It doesn't do you any good to create a children's book and never show it to anyone. That's what publishing is for. It's about more than just making money. Well, then again, making money doing what you love is what we call a dream job, but for an artist, it's more than that. A famous author once said that, for a writer, to be published is to exist.

It's true. You may write or draw children's books just for fun, but until they're out there, in the world, teaching and entertaining kids across the country, you're just a hobbyist.

But then, how does one go about getting their children's book published? A lot of what you see on the shelves is stuff that was created by ghost writers and artists working for Disney or Nickelodeon. How does a children's book author with their own, new ideas break into the industry?

The answer is: You just do it. Simple as that.

The big name children's book publishers are looking to buy the rights to your book, meaning that, after your initial publishing fee, you might not make a single dime, and they might not even want to publish it at all. But here's the good news: You don't need them. You can break into the industry all on your own.

You know those companies like Cafe Press? There are children's book publishers out there with a similar business model, but who are geared towards storytellers, rather than merchandise sellers. Just do a google search and you'll stumble upon more of these companies than you can count. You might have to pay a reasonable fee to get started, but you'll keep making money the more your book sells, you're guaranteed to have your book actually published in the first place, and you don't have to sell the rights.

Ironically, that provides a new problem for you to deal with. If you didn't know about these guys, you had no options. If you know about them, you've got too many options! You'll want to narrow it down. Here's what you should be looking for in a firm.

The best of these services will make your book available through sites like Amazon.com, and even at some nationwide bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble or Borders, in addition to making the book available on their own website.

Marketing

If you're comfortable setting up your own website and buying some Google ads on your own dime, that's cool, but some offer great promotional packages that are, at least, worth looking into.

Some of these companies aren't very stable. It's a hot market, and any hot market is going to have its share of get-rich-quick flakes. Do a little research on your company of choice. See how long they've been in business, and look at customer reviews.

This is pretty important. You don't want someone who'll just Xerox your pages and staple them together. You should be able to find good quality, low cost printing for paperback or hardcover, and you should be able to have full-color copies made.

Beyond that, just know what kind of books your potential publisher is into. For example, if you wanted to publish a Christian children's book, you wouldn't go through a publisher that tries to avoid potentially controversial subjects like religion. Likewise, you wouldn't publish a true crime book through a Christian or amily book publisher. There should be a publisher out there who fits your book like a glove.