How to Self-Publish a Children's Book in the UK

So you have written a children's story. Maybe it has been sitting in a drawer for months. Maybe you just finished it and you are wondering what on earth comes next. Either way, you are in the right place.

Self-publishing a children's book in the UK is more accessible than most people think. This is everything you need to know, from manuscript to published book, told by a team that has helped over 1,000 authors do exactly this.

Step 1: Get your manuscript ready

Before anything else happens, your story needs to be in good shape. Word count matters more than most first-time authors realise because it directly affects how many pages and illustrations your book needs.

Picture books for ages 3 to 7: 300 to 800 words

Early readers for ages 5 to 9: 800 to 1,200 words

Chapter books for ages 7 to 12: 1,000 to 2,000 words

Before sending your manuscript anywhere, read it aloud. Children's books live or die by how they sound. Listen for rhythm, repetition, and whether it flows naturally from page to page.

At Bear With Us Productions, when a new author comes to us with a manuscript, the first thing we do is review it properly. We look at word count, pacing, age suitability, and story structure, and we tell you honestly what is working and what is not. That editorial review is included in every package.

Step 2 : Find the right illustrator

The illustrations are not decoration. For picture books especially, they tell roughly half the story. Choosing the right illustrator can make or break your book.

When looking for an illustrator, think about style, experience, process, and whether they use AI. At Bear With Us Productions we use no AI in any part of our illustration process. Every image is created by a real human artist. Some of our illustrators are BAFTA award winners.

The AI point matters for copyright, for quality, and for the lasting integrity of your book. When you publish, you need to own your illustrations outright. With AI-generated art, that ownership question gets complicated fast.

Step 3: The illustration process

Once your illustrator is confirmed, the process runs in a clear sequence. Character designs come first. Then storyboarding. Then full colour illustrations page by page, with your dedicated project manager keeping you updated throughout.

From confirmed start date to completed files, the process typically takes around 90 days. Authors who respond quickly to approvals tend to finish faster.

Step 4: Design, formatting and layout

Illustrations being finished does not mean your book is ready. This is where your book is transformed into a professionally formatted, print-ready file covering typography, cover design, page numbering, bleed settings, Kindle formatting, and print-ready files.

Done well, this stage makes your book look indistinguishable from a traditionally published title.

Step 5: Choose your publishing platform

The two main platforms are Amazon KDP and IngramSpark.

Amazon KDP - free to use, no setup fees, print-on-demand, immediately available on Amazon globally, easiest upload process for new authors.

IngramSpark - wider distribution including physical bookshops, access to libraries and international retailers, better for approaching Waterstones, small setup fees but broader reach.

Every Bear With Us package includes step-by-step guides for both platforms. You keep 100% of your rights and 100% of your royalties. No hidden fees, no royalty splits, no strings attached.

Step 6: Payments and how they work

You never pay the full amount upfront. Payments are split across four milestones:

• a deposit of £495 on booking,

• payment on day one,

• payment on storyboard approval,

• and final payment on colour approval.

  
  

We can also extend to six instalments for authors who need more flexibility.

Step 7: Launch your book

The books that sell are the ones that are actively promoted. Before launch every author should have a launch plan, visual assets for social media, a review strategy to get early Amazon reviews, and a local outreach plan for bookshops and schools.

Bear With Us promotes every book through our own social media channels and creates your adverts, animated GIFs, and in some packages a full animated trailer, all as part of your package.

Step 8: Our packages

Starter: up to 500 words, 12 pages, cover, editorial, Kindle edition, 2 adverts

Plus: up to 1,200 words, 20 pages, cover, editorial, Kindle edition, animated GIF, 20-second trailer

Pro: up to 1,000 words, 22 pages, audiobook, 30-second trailer, 3 adverts

All packages include a dedicated project manager and payment in four instalments.

Ready to start? Visit our packages page or get in touch today.