An Author's Guide to Children's Book Promotion

An Author’s Guide to Children’s Book Promotion has been the leading source of information on children’s book marketing and promotion for authors, illustrators and publishers for nearly twenty years. This easy-to-use handbook provides an inside look at this complex market plus advice and guidance on getting children’s books into the hands of key decision-makers and buyers in the media, at schools, libraries, review journals, wholesalers, and bookstores…and ultimately into the hands of parents and children. Topics include: How to self promote without driving a publisher crazy Why it can make sense to set up as a distributor How to build traffic at bookstore events What’s the honorarium range for new authors New information on blogs and websites Plus a Source Directory of specialized contacts: Associations and organizations; Information sources; Trade and educational publications; Children’s book clubs wholesalers and book chains.

An Author’s Guide to Children’s Book Promotion has been the leading source of information on children’s book marketing and promotion for authors, illustrators and publishers for nearly twenty years. This easy-to-use handbook provides an inside look at this complex market plus advice and guidance on getting children’s books into the hands of key decision-makers and buyers in the media, at schools, libraries, review journals, wholesalers, and bookstores…and ultimately into the hands of parents and children. Here’s what experts have said: “Susan Raab’s An Author’s Guide to Children’s Book Promotion is a short but packed collection of tips and ideas for authors who want to take a more active role in marketing their own books, especially children’s books…Raab’s Guide is a handy and accessible reference full of useful pointers.” -Small Press Magazine “Raab’s sparse, no nonsense approach reminds me of another guidebook, Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. The lean to-the-point style makes this guide a quick reference source a writer turns to with each book published.” -Chicago Children’s Reading Roundtable Bulleti “There is nothing fancy about this book. It is a down and dirty guide to book promotion by a woman who does it for a living. What a fantastic resource. There’s no flowery filler, just good information. Gotta love it.” -Elizabeth O. Dulemba “Especially useful to beginners with trade publishers and the self-published, the key message though is universal: No one will care as much about your book as you, so you need to take responsibility to help promote it.” -Cynsations This great compact guidebook provides children’s authors with practical information on how to promote to the three major markets for children’s books: bookstores, schools and libraries. Raab also discusses how to promote to some little-known specialty markets, such as book fairs and special interest groups. It’s an outstanding primer for beginning authors and offers great ideas for the established author as well. “I particularly like the way that Ms. Raab starts her guide with these words: “Book promotion is the author’s job.” Truer words were never written.” -Bella Online Writing for Children “I read (and took copious notes). An Author’s Guide to Children’s Book Promotion has so much helpful information. I think I highlighted the entire book! The advice and recommendations are really so helpful. The book answers so many questions, especially for a beginner like me.” -Wendy Kupfer “A small, but extremely helpful book detailing many effective ways for authors to market, promote, and publicize children’s books. There are sample formats for promotional materials, as well as lists of organizations, contacts, and source materials to assist in promotional efforts.” –Verla Kay “ A concise guide from a children’s marketing consultant, covering all the different aspects of book marketing and publicity, and including a useful list of contacts.” -Harold Underdown, The Purple Crayon “An Author’s Guide to Children’s Book Promotion is now my faithful companion! I am telling all my writer friends to read it.” -Lizette M. Lantigua Topics include: How to self promote without driving a publisher crazy Why it can make sense to set up as a distributor How to build traffic at bookstore events What’s the honorarium range for new authors New information on blogs and websites Plus a Source Directory of specialized contacts: Associations and organizations; Information sources; Trade and educational publications; Children’s book clubs wholesalers and book chains.

Susan Salzman Raab is president of Raab Associates Inc., an agency specializing in marketing and promoting children's books with clients from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa. She is Marketing Advisor to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and is a feature columnist for their national publication, The Bulletin. She reports on the publishing field as a broadcast correspondent, covering children's books, authors and illustrators for the Teachers for a New Era program at the University of Connecticut. Her interviews are also heard on TeachingBooks.net and Los Angeles Public Library's children's podcasts. She was also correspondent for the nationally syndicated Recess! Radio show and has served as advisor to the Bank Street Center for Children's Literature, the Center for the Study of Children's Literature and Culture at the University of Florida, the Julie Andrews Collection, and the Northeast Children's Literature Center at the University of Connecticut. www.raabassociates.com