How Do I Self Publish for Children's Book Authors

How children's book authors can use how do i self publish intent to create a narrated interactive BoingyBook and sell it in the store.

Updated July 10, 2026 - Keyword: how do i self publish

If you are asking "how do I self publish" a children's book beyond print, PDF, or EPUB, one practical next step is to turn your existing book into a narrated interactive read-aloud BoingyBook. This gives young readers a digital version with page-by-page reading, narration, and word timing while keeping the focus on your story, artwork, and author brand.

This guide is for children's book authors, illustrators, and self-publishers who already have a manuscript, finished illustrations, PDF, EPUB, or print edition and want to prepare it for BoingyBooks. It covers the conversion workflow from files and text cleanup to narration, previewing, pricing, store listing, and the optional parent voice feature.

1. Start with the best source files you have

Before uploading, gather the cleanest version of your book. Ideal source files include a final print-ready PDF, an EPUB, high-resolution page images, original illustration files, or a manuscript document with page breaks. If you only have a print copy, scan each page as clearly as possible, keeping pages straight and avoiding shadows, glare, cropped artwork, or fuzzy text.

Name your files in page order so the upload process is easier to manage. For example, use names like page-01, page-02, and page-03 instead of random export names. Check that your title page, copyright page, dedication, story pages, and any back matter are included only if you want them in the interactive edition.

2. Upload your book and clean up the text

After you create a free BoingyBooks account, start a new book project and upload your PDF, EPUB, images, or other supported source materials. The goal is to create a page-by-page digital version that matches the reading experience you want families to see in the BoingyBooks store.

If your book is imported from images or a scanned print edition, review the OCR text carefully. Children's books often use decorative fonts, curved text, speech bubbles, hand-lettering, and text placed over artwork, so OCR may need cleanup. Correct every word, punctuation mark, line break, character name, and repeated phrase before recording narration or setting word timing.

3. Add narration and align word timing

You can record narration or upload narration audio, depending on your workflow. Choose a quiet recording space, use a consistent voice and pacing, and read the exact final text. If you hire a narrator, give them the cleaned manuscript, pronunciation notes, character guidance, and page numbers so the audio matches the book precisely.

Once narration is added, review the word timing so the read-aloud experience follows the text naturally. Word timing matters because young readers rely on audio-text alignment to track the story. Play each page from beginning to end, adjust timing where needed, and pay special attention to rhymes, repeated refrains, sound effects, and dialogue.

4. Preview the reader experience before publishing

Preview your BoingyBook as if you were a parent opening it for the first time. Check that pages load in the correct order, artwork is not cut off, text is readable, narration starts where expected, and word highlighting or timing feels smooth. Look for small issues that can distract families, such as long silences, mismatched audio, missing pages, or accidental duplicate pages.

Also review your book on the devices or screen sizes available to you. Children's picture books depend heavily on layout, so make sure important illustration details and text areas remain clear. If your book has interactive elements, repeated read-aloud lines, or page-turn moments, test those carefully before moving on to the store listing.

5. Set pricing, complete your store listing, and use the parent voice option

Your store listing should help parents understand what your book is about and why it is a good fit for their child. Write a clear title, subtitle if needed, short description, age range, category, keywords, and author or illustrator bio. Use honest language and avoid overpromising outcomes. If your book is part of a series, mention that clearly so readers can recognize related titles.

Set a price that fits your goals, audience, and the value of the narrated interactive edition. Consider your existing print or ebook pricing, production costs, and how you want to position the BoingyBook. If BoingyBooks offers a parent voice option for your title, explain it in plain terms: parents may be able to record or use their own voice for a more personal read-aloud experience, depending on the available feature settings.

Conversion checklist

• Prepare your final PDF, EPUB, page images, manuscript, or clean scans in the correct page order.
• Upload the book to a new BoingyBooks project and confirm every page appears as expected.
• Review and correct OCR text, including punctuation, line breaks, character names, rhymes, and repeated phrases.
• Record or upload narration that matches the final cleaned text exactly.
• Adjust word timing and preview the full read-aloud experience page by page.
• Complete pricing, metadata, description, age range, author details, and store listing information before publishing.

Questions authors ask before converting

How do I self publish a children's book on BoingyBooks if I already have a print or ebook edition?

Create a free BoingyBooks account, start a new book project, upload your existing files, clean up the imported text, add narration, align word timing, preview the experience, and complete the store listing. BoingyBooks is for creating a narrated interactive read-aloud edition, not replacing every other self-publishing format you may already use.

Do I need a finished illustrated book before converting it into a BoingyBook?

A finished or nearly finished book is best. You should have final artwork, final text, and a clear page order before upload. If your manuscript is still changing, finish editing first so you do not have to redo narration, timing, and page previews later.

Can I use my own voice for the narration?

Yes, if you want the official narrated edition to use your voice, record clean audio that matches the final text. Keep pacing steady and record in a quiet space. If the parent voice option is available for your title, families may also be able to create a more personal read-aloud experience using a parent's voice, depending on the feature settings.

What should I include in my BoingyBooks store listing?

Include a clear book description, age range, category, keywords, author and illustrator names, series information if relevant, and pricing. Focus on what the story is about, who it is for, and what makes the narrated interactive edition useful or enjoyable for families.