JULY 17TH, 2024, FEATURE INTERVIEW WITH NEURODIVERSE, INDIE CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR AND EDUCATOR, KATIE GIGLIOTTI, CONDUCTED BY KIDLIT WRITER, BLOGGER & FEATURE INTERVIEW HOST, CHELSEA DICICCO

Today, I’m talking with children’s book author, illustrator, and educator Katie Gigliotti. We’ll be discussing the route of indie publishing as an author/illustrator, neurodiversity, overcoming challenges, and celebrating successes!

But before we jump into our interview, if this is your first time visiting the blog, here’s the scoop on Feature Interviews.

THE SCOOP: WHAT ARE FEATURE INTERVIEWS & WHO ARE THEY FOR?

Feature Interviews are a free resource for writers and illustrators at every stage of the publishing journey.

Every month, I collaborate with industry professionals—authors, illustrators, editors, and agents— many of whom were or currently are also educators and librarians, to discuss all things publishing.

What can these interviews offer YOU?

These interviews give readers an up-close and personal look at the world of publishing from an array of different perspectives on every side of the desk and offer insight into tips, resources, and advice on how to:

• stay current with market trends
• hook an agent or editor
• find writing community & other resources
• discover workshops, contests, and other events
• figure out which path of publication is right for you
• know if an agent is a good match for you

And more!

AND… if that’s not enough, every guest offers at least one giveaway prize—sometimes more. This means you have multiple opportunities to win prizes every month!

Interested in entering the GIVEAWAY? Scroll to the bottom and drop a comment! And if you haven’t already, like this post and subscribe to the blog and/or newsletter!

Not that we’ve shared a little about what’s in store… it’s time to jump into our interview!

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

WELCOME, KATIE GIGLIOTTI!

It’s so great having you with us today, Katie! I’d love to start our interview today by asking what led you here to the wondrous world of kidlit publishing? Have you always been inclined to writing and illustrating or did that come later in life?

First of all, let me take a moment to say thank you, Chelsea, for this opportunity!  I feel honored to be chosen for this interview.  
Oddly enough, despite my grandfather’s constant encouragement as both a child and young adult and my notebooks full of stories, I never thought about actually writing and illustrating as a profession.  It seemed out of reach, like something someone way more talented and creative than me would do.  I actually always thought I’d write a novel before I would ever consider the world of kidlit. However, during the great slowdown of 2020, I discovered a free class on Facebook, and once I started, I was hooked! 


What made you realize you wanted to go the self-publishing route, and when did that journey start?

I knew little to nothing about publishing when I first started this process in 2020. After listening to some other authors, both traditionally and self-published, I honestly thought I’d go the traditional route first. It seemed like a safer path, and I’m not one for taking risks. But after a year of developing manuscripts and illustrating a story for someone else (more on that later), I realized I could do it on my own. Once I realized I would have total control over what I was doing and I didn’t have to wait for someone to like it or buy into it, I took a gamble and introduced my first book into the world in 2022. 

You mentioned in your application that you’re neurodiverse—me too! That’s part of why you ended up taking the route to publishing, which you’re currently doing, branching out with independent publishing rather than traditional publishing. If publishing has taught me anything, it’s the value of patience. As an ADHD girl myself, I know it can REALLY be a struggle to have at times. Can you share some of your personal experiences and struggles related to the long timeline of publishing and how A.D.D. affects your everyday working life?

Although I’ve never struggled to start something, I’ve ALWAYS struggled with the follow-through. When I first started writing and illustrating, my husband was wary of believing I’d stick with it. Over the years, I have been a painter of signs, baker of fancy cakes, maker of sewn stuffies, felter of cute critters, and sculptor of tiny characters; I even tried photography for a bit. I honestly didn’t even know if I’d stick with it. I got easily bored once something kept repeating itself over and over. (I’d be a terrible factory worker!) However, I find that each book is different and provides just enough intrigue to keep me going. 

Before I was medicated, I was a constant scatterbrain. If I didn’t write it down or keep repeating it in my head over and over, I’d forget. I would be incredibly distracted by technology of any kind. I also suffer from time blindness. I would *think* that an illustration would only take an hour when in reality, it was taking 2-5 hours to complete.

What helped me the most, besides getting the medication I needed, was learning to be very intentional about my time. Since I have a full-time job and two kids, I knew I’d have to use pockets of time to my advantage. I’ve had to actually time myself to see just how long it takes to get a certain task done so I don’t over or under-plan. It’s been years of lists, timers, notes, reminders, and setting goals.  It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it!

-Wow, Katie. Yes, I totally relate to all of the above. And I love your tips on learning how to be very intentional with your time.-


On my blog, I try my best to include as diverse a group as I can, and that includes routes to publication. Many readers are striving for traditional kidlit publishing, which involves querying agents and going on sub with traditional publishing houses, but there are tons of people out there who manage to make it- and thrive- with independent publishing. And then, of course, there are hybrid authors *like me* who want to do both- traditional and indie. So, it’s wonderful being able to talk with you today because you have insider experience in the self-publishing world. And- you have that experience not only as a writer but also as an illustrator. 

You said it best in your application when you said, “Self-publishing is a whole different ball game and is NOT for the faint of heart.” Having independently published my first picture book, ADHD and Me, I can wholeheartedly say I understand and agree with that statement. So, let’s talk more about that…

Tips from neurodiverse creators: “What helped me the most, besides getting the medication I needed, was learning to be very intentional about my time.“

TACKLING THE BEAST OF SELF-PUBLISHING AS AN AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR

Can you share with us some of what the behind-the-scenes of self-publishing looks like as an author/illustrator? And how does this route differ from traditional publishing?

To self-publish a book, you have to be extremely motivated. You are the author, illustrator, editor, formatter, marketer, buyer, and seller - among other things.  Not to mention the business end, with taxes and bookkeeping. It’s also, at the beginning, a very lonely thing to do. 
Traditional publishers help with all of these things. They have people who will edit, typeset, format, and market. There are people working with you all the way from rough dummy to final draft. Plus, not only are they able to get your book into bookstores and libraries, but they also pay YOU in advance for the work. However, they also take the majority of your earnings, and because they are heavily investing in your work, they have creative control over the project.

Since I knew I wanted creative control as well as the ability to earn as much as I could, I decided to try self-publishing.  Getting into this I knew I had a small budget, so I had to learn how to do everything by myself. I watched a million YouTube videos, read so many books, and became members of many groups to figure everything out on my own. It took about a year of research to finally feel comfortable with the idea. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made A LOT of mistakes along the way.  Ones that probably could have been avoided if I had a publishing company and all of their resources backing my book. As a trade-off, I’ve saved a ton of time. The year it took me to research and learn would probably have been spent creating manuscripts and dummies to query.  Not to mention the year - or longer- it would have taken to get an agent and, from there, months to years to get a book deal. That doesn't even include the time it would take to finish the book! 

I’ll be honest, there were times I wondered, and still wonder, if I made the right decision!  However, now that I put in the work of learning how to do all the things, I’m pretty proud of myself. I know I’ve come a long way and since I’m no expert at everything, I can continue to grow as I lean into the very scary and daunting world of marketing!


For people who may be considering this route, what were the first steps you looked into? And where would you recommend other creators start?

DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST! 

1.	Learn how to write and/or illustrate a good story.
Anyone can write a book, but you have to learn HOW to write a good book first. Take a class, watch YouTube videos, or talk to someone who has been there before to find out all the important information.

2.	Learn how to market.  
Unless you’re trying to publish for yourself, publishing is a business, and you’ll quickly find out you’re a little fish in a big, big sea. I made a journal and published it to Amazon before I ever tried a book just to see if it would sell. I told no one of its existence, and after a year, I had sold 0 copies!  It was a great experiment that made me realize the importance of marketing so it’s a good idea to learn a bit about marketing before you begin!

3.	Make sure your book looks polished.
There are certain unspoken rules in the picture book world, including word count, page number, ISBNs, LCCN’s, etc. that you’ll need to learn about to make your book look professional. 

4.	People DO judge a book by its cover.
	Make sure yours looks good!

5.	Build up a presence online
Whether it’s a website, social media account, YouTube, or something else, make sure someone can find you online. You would need this if you are self or traditionally publishing. It’s hard to sell things if people can’t find you or don’t know what you’re selling.

6.	Make connections!
The easiest way to find your market, critique groups, bookstores, libraries, etc., is to start making connections now. Also, don’t be afraid to tell people about your book. Most people want to publish a book but only a few are brave enough to go through with it. Be proud of yourself!

7.	You’re going to hear a lot of different advice from different people. 
Some will tell you one thing works, while others will tell you the complete opposite. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to make it work. You have to find out what’s right for you. 

-I love all these tips and suggestions, Katie. Yes!!-

Publishing tips from an indie author: “Build up a presence online
Whether it’s a website, social media account, YouTube, or something else, make sure someone can find you online… It’s hard to sell things if people can’t find you or don’t know what you’re selling.”

Publishing tips from an indie author: “Make connections! The easiest way to find your market, critique groups, bookstores, libraries, etc., is to start making connections now. Also, don’t be afraid to tell people about your book.“

How did you handle the editorial portion of your writing? Did you hire a professional editor? Did you use beta readers or critique partners? 

I’m lucky enough to have a sister-in-law - thanks, Naomi!- who can edit for me, so I can’t really speak to hiring anyone professionally. However, before I send it off for editing, I heavily rely on critique partners to weigh in on the formatting, word choice, and story flow, as well as illustration critique groups to help with that part. I also have the advantage of being a teacher so I can always use the story as part of a lesson and see how the students react. Sometimes, that’s the best way to tell if a story flows well or can keep a kid's attention!  

Can you walk us through the illustrative side of things? How did you learn how to create picture book dummies, and what were those early stages like? How did you revise your artwork?

Believe it or not, despite being an illustrator, when I first started out I didn’t think I could illustrate my own work! It took another friend of mine asking me to illustrate her own story to make me believe in myself. 

I had somewhat of an advantage as an art teacher because I had already had college classes that focused on the basics. However, illustrating a picture book is vastly different from creating a standalone art piece. My biggest hurdles were character creation, keeping the characters consistent throughout the book, and color palette. There is also the idea of pacing the story, page count, and page turns, which were things I needed to and still do- work on. 

I learned most of my dummy making through Storyteller Academy. The classes they offered helped me to work on my pacing, page turns, and think through the story. I am truly sad that they are disbanding! Thankfully, through SCBWI, I found a great group of illustrators in my region who have helped me by critiquing my work and finding parts that need tweaking. 

Early on, I worked in traditional mediums since I had little experience with working digitally.  I had to teach myself how to scan images in, how to save them properly, and how to format a book digitally. While I was growing as an illustrator, I was also learning how to create artwork digitally, which is the medium I prefer now.

-So fascinating hearing the details behind-the-scenes! Thank you for sharing.-

WORKING AS AN EDUCATOR

I know you have a degree in education and have been teaching art for quite a number of years now. How long have you been an art teacher?

I just finished up my 18th year as an elementary art teacher in May.  Only 12 more years to go!

Can you tell us about how your educational background as a teacher contributes to or intersects with your publishing?

Being a teacher, especially an elementary teacher, keeps me immersed in the kidlit world. I have a front-row seat to the likes and interests of kids, as well as the needs of teachers and schools. This is incredibly helpful in deciding on the stories I want to work on. Although my first three books were very personal to me, the next stories I’m working on focus more on solving a need for kids, parents, and teachers, which helps make marketing much easier!

Do you ever have students ask you about your books and how they can create books of their own?

Yes! I don’t do a lot of promoting of my books at my own school -it’s slightly frowned upon by admin- but some of my colleagues, including our school librarian, are great at getting the word out there and even reading my books in class. (Thanks, guys!)  

The reactions I get are sometimes shock, “Oh my goodness, you WROTE a BOOK?!”, awe, “If I buy your book, will you sign it for me?” and the occasional eye roll, depending on the student or age. 

As for making books of their own, I don’t get a lot of requests since they are pretty young. However, this year, one student approached me, and I am currently working on helping him digitize his graphic novel so he and his family can look into self-publishing it.

-That's SO cool!-

Would you say that being a teacher has benefited your publishing journey by connecting you with your community- local bookstores, libraries, schools, and more? 

Yes and no. On one side, I have gotten quite a few school visits from my connections, and also support from local libraries, which have been wonderful! My colleagues and some parents are also super supportive of my journey. I haven’t been very successful getting into local bookstores since we don’t have many in our small area.

However, since I tend to keep to myself a lot, I don’t think I reap the full advantage that my position offers me. It’s something I’m working on.

- Thanks for sharing such an honest perspective with us! From one introvert to another, I'm rooting for you!-

Speaking of bookstores, libraries, and schools… have you been able to host any local storytime/book events? If so, we’d love to hear about them!

I have done several school visits and vendor fairs, which are so much fun!  The best part was being able to return to my hometown, in Pennsylvania, to participate in a local book event where I was able to meet some awesome authors and illustrators.  I truly look forward to growing in my author career and setting up more of these events in the future!

I haven’t had any book signing events, but that’s mainly because I’m too afraid to ask! I’m not great at self-advocating, and I honestly don’t know where to start. However, as my list of available titles grows, I look forward to setting these up!

-It can be daunting to self-advocate and promote your work for sure. But it sounds like you have a very supportive local community members- schools and libraries - maybe they'll have some suggestions/connections to share when the time is right. :) -

VICTORIES AND STRUGGLES

On the blog, we love celebrating victories and sharing stories, resources, and encouragement. And sometimes… encouragement can come from sharing the hard stuff, too. Can you tell us a little bit about some of the challenges you’ve had to face during your publishing journey and how you’ve been able to overcome them?

*chuckling as I type this*

My biggest challenge is myself. I am not great at self-promotion, which is a skill that you need as a self-published author/illustrator. Like most introverted people, I’d much prefer to sit back and create and not worry about the marketing side of things.  I’m also pretty terrible at scheduling things, so I tend to limit myself in that way. Oh, and of course that dreaded imposter syndrome. Since I don’t have a traditionally published book, I feel like people look at me as if I’m not good enough to get a traditional deal, even when it’s my choice to take this route.

As far as overcoming them, I will say that as time goes on, I push myself to try new things and put myself out there more (like this interview!). By making connections outside of my own circle, celebrating the small gains, and creating professional books, I am slowly growing my audience and squashing my self-limiting beliefs. I realize I don’t know it all and continue to learn new things as I walk this journey!

- *Me, cracking up.* Hey, identifying the problem is half the solution. So really, depending on your perspective, it's already a glass half full.-

Now let’s celebrate some wins- what have been some of your favorite kidlit moments? You can list as many as you’d like! And if you have pictures you’d like to share, that would be great, too!

My top 4 favorite kidlit moments:

1.Releasing my first book, Wander World

This was HUGE for me. I did everything – minus the editing and some critiquing – on my own.

-This is huge! I’m cheering.-

2.Participating in a book festival in my hometown.

It was so much fun to return home, make friends with the other local authors in attendance, and even meet some famous authors and illustrators!

-I bet!-

3.Getting my books into an actual store.

After my first book was released, I walked into a local store to ask if they would carry my book – and they said yes!  This has carried on with my second and hopefully my newest book!  You never know if you don’t ask.

4.Meeting all the wonderful authors and illustrators out there.

The kidlit community is one of the most fantastic groups of people I’ve ever met; it almost seems surreal at times. They are always ready to cheer you on, lend a helping hand, or provide comfort if you are feeling down. The best was one of our promotion videos where we all posed in a box.

-I love all of these, Katie. And the pictures are fantastic!-

TIPS AND RESOURCES

If you could give an aspiring kidlit illustrator or author a piece of advice (or pieces of advice), what would it (or they) be?

Just do it.  If it’s something you’ve always dreamed of and you are passionate about it, get out there and create, write, draw, learn, and make it happen!  There is no better feeling than accomplishing something you set out to do. 

No matter what path you take, this is a long process! Learning how to write and illustrate a good book takes time. Doing it takes time. Formatting and getting it out there takes time. Don’t get discouraged when things aren’t done on time or something goes wrong. However, make sure you set some reasonable goals for yourself. If you don’t have a clear vision of where you’re going, you most likely won’t get there.

Also, echoing my statements above, make sure you are putting out professional-looking, well-crafted stories and that you have done some research and learned a bit about marketing before you start!

I know you mentioned that you are a member of SCBWI, Storyteller Academy, and numerous critique groups. Could you share with our readers a few of the benefits of each of these and how they can help you grow in your journey? 

The kidlit community is AMAZING! I cannot even begin to explain how helpful, kind, and supportive they are. 

SCBWI (The Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) is the gift that keeps giving. From classes to critiques, forming groups and relationships, conferences, and growing your community, they have it all! I haven’t even taken advantage of all its many resources, and I can’t begin to explain how much they have helped me.  It is where I met my critique groups, which are equally amazing. They have provided support, advice, and even opportunities to write and illustrate for local publications. 

Storyteller Academy has been paramount in my journey so far. The classes they provide help with everything from character design, dummy creation, rhyming, story structure, and even the business end of things. Although I believe their approach to be highly focused on traditional publishing, I know before they decided to disband, that they were moving towards and adding more classes in self-publishing. I am so sad to see this incredible resource go.

I know there are many other resources out there that I’m not currently a part of, which can be equally beneficial. 

Are there any other groups/organizations or otherwise that have greatly benefited you on your writing and illustrating journey that you’d like to share?

Although there is no formal “group” or “membership,” the self-publishing community has been paramount in my ability to grow in this! Once you make a few connections, they are incredibly supportive of other author-illustrators by giving advice, sharing wins and losses, and spreading the word about your books!

Advice for aspiring kidlit authors and/or illustrators: “Just do it. If it’s something you’ve always dreamed of and you are passionate about it, get out there and create, write, draw, learn, and make it happen! There is no better feeling than accomplishing something you set out to do.”

THE BOOKS!

We’ve finally made it to the book portion of the interview. We want to hear all about your stories! I know you’ve done author/illustrator books of your own, and you’ve also done illustrations for local authors (so cool!). Let’s start with the projects that you’ve done solely yourself- as an author/illustrator.

Can you tell us a little about your stories and where the inspiration for them came from?

The first three books I’ve published as the author/illustrator have been very personal to me. 

Wander World, my first book, is not only an imaginative adventure across the seven continents but also a tribute to my grandfather. Illustrated in traditional watercolor, it tells the story of an actual game we used to play. Since his encouragement propelled me into this journey, I could think of no better way of honoring him than by dedicating my first book to him.

- What a beautiful tribute.-

Below are two of my favorite illustrations from the story. In the first one, my grandpa and I are visiting Australia and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, which is something I’ve always wanted to do.  

The second one is us in Venice, beside the Rialto bridge. I was supposed to travel to Italy in college, but the events of 9-11 threw a wrench in that plan, and I’ve yet to see it in person!  This is one of my favorites because I’ve added some Easter eggs. The adult couple walking are my husband and I and on the opposite page –not pictured– is my son, fishing.

You are: finding God in the little things is a quiet story which takes the reader from day to night and throughout the seasons and encourages the reader to look for the little things in life and appreciate all the beauty that God has created for us. Since I like to keep to myself, and I don’t feel that pushing my faith on others is fun for anyone, I created this as my own personal ministry.  It’s my way of reaching out to kids and adults who may question their faith and inspire those who have faith not to lose it.

The illustration below is certainly one of my favorites. It’s one of the summertime illustrations, which is my favorite season, and it really speaks to my love of both rainbows - or colors in general - and art! The illustrations for this book -  done with painted paper cutouts and edited digitally - took me forever!  Each of those stripes on her dress, the rainbow pieces, the sun rays, and bits of chalk are individually cut and glued on!

All My Love, my newest book - which only came out two days ago!-  is a tribute to a mother’s love for her child. 

-Whoa! Congratulations on your new book! That must be so exciting. :) –

Since my daughter just recently had a milestone birthday and graduated from high school, I wanted her to know I’d always be there for her. I wasn’t even planning on putting this out into the world, but once it was finished, I loved it so much I felt it could be appreciated by others as well. The fun part was being able to incorporate a ton of easter eggs specifically tailored to my daughter's favorite toys throughout the years.

This illustration from the story is one of my favorites because of the irony. It’s also a nod to her starting off on her own as an adult as if the meteor is the end of a season in our lives. I think any parent can relate to the way young children - or, in this case, dinosaurs - can cling to you and notice all the beautiful things in the world. 

I'm currently working on a series about color, focusing on one color at a time, that will help pre-k, kindergarten, and art teachers introduce their students to colors in a fun way! I have been tinkering with these since 2020, when I was trying to teach color and noticed that a series of books like this didn’t exist.

With the dawn of AI and the threat of illustrators and writers losing their relevance, I created this for social media to remind others that human intelligence far surpasses artificial intelligence. It showcases all the different colors, each of which will have their own book.

Traditional publishing is a very long route. However, independent publishing can often move at a quicker pace. Of course, the timeline will vary from person to person. How long did it take you to get from story concept to publication?

For my first book, it took quite a long time, around a year and a half from start to finish. Mainly because I was not only writing and illustrating it, but simultaneously working a full-time job, learning how to add digital edits, format, edit, and upload to the different platforms.

Now, depending on the type of illustrations I do and how quickly I can perfect the story, it can take anywhere from 1 year to 6 months. 
What publishing platform(s) did you use to list your book (KDP, Lulu, IngramSpark, etc.)? And what formats do you offer—audiobook, hardcover, softcover, etc.?

I have my books available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook format. The paperback and eBook versions are available through KDP or Kindle Direct Publishing. I am enrolled in Kindle Select, so if you have a subscription, check them out! For the hardcover option, I have been using IngramSpark, which is helpful since they are a wholesale company and are able to get those books into different retail options like Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target, Books-A-Million, and others! 

I will say that the quality of print-on-demand books isn’t always the greatest. My next step is to run a Kickstarter campaign, which would allow me to purchase better-quality hardcover books in bulk.

Do you have any formatting tips for folks who are looking to publish independently?

I sure do! 

First, if you know nothing about formatting and can afford it, find someone to do the typesetting and formatting for you. It’s much easier than learning by yourself.

I would also recommend finding someone to design your cover for you. Unfortunately, most people still judge a book by its cover, so having an eye-catching, well laid out cover is super important!

However, if you’re determined to do it on your own, make sure you find a great tutorial for your program of choice. The first book I did I used Canva, because it was free. Pro tip: Canva pro is free for educators! However, I wouldn’t recommend it. It turned out slightly blurry. Canva is great, however, for making any type of marketing material, including social media posts, videos, flyers, school visit order forms, etc. 

For all the rest of my books, I’ve used Adobe Indesign, which is much more precise and has its own set of learning curves. Adobe is a paid program, so I would suggest asking someone who already owns the program to try it out before you sign up.

Please make sure, if you are illustrating your own, or if you are having someone else illustrate, you know the size of your book before you begin. Some platforms don’t support certain sizes, so be certain to check before you decide! 

Also, you need to understand bleed and dimensions, which can be explained on each platform's website. Oh, and don’t forget to leave, or have your illustrator leave, space for the text on each page!

You also need to know your page count. 32 pages is standard for children’s picture books, but you can go up to 40 if need be. It always has to be in multiples of 4. Keep in mind that your first few pages should be set aside for copyright and title pages, but the best way to figure this out is going to your local library and checking out some picture books. Take note of where the important information goes, the size and type of font, and how many pages there are.

I could go on and on about this for hours. Honestly, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me!

-This is all great info, Katie! I hope it inspires/helps some of our readers today to get out there and start pursuing their dreams!-

What kind of promotional activities did you do to spread the word about your book launch? And do you have any recommendations for newbies?

As an indie author, launching strong can make or break your book. I’ve learned this the hard way! If you are publishing on Amazon, the goal is to get some attention and hopefully reviews in the first few days of publication. If you can get that, KDP will automatically show your book to people. If not, it sort of gets lost in the other millions of books out there in the world. If you are running a Kickstarter, the idea is to get pledges so you can meet your goal. If you plan on selling on your own website, building your email list is very important!

I’m still working out the kinks with book launches. Launching a book is a process, and I haven’t been very good at getting the word out early enough. So far, I’ve tried several different tactics to see how they would work, and all I can suggest is to start early! 

-Yes to all of the above. Starting early, getting pledges, lining up reviewers for your launch- all of that is SO important, ESPECIALLY for indie authors.-

I’ve done a Facebook live event, which seemed to garner some attention. I also hosted a giveaway for free physical copies for people who signed up for my email list. Of course, I utilized social media to get the word out by posting at least a month or more before the actual launch. I’ve also offered free lesson plans and coloring/activity pages for people who promised to promote the launch. For my newest release, I ran a free eBook promo to garner some reviews and asked for friends and family to join my launch team in exchange for a chance to win a copy of the book. 

In short, giveaways, games, parties, live events, inviting people to be a part of the story in some way, and lots and lots of promotion, months ahead of time lead to a successful launch!

-Yes! Make it as fun as possible for your audience. Giveaways and games are always a hit!-

Let’s talk a little about your illustrative work locally. How did you end up doing illustrations for local authors? Were they friends of yours prior? Did you advertise commissioned artwork somewhere? Explain.

Story time:

All I can say is this was meant to be. As I was learning about the writing and publishing process, I didn’t feel confident enough to create my own illustrations. I was so upset that I would never get my story out into the world when a former colleague, now an elementary principal, contacted me one day out of the blue and asked if I’d be willing to illustrate a book for her. After much soul searching, I decided I’d give it a try, but I warned her that I’d never had any experience illustrating and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. 

She took a gamble on me, and in turn, we created our first book, The Giraffe Who Loved School. Her belief in me then inspired me to create my own work! Because she was so wonderful to work with - she basically let me have creative control over the whole project- I’ve also illustrated a second book for her, Be Nice To Your Teacher. From that, I’ve had several people ask me to illustrate some books which I am working on currently. 

So, to answer your question, most of my work has been from word of mouth, friends, and family. 

-Wow! I really love this.-

What has that journey been like and how does it differ from doing author/illustrator?

In some aspects, it cuts down on the time it takes me to work since the story is already planned out. My only focus is on creating characters, deciding on a color palette, and making it come to life. Not that it’s easier -illustrating takes time!- but I don’t have to work through the writing. 

If you’re working with the right person, it’s a pleasant experience. You can communicate with them and they aren’t hovering over you, constantly unsatisfied with your illustrations and trying to get you to make changes. So far, I haven’t had any unpleasant experiences but I’ve heard some horror stories from other illustrators. This makes me wary to do any books with individuals who are very picky.

The one downside is not having full creative control over the entire book. Even if you, as the illustrator, want to make changes to the text layout or reword something, it’s technically NOT your book to change! I guess what I’m saying is that you can’t overstep your boundaries.

Do you have any recommendations for artists who may be looking to start doing commissioned illustrations?

Beware who you work with, and make sure you have a contract! Although my experience was wonderful, I’ve heard so many horror stories of both authors and illustrators getting cheated in some way, shape, or form. 
Know your worth. If you are just starting out, you might not be charging as much since you are still learning and growing. However, don’t undersell your work. If you look at how long it takes you to create a 32-page book, make sure you are getting a fair wage for all the work you are putting into it. Check with other illustrators to see their rates.

Make sure you have a portfolio of work that someone can access. On a website or social media, it’s important that people know what they are getting when they start working with you. 

Know what you enjoy illustrating! Don’t promise to do a style or medium you can’t do; everyone will just end up frustrated. Also, don’t work on a story that doesn't resonate with you. Make sure you feel comfortable with the author's story and vision. 

-Really great advice.-

Any final words of wisdom you’d like to leave our readers with today?

One last thing. I know how hard I can be on myself as an artist or writer, constantly trying to live up to this invisible perfection. Imposter syndrome is REAL, people! 

What I’ve had to realize is that the majority of people aren’t judging your work as hard as you are. Not saying you won’t have any critics, but most people are simply impressed that you are able to do the thing! 

If you have any questions about self-publishing or just want another author/illustrator to chat with, feel free to reach out at any of the places listed below!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Katie.

Thank you for having me, Chelsea! Again, I really appreciate this opportunity!

And now…
It’s time for a GIVEAWAY!

This month, Katie is offering the following giveaway prize(s) to THREE people. *ONE PRIZE PER PERSON*

1. Signed paperback copy of Wander World, sticker, and magnet
2. Signed paperback copy of You Are, sticker, and magnet
3. Signed paperback copy of All My Love (as long as the giveaway is at the end of the month!)

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

• Leave a comment on this post!
• And if you haven’t already, like this post and subscribe to the blog and/or newsletter!

That’s it!

Want to get EXTRA entries? Share this blog post on social media (Pinterest, X, Instagram) and tag me X @chellysbooks or Instagram @chelseasworldofbooks so I can keep track!

DEADLINE TO ENTER: July 31st, 2024, 11:59 PM CST

FAQ:

What if I was already subscribed to the blog? Does that mean I won’t qualify for the Prize Giveaway? Not at all! If you subscribed before this month, all you’ll need to do is LIKE this Feature Interview and leave your COMMENT below this post within the deadline (the current month/year entry was posted).

Did you enjoy this interview?

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Looking for a specific topic? Browse the list below to find a link to information on one of these topics:

• Where to find FREE and PAID for writing memberships, craft workshops, contests, and other resources.
• How to query agents and editors and what they’re looking for.
• Where to find kidlit community and support from other writers or illustrators.
• Diversity, empathy, and kindness in kidlit and why it matters.
• Writing across genres.
• Pros and cons of small publishers, hybrid (or indie) publishing, and being agented VS. unagented.