How much money do I make if I publish a children's book that is about 20 pages long?

Question

I have a project I am working on that requires alot of money so I was wondering how much I would make if I published a book for children?

Answer 1

There are a lot of different ways of publishing books. Taking just the traditional way of publishing to the trade and distributing the book in bookstores, you would be likely to get a royalty ranging from 7 to 12 percent of the retail price. You would also be likely to get an advance based on one year's estimated sales. In other words, if your book sold for $15, you would get somewhere around $1.50 per book. If your anticipated sales in the first year were 3000 copies, you would likely get an advance against royalties of around $4500. You would not earn additional royalties until the advance was earned back.

But none of that is very likely unless you know something about now the book industry works and how books are marketed and sold. It appears you would need to do a lot of research to get yourself up to speed. Also, it usually takes a long time for a manuscript to find a publisher and get into print, so even in the best case you would not be likely to make any money for a long time.

Answer 2

It doesn't quite work like that. It depends on what kind of publisher accepts it - which, by the way, is a long shot if you are an unknown. Some publishers pay you an outright fee, maybe a grand or two, then pay on how many copies are sold from there. The big money people talk about for authors are for authors that are well known, or have happened on a best seller.

More than likely you will need an agent, who also takes a piece of the money pie. And then the problem of finding an agent that will work with an unknown.

Writer's Digest publishes a lot of great books for beginning writers. How to Publish a Children's Book, or How to Get Published. Any titles like that are very helpful.

Answer 3

The money you make depends on the difference your vanity publisher will charge and the sales you generate by yourself. A vanity publisher will charge several thousand dollars for the service they provide regardless how well written your manuscript may be. It will be up to you to advertise and sell your work.

Convincing a major book store to stock your book is a monumental task in itself. Talk to a representative at a book store you have in mind and ask your pertinent questions.

Should you take your manuscript to a copy place such as Office Depot it can be printed and bound using the designs you provide. That task could cost around $20 to $30 for the first item. Additional copies made should be less in cost.

Again, it will be up to you to sell your book in the best manner available for you.

Should you decide to go the old fashioned way and attain a literary agent to represent your works consult a Writer's Market book found in your local library or at a book store.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Depends on so many factors. The first factor is IF you get it published. The children's market is VERY competitive, even more then the adult market. If you did get it published it also depends on how much the book sells. If it does sell how much of that is full cover and how much is at discount. There are other factors but you get the idea.

Answer 5

well, if it's your first, and your sole reason for writing it is to make money for something else, you probably won't even sell the book.

There are lots of good books on writing for kids, you should check them out. One thing you might learn is that they probably won't buy a book 20 pages long because that doesn't fit the binding specs.

Answer 6

It all depends. Depends on it's quality, and what it's all about, and much more. But even so, I hope you make good money off of it. That would be really cool, so just put your all into it and see were it goes.

Answer 7

Yep, depends on how good it is. But really, anything worth doing always requires great sacrifices. Go for it, it may open a new door for you.

Answer 8

depends on if it gets published, and then if it does, it depends on how much it sells because of royalties.

Answer 9

Depends on how many people purchase it.

Answer 10

it really depends if its any good.