sharing your story with the world!
(Because you’ll get: Only the essential steps of self-publishing exactly when you need it. No overcomplicating, no fluff!)
☑️ Stay organized
...so that you can stay on track and minimize overwhelm
(Because you’ll get: Game-changing checklists + cheat sheets covering essential steps of the process with all your book content in one place. No more post-its everywhere yay!)
☑️ Make as many future children’s books as you’d like
...with the confidence and path already paved out by the first one
(Because you’ll get: the lifetime knowledge and tools to do this forever and ever!)
Sounds great! So how much does it cost?
When you enroll today, you'll receive:
My 4 core curriculum trainings (value: $750)
Book formatting deep dive tutorials from a pro (value: $200)
Book Planning Worksheet (value: $25)
Illustration Workflow Checklist (value: $25)
Book Content Worksheet + Checklist (value: $50)
Comprehensive Formatting Your Interior Pages Manual (value: $100)
Hiring a Layout Designer Cheatsheet (value: $50)
Hiring an Illustrator Cheatsheet (value: $50)
Book Launch Party Planning Guide (value: $50)
That's a total value of over $1,300!!
Your 14-Day Trial Run
I put my heart and soul into this course so that everyone who goes through it will come out the other end with a finished book.
The goal is for all my students to be engaged with the course and happy with their purchase!
So, if you purchase this course, check it out for a couple of weeks and decide it's just not working for you, no problem at all, I will give you a full 100% refund.
If you need to contact me, just email me at [email protected]
So...Any Questions?
Here's What Some Fellow Authors Asked Before Clicking Enroll.
Will you help me write the story?
This course is made for people who have at least a first draft of your story written. If you need help with getting words onto paper, try my FREE Writing Workshop, (click here to join!) where I help you get started in 5 lessons sent to your inbox over the course of 5 days.
Will you help me sell the book?
This course just focuses on getting your book from an idea in your head to an actual book to hold in your hand. It's for the people who have a solid story idea and want to make a high quality children's book. I hope to create a course that will focus on the selling side of things in the future. If you're interested in that, let me know and I'll take note if there's enough interest!
How long will this take me?
This is a self-paced course, so you can go as fast or as slow as you'd like. It completely depends on how much time you have to put into working on your book. The fastest it's been done is about 4 months starting from scratch, beginning to end, with a finished children's book in hand.
How long can I access the course?
You get lifetime access : )
Have another question that I haven't answered yet?
Email me at [email protected]
As an art kid turned creative business owner...
I have had to learn how to manage my time, self motivate, and forge my own path.
I went to art school not business school. After finishing my undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at Loyola Marymount University and my master's degree in Sculpture at Cal State University, Northridge, I went on to immerse my next 10+ years learning how to be an entrepreneur, pushing through all the self-doubt and imposter syndrome that comes along with that, to continue making art and running the creative business I’ve always felt called to do!
I’ve learned how to set
big creative goals ...
and actually achieve them.
So when I set my mind to finally self-publishing my first children’s book, I hit roadblocks and made mistakes, but each setback taught me something new.
After doing the work and making it to the other side, I can see more clearly what worked and what didn’t.
Since then, I’ve sold over twelve thousand of my self-published books including hardcover, paperback, and a board book which have become the backbone of my business.
But I want you to know,
I didn’t do this by taking any special shortcuts.
