Once your story is written, it’s time to think about a winning title for your children’s book!
You may already have a title for your book in mind. In fact, it’s probably something you’ve been thinking long and hard about for some time.
Yes, we want a clever title that lets your story’s personality shine through. But something we want just as much (if not more) is for readers to actually find your book! And this will be very hard to do if you don’t name it properly.
Do I need an editor for a children’s book?
Editing is a valuable investment. A good editor is instrumental in making your book a success because poor spelling, grammar, and book structure will reflect badly on your book’s sales and reviews.
Your book and its message might be amazing, but if too many errors slip through, your readers will notice and voice their opinion in a review like this, which ultimately will lower your overall rating.
If your book is more than 600-800 words long, you should send it off to a professional editor for proofing. Yes, you can go over it yourself and let your significant other read through it. But letting a third unbiased, independent, and professional party look over it will make your manuscript so much better, given you have an experienced editor.
Illustrate your book
When it comes to illustrating your children’s book, there are three options you can choose from. The best option for you will depend on your budget, time, skill level, and trust you’re willing to put into someone else's interpretation of your story.
Your choices are:
Do it yourself
Hire someone
Combination of both
Next, you’ll need to…
1. Decide on the book’s orientation:
When it comes to picture books, there are a number of different orientations to choose from. (These don’t apply to chapter books or books for older children, as those usually feature the 5½” x 8” format.)
There is no set rule, of course. Rather, it’s an oversimplified observation.
This decision needs to be made early on because your illustrations will depend greatly on the orientation you choose for your book.
2. Plan your image sizing
Whether you hire an illustrator or create the illustrations yourself, you’ll want to make sure you do the sizing correctly so that once you upload your artwork, everything runs smoothly.
CreateSpace’s available print sizes will depend on whether your book is going to be in color or black and white. Below are the most common sizes.
5.5” x 8.5”
6” x 9”
6.14 x 9.21”
7” x 10”
8” x 10”
8.5” x 8.5”
8.5” x 11”
If you plan on having your images cover the entire page, make sure to add 0.125 to the top and bottom, as well as one side to account for trimming. CreateSpace offers templates here, but remember that you’ll still have to add the bleed allowance yourself.
Here is a quick example from my book The Little Mower That Could. Let’s say you want your book to be 8.5” x 8.5”:
Add 0.125 to the top, bottom, and one side
Image size with bleed should be 8.63” x 8.75” (w x h), (or 2589 pixels’ x 2625 pixels at a resolution of 300 pixels/inch)
*This is only necessary for interior pages if the art covers the ENTIRE page
The larger your image, the better – at least 2,500 pixels per side, preferably larger. Take printing into account. For example, if your book will be 11” on one side, your images need to be more than 3,300 pixels per side. Just make sure the aspect ratio remains the same if you should decide to resize your images.
In conclusion, naming a children's book is a creative and thoughtful process that plays a crucial role in shaping the reader's perception of the story within. A well-crafted title can serve as a gateway to the world you've created, offering a glimpse into the themes, tone, and spirit of the book. By considering the central themes, target audience, and the overall essence of the story, you can create a title that resonates with both children and their parents or guardians.
Furthermore, a memorable and engaging title can pique the curiosity of potential readers and make your book more appealing. It's important to strike a balance between creativity and clarity, ensuring that the title is both imaginative and easy to remember. Testing out potential titles with the intended audience can provide valuable insights and help you gauge which options are most effective.
Here are some of my titles:
