What I've Learned About Marketing Children's Books This Year

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Recently, I read a thoughtful post from a fellow children's author about why so many authors feel discouraged and eventually give up.

The post focused on something I wholeheartedly agree with: success in publishing rarely happens overnight. Most authors quit too soon. We compare ourselves to the handful of breakout successes we see online and forget that many of those authors spent years building their catalogs, refining their craft, and learning their market before finding meaningful traction. As I read the post, I found myself nodding along. But it also got me thinking.

Over the past year, I've had the privilege of interacting with hundreds of children's authors through Little Lantern Reviews, Summer Reading Kids Fest, Kids Book Hub, author groups, direct messages, book reviews, websites, and countless conversations. While I agreed with much of what was written, I've come to a slightly different conclusion about why some authors thrive while others burn out. I don't think the biggest challenge is simply writing more books. I think many authors are trying to market their books in ways that don't fit who they are.

There Is No Single Right Way to Market a Children's Book

One of the most common questions I hear is: "What's the best way to market my book?"

The longer I spend in this community, the more convinced I become that there is no single answer.

• I've met authors who sell books through school visits.

• I've met authors who thrive on social media.

• I've met authors who build strong email lists.

• I've met authors who focus on local events and craft fairs.

• I've met authors who excel at Amazon advertising.

• I've met authors who create activity pages, homeschool resources, podcasts, YouTube channels, read-aloud videos, and online communities.

And here's the interesting part: Many of these authors would be miserable doing what the others are doing.

• The author who loves speaking to hundreds of children may dread spending hours designing social media graphics.

• The author who loves creating digital content may have no desire to stand in front of a classroom.

• The author who enjoys analyzing ad data may dislike both.

Yet all of them can be successful.

The Best Marketing Strategy Is the One You Can Sustain

If I've learned anything over the last year, it's that sustainability matters. You can force yourself to do almost anything for a few weeks.

• You can create TikTok videos every day.

• You can spend hours cold-emailing schools.

• You can attend every local event.

• You can launch complicated advertising campaigns.

But if those activities drain you, eventually you'll stop. That's not a discipline problem. It's a sustainability problem. Many authors are unintentionally building marketing plans around what other people are good at instead of what they themselves are good at.

The result is burnout.

When authors ask me about marketing, I encourage them to think beyond their next launch.

Ask yourself: "Can I see myself doing this a year from now?"

Better yet: "Can I see myself doing this five years from now?"

Because the moment you publish your first book, you're no longer just launching a product. You're building an author career. Most of us didn't write a children's book because we wanted to spend the next decade chasing algorithms. We wrote one because we love stories, children, learning, imagination, faith, humor, or some combination of those things. The goal isn't to find the fastest marketing strategy. The goal is to find one that fits your life well enough that you can still imagine doing it years from now.

A Personal Example

If I'm being honest, I am probably not the person anyone should look to for advice on aggressively promoting their own books. Talking about my books has never come naturally to me. I don't particularly enjoy drawing attention to myself. I don't love posting constant "buy my book" messages.

For a long time, I thought that meant I was bad at marketing. But over time, I realized something important. I don't mind promoting books. I just prefer promoting other people's books.

• I love building communities.

• I love connecting authors.

• I love reviewing books.

• I love creating resources.

• I love organizing events.

• I love helping families discover books they might otherwise miss.

That's how Little Lantern Reviews, Summer Reading Kids Fest, Kids Book Hub, activity libraries, and author groups came into existence. Ironically, many of those projects have helped people discover my books as well. Not because I set out to create a marketing strategy, but because I built something that aligned with my personality.

Consider Your Budget, Too

Personality isn't the only factor. Financial reality matters. Not every author has thousands of dollars available for advertising. Not every author can afford conference travel, professional publicity campaigns, or large-scale school visit tours. That's okay.

Some of the most creative marketing ideas I've seen cost very little.

• Activity pages.

• Read-aloud videos.

• Printable resources.

• Teacher guides.

• Homeschool materials.

• Email newsletters.

• Community partnerships.

• Library outreach.

• Cross-promotions with other authors.

When resources are limited, creativity often becomes your greatest asset.

Your Season of Life Matters

One thing I rarely hear discussed is that marketing strategies should reflect your current season of life. A retired author may have very different opportunities than a parent raising young children. Someone working a full-time job may need a completely different approach than someone writing full-time. An extrovert may gain energy from school visits. An introvert may gain energy from creating content online. Neither approach is wrong. They are simply different. And what works during one season of life may not work during another.

As our families grow, careers change, children leave home, or new opportunities arise, our marketing strategies may need to change too. That's not failure. That's growth. The goal isn't to find a permanent formula. The goal is to find an approach that fits who you are right now and be willing to adjust as life changes.

What I've Learned From Hundreds of Authors

After reviewing books, studying websites, participating in author groups, and watching countless publishing journeys unfold, I've noticed something. The authors who last are not always the most talented. They are not always the fastest writers. They are not always the best marketers.

Often, they are simply the authors who found a system that fit them.

• A system that matched their personality.

• A system that matched their budget.

• A system that matched their skills.

• A system that matched their season of life.

Because when your marketing aligns with who you are, it becomes much easier to keep showing up. And in publishing, showing up consistently is often more important than finding a secret formula.

A Challenge for Children's Authors

As you build your publishing journey, I want to challenge you to think beyond your next launch.

Don't ask yourself: What marketing strategy should I try this month?

Ask yourself:

• What kind of children's author do I want to be five years from now?

• What activities energize you?

• What skills come naturally?

• What opportunities fit your budget and your season of life?

• What can you see yourself doing not just a year from now, but five or ten years from now?

Once you find something that works, lean into it.

But I want to offer a second challenge as well.

Once you find something that works for you, invite other authors into it.

• If you love school visits, help another author learn the process.

• If you've figured out Amazon Ads, share what you've learned.

• If you host a podcast, interview other authors.

• If you create activity pages, collaborate with others.

• If you organize events, make room for new voices.

• If you've made mistakes, share those too.

Publishing can feel like a competitive industry, but I've seen firsthand that community is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Readers benefit when great books are discovered. Authors benefit when knowledge is shared. Children benefit when more stories find their way into their hands. We don't all have to market the same way. We don't all have to follow the same path. But we can help each other along the journey. And perhaps that's one of the greatest opportunities we have as children's authors—not just to share our own stories, but to help others share theirs as well. Because at the end of the day, marketing isn't just about selling books. It's about connecting stories with the children and families who need them. And that's something worth building together.