Self Publishing Sites for Children's Book Authors

How children's book authors can use self publishing sites intent to create a narrated interactive BoingyBook and sell it in the store.

Updated July 24, 2026 - Keyword: self publishing sites

Many self publishing sites help children's book authors turn a manuscript into a print book, ebook, or PDF. BoingyBooks is for the next step: converting an existing children's book into a narrated interactive read-aloud edition that families can open, hear, follow, and enjoy on screen.

If you already have a finished children's book, manuscript, PDF, EPUB, or print edition, you can prepare it for BoingyBooks by cleaning up the files, adding narration, matching words to audio, previewing the read-aloud experience, and creating a store listing. Create a free BoingyBooks account and start converting a children's book when your files are ready.

1. Start with the right book files

Before you upload, gather the cleanest version of your book. Ideal source files include a high-resolution PDF, EPUB, original layout files, separate illustration files, or a final manuscript with page breaks. If you only have a print copy, scan it at a high enough resolution to preserve type, artwork, and page edges clearly.

Check that you own or control the rights for the text, illustrations, cover art, fonts, and narration you plan to use. BoingyBooks is best approached as an additional edition of your own book, not as a place to reuse material you do not have permission to publish.

2. Upload, run OCR, and clean the text

After creating your BoingyBooks account, upload your book file and review how each page imports. For image-based PDFs or scanned pages, OCR can help extract the text so the words can be used for highlighting, timing, search, and accessibility features.

Do not skip text cleanup. Children's books often include decorative type, speech bubbles, unusual line breaks, sound effects, and text embedded in illustrations. Compare the extracted text to the page artwork, correct spelling and punctuation, keep page order consistent, and make sure repeated phrases match exactly where they appear.

3. Add narration that fits your story

You can record narration directly or upload finished audio files, depending on your workflow. Use a quiet room, a consistent microphone setup, and a steady reading pace. For picture books, leave natural pauses for page turns, jokes, rhymes, reveals, and moments where the illustration needs time to land.

If you hire a narrator, confirm you have the right to use the recording in a commercial interactive edition. Keep audio organized by page, spread, or chapter so it is easier to match to the book. Listen for background noise, clipped words, misread lines, and inconsistent character voices before moving to timing.

4. Set word timing and preview the read-aloud

Word timing connects the narration to the text so children can follow along as the story is read aloud. Work through the book page by page, aligning each word or phrase with the correct moment in the audio. Pay extra attention to rhyming lines, repeated refrains, dialogue, and any text that appears in more than one place on a spread.

Preview the full BoingyBook as a parent or child would experience it. Check page turns, audio start times, highlighted words, volume levels, image quality, and whether interactive moments support the story rather than distract from it. Make edits before publishing, especially on the first few pages where families decide whether to keep reading.

5. Price, list, and support parent voice reading

Your store listing should make the value of the interactive edition clear. Write a concise description, choose accurate age and reading-level information, add relevant categories, and use keywords naturally, including terms parents may search for such as bedtime story, read-aloud book, picture book, early reader, or the theme of your story. Treat BoingyBooks as part of your author platform alongside other self publishing sites, not as a replacement for your print or ebook editions.

Set a price that fits the length, production quality, and audience for the book. If BoingyBooks offers a parent voice option for your title, explain it clearly in your listing: families may prefer hearing the story in a familiar voice while still using the interactive read-aloud format. Avoid promising sales results; focus on presenting a polished edition with accurate metadata and a strong sample experience.

Conversion checklist

• Prepare a clean PDF, EPUB, manuscript, scan, or source file for your children's book.
• Confirm you have rights to the text, artwork, cover, fonts, and any narration you upload.
• Upload the book to BoingyBooks and review page order, image quality, and layout.
• Run OCR if needed, then proofread and clean every line of extracted text.
• Record or upload narration, then align word timing and preview the full read-aloud.
• Set pricing, complete the store listing, add relevant keywords, and enable or explain parent voice options where available.

Questions authors ask before converting

Is BoingyBooks one of the self publishing sites for making a print book?

BoingyBooks is better understood as a place to create a narrated interactive read-aloud edition from a book you already have. If you need print production, ISBN setup, or paperback distribution, handle that through your existing publishing workflow first, then convert the finished book into a BoingyBook.

Can I convert a PDF or EPUB I already sell elsewhere?

Yes, if you have the rights to use the text, illustrations, layout, and audio in this format. Start with the highest-quality file you have, upload it, check the imported pages, clean the OCR text, add narration, and preview the interactive edition before listing it in the store.

Do I need professional narration?

Not always. A clear, warm, well-paced recording can work if the audio is clean and the reading supports the story. Professional narration may help for character-heavy books, longer works, or authors who want a more polished audio performance, but you should choose the option that fits your budget and rights situation.

What should I include in my BoingyBooks store listing?

Include a clear title, author and illustrator names, age range, short description, themes, categories, cover image, pricing, and honest notes about the read-aloud experience. Mention features such as narration, word highlighting, interactivity, and parent voice options when they apply to your book.