Childrens Books

What is a children’s book?

Publishing a children’s book: What you need to know

Editing process

• Editing needs to be completed before illustration begins. If you have your illustrations completed already, we recommend only a proofread level editing.
• Pricing: This is dependent on the level of editing required and the individual editors pricing. Green Hill has their own specialised children’s book editors. For external editors, we cannot provide an expected price.
• Structural editing is often the most expensive. Expect $500+ through Green Hill’s preferred children’s book editors.
• Copyediting is often the mid-ground. The price of this is unique to each project but expect around $500+ through Green Hill’s preferred children’s book editors.
• Proofreading is often the cheapest. If your book requires a proofread, we will use one of our all-rounder editors, not a specialised children’s book editor. The cost of this is often minimal.

Working with an Illustrator

• Pricing: Illustrators price uniquely based on their experience, overheads, time, etc. No two illustrators will provide the same quote and cannot work to other illustrator’s quotes. Expect to pay between $4,000 and $10,000 to illustrate a full children’s book of around 32 pages.
• Some illustrators do character sketches before the author commits to full illustration with them. Expect a fee of a few hundred dollars for this.
• Provide your illustrator with a storyboard (please see the attachment on the page titled ‘Children’s Book Resources’ and final manuscript (has gone through editing). This will help direct them on what you’re after, even if the moodboard is stick figures and dot point descriptions.
• Timeline: Like price, illustrators have their own timelines. They may be working on multiple projects at once or have a day job to work around. Timelines shouldn’t be rushed as this will result in a sub-par product or may incur additional rush fees. Expect a timeline of 3-6 months for complete illustration. Green Hill prefers that the cover illustration (if unique) to be completed before the Briefing Session with your Book Designer.

Illustrator information

• 3mm bleed on all sides including spine/interior
• 300-600dpi
• Digital illustration preferred
• PSD or open files required
• 5mm safe area for spine (each page) – make sure all important information elements are clear 5mm of spine fold
• Allow clear space for text
• Cover illustration can be unique, or our book designers can create from interior illustrations
• Vignette illustrations involve isolated characters/assets with little to know background elements. This is often the cheapest
• Full page illustrations involve one page of character/s with a full background. This is the mid-ground.
• Full spread illustrations involve two full pages of continuous illustration, including the character/s and full background. This is the most expensive.

Our trusted illustrator contacts

• If these illustrators do not fit your requirements, we recommend sourcing an external illustrator. You can use Illustrators Australia to research local illustrators.
• We don’t recommend working with overseas illustrators to ensure that all pricing is AUD and time zones are manageable.

Stylised illustrated, or “animated” text

When a children’s book uses stylised or “animated” text (where the lettering interacts with the illustrations or conveys movement or emotion) it’s important to plan and execute this in close collaboration with the illustrator. This type of text often needs to be integrated during the illustration process itself, because once the illustrations are completed, adding or adjusting text can become redundant or visually inconsistent.

Because this requires additional coordination, design work, and sometimes custom lettering, it is considered a specialised service and is usually more expensive than standard typesetting. Planning for this early in the project ensures the text and illustrations complement each other seamlessly.

These elements need to be quoted on individually, but due to the close collaboration between the typesetter, illustrator and author, this is can be an expensive process.

Print-on-demand

• IngramSpark print paperback and hardcover
• IngramSpark printed ends available for paperback only
• Landscape books are not recommended for POD
• Amazon KDP print paperback (hardcover not available for print in Australia, all print comes from the USA)
• Amazon KDP print for hardcover is only available for over 72 pages
• Amazon KDP printed ends not available
• IngramSpark printing page count must be multiples of 12 (preferred 24 and 36 pages), otherwise there will be blank paper at the back of the book. Last page must be blank for printers barcode (meaning 23 or 35 pages of content)
• Board book is not available for POD

Trade Printing

• Printing paperback in Australia at quantities of 200+
• Unbound print proof for Australia print
• Printing hardcover Asia only quantities of 500+
• No print proof for Asia print
• Page count must be multiples of 4
• Board book available Asia only quantities of 500+
• Our Print division is called Fox Merit

Retail pricing and royalties

POD printing costs and retail pricing can seem high, so to help set expectations, it’s likely that your book will call into the below ranges:

• Paperback expect $18-$28 retail price
• Hardcover expect $38-$48 retail price
• Both, expect $2-$4 royalties per sales

AI Policy

• You will need to declare any AI usage to Green Hill so we can be informed when uploading your book to Print-on-Demand platforms (they require this information). This includes writing, editing, and illustration.
• As per our AI policy, Green Hill does not use AI to make illustrations for children’s books or to make adjustments/new illustrations on existing illustrator’s work. You will need to approach your illustrator for any adjustments or new content needed.