How I Took My First Step into Children’s Book Publishing
No Agent, No Plan - Just a Sketchbook!
A couple weeks ago, I accidentally sent out a post before it was ready - whoops! 😅 Thanks so much for bearing with me.
Here’s the updated version, all polished and ready to go. Hope you enjoy it!
Earlier this year, I posted a request asking what stories you would like me to share. One of the suggestions I received was to talk about my experiences working on my first children's book project, including what I learned and how I have changed and evolved since then.
My first children's book project is a picture book called The Treehouse Heroes and The Forgotten Beast, written by Phil Amara and published by Immedium.
My journey into children's books has been a bit different from the norm. Back then, I was juggling a full-time job in animation while also getting involved in art shows and conventions as a way to dive into my personal art. I’d always been curious about the children's book publishing world, but honestly, I didn’t know much about it. Plus, my day job was pretty demanding, taking up most of my time and energy. Because of that, I didn't really have the chance to explore other career options - other than just dipping my toes into local art shows for fun.
One of those conventions is where I met Phil Amara, who used to be an editor at Dark Horse Comics and had a background in animation. He was working on a picture book called Treehouse Heroes and was checking out publishing options with Immedium. Phil reached out to me to illustrate it, and we ended up putting together a book dummy to pitch to Immedium. That’s how my journey in children's book publishing kicked off.
When I first started the Threehouse Heroes project, I had no clue about submitting a book proposal or what a book dummy even was. When I worked on the story with Phil, I approached it like I would an animated film project. It's extremely helpful that Phil is knowledgeable in both the book and film world. He helped me figure out how to take my animation mindset and turn it into something that works for a picture book.
Back then I did a lot of group shows and drew most of my concept sketches in a newsprint sketchbook. Recently, while I was cleaning my shelves, I stumbled upon some sketches from Treehouse Heroes. At that time, I was really into sketching with blue pencils and ballpoint pens. I would scan in these drawings and email to Phil.
Back then, I didn’t really have a workflow and was just trying to figure things out as I went. While writing this article, I started looking through old files and was pretty surprised by how messy everything is. A lot of the early concept sketches were done on newsprint, and book dummies put together in a sketchbook using ink and watercolor washes.
I also found some digitally created files, including concept art and storyboard panels for animation. At one point, we were considering the idea of developing an animated pitch based on the book as well.
As this is Phil's first picture book project, and my first venture into children's book publishing, there were a lot of experiments, trials, and errors. Looking back at these older files with what I know now, I can see that the workflow, file organization, and presentation seemed a bit confusing and chaotic. But, every step, whether it worked out or not, has been a valuable learning experience.
Even with all the hiccups along the way, the final art for the book ended up looking pretty close to the book dummy. I picked up a lot about how book layout design is different from making art for galleries or films. What I would now take for granted as "common sense knowledge" in basic publishing skills or knowledge were learned from making this first book.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
🎙️ Were you working with an agent before you signed your first book?
Nope, I didn't have an agent back then. I was just figuring things out and exploring whether I wanted to pursue a career in children's book publishing. Honestly, I didn’t know enough about the industry to have a clear direction. So when I signed with Immedium, I did it without any representation. A few years later, when I felt ready to really dive into a career in children's books, that’s when I started looking for an agent.
🎙️ Why did Phil ask you to illustrate the book before the publisher acquired it? Isn't it usually the publisher who matches the author with an illustrator?
While most publishers usually pair authors with illustrators after acquiring a book, Phil had a clear idea of what he wanted for Treehouse Heroes. He had a specific art style in mind and wanted everything to match his creative vision. On top of that, Immedium works a bit differently than the big publishing houses. As a smaller, family-run publisher, they are more a hands-on and have more flexibility, which makes it easier for authors and illustrators to collaborate closely.
🎙️ Is there a big difference in advances between smaller publishers and larger houses?
The advance from a smaller publishing company like Immedium can be quite different from what you'd get from a big publishing house. Several things affect how much they'll offer, like the author or illustrator's past work, how commercially viable the story seems, and what kind of budget the publisher has. Since every book deal is one-of-a-kind, the final offer mixes together creative factors, financial conditions, and market trends.
🎙️ I got offered a book illustration gig, which is super exciting! But, the advance is lower than I'd like it to be. Since this would be my first book project, I'm wondering if I should go ahead and take the job or explore some other opportunities. What do you think?
Everyone's got their own goals and starting points at different times in their careers. When it comes to deciding whether to take a job offer, there’s really no clear-cut right or wrong answer.
Let me share a bit from my own experience that might help. Early on, I took some low-paying gigs for my first couple of books. I had a good full-time job at that point, but I was pretty clueless about the whole book and illustration scene. When the chance to work on a book illustration project popped up, I felt like I hit the jackpot! Sure, the pay wasn’t great, but the experience and the doors it opened were beyond valuable - it was something I didn’t want to miss.
But, I probably wouldn’t make the same choice later in my career. The big lesson for me is to trust your gut! There’s no universal answer; just go with what feels right for you at the time.
🎙️ What is the biggest lesson or takeaway you learned from your first book project besides learning how to publish a book?
The biggest thing I took away from working on Treehouse Heroes is discovering how much I love making books! This experience eventually set me on the path to children's book publishing down the line. Oliver, who owns Immedum, was super supportive of local artists. Back when I lived in San Francisco, he would invite artists like me to book events and signings, which was such an awesome opportunity! Those events helped me meet a bunch of amazing librarians and publishing people, and I'm still connected with many of them today. I really cherish those moments and am so grateful for everything that came from that time.
If you have any topics or questions you’d like me to share in my upcoming posts, please comment below or send me a message. I would love to hear from you!
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Wow!! 🤩 great deep dive. I’ve been a fan of your work for quite a while. Lovely read!