Knowledge Base
Find Answers to Your Self-Publishing Questions: Search Our Knowledge Base and Master the Terminology
Starting
Introduction To Childrens Book Publishing
Creating The Ideal Writing Environment For Childrens Book Authors
The Importance Of Crafting An Effective Book Summary
Brainstorming And Conceptualizing Ideas For Your Childrens Book
Planning
Setting Your Title And Author Name Before Applying For Copyright
How To Plan The Plot And Key Conflict Of Your Story
How To Plan The Theme Of Your Book
How To Plan The Ending Or Resolution Of Your Story
How To Write An Impressive Author Bio For Your Book
How To Choose The Right Book Type For Your Story
How To Develop Engaging Characters For Your Book
Should You Establish Your Own Publishing Company
How To Plan Your Story Using Flow
Ideal Word Count For Illustrated Books Based On Age And Book Type
How To Enter The Author Name For Your Book
How To Plan And Choose The Right Genre For Your Book
Understanding The Differences Between Fiction And Nonfiction
How To Plan Where Your Story Begins
How To Plan Distribution Options For Your Selfpublished Book
How To Conduct A Competitive Analysis For Your Book
How To Plan The Plot Climax Or High Point Of Your Story
How To Define The Time Setting For Your Story
How To Write A Captivating Book Blurb For Childrens Books
How To Plan Your Narrative Pointofview Pov
Typography And Text Design In Illustrated Books Best Practices
Understanding Book Types Formats And Sizes In Childrens Publishing
Structuring Your Childrens Book Plot Climax And Falling Action
Your Childrens Book Tone Theme And Point Of View
How To Define The Place And Setting For Your Story
Writing
How To Plan Page Turns With Spread Breaks In Made Live
How To Add Tags To Your Manuscript In Made Live
Crafting A Compelling Plot In Childrens Books
The Milestone Of Completing Your First Draft
Overcoming Writers Block In Childrens Book
How To Selfedit Dialogue In Your Book
How To Plan The Language And Tone For Your Book
Effective Techniques For Childrens Books
Registrations
How To Set Up And Modify Your Copyright Information In Made Live
How To Enter Your Isbn In The Section
How To Officially File For Copyright Protection As An Author
How To Secure An Isbn For Your Book A Global Guide
Designing
Adding A Dedication Or Acknowledgements To Your Book
Choosing The Right Fonts For Your Book
How To Import Final Illustrations For Your Illustrated Book
How To Design The Back Cover Of Your Book
How To Transfer Your Manuscript To The Storyboard
How To Check The Visual Appeal Of Your Book For The Target Audience
Basics Of Book Illustration Style And Color In Childrens Books
Creating A Physical Book Dummy For Your Illustrated Book
How To Use Visual Storytelling In Your Illustrated Book
Revising Your Books Design And Layout For Optimal Flow
How To Create Effective Pacing In Your Illustrated Book
How To Design A Book Cover For Your Book
How To Create A Title Page For Your Illustrated Book
How To Delete Extra Spreads To Avoid Blank Pages In Your Book
How To Generate Or Import Placeholder Images In The Storyboard Workspace
How To Modify Text Blocks In The Storyboard Workspace
How To Add Your Barcode To The Back Cover
How To Add Back Matter To Your Illustrated Book
How To Check Your Storyboard And Design For Continuity
How To Insert Copyright Information Into The Storyboard
How To Set Up And Select Color Choices For Your Book In Made Live
Prioritizing Accessibility In Childrens Book Design
Selfediting Your Book Layout Fitting The Story To The Format
Choosing The Right Illustration Style For Your Childrens Book
How To Find And Hire A Professional Illustrator For Your Book
Editing
How To Selfedit For Filler Words
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Illustrations
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Consistency
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Clarity
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Pacing
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Vocabulary
Self Tips And Techniques For Aspiring Authors
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Your Audience
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Theme
How To Selfedit For Flow By Reading Your Manuscript Aloud
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Story Structure
How To Selfedit For Punctuation In Dialogue
How To Selfedit And Proofread For Grammar Punctuation And Spelling
How To Review The Cover Design For Your Illustrated Book
How To Edit With A Final Read Aloud Before Sending To An Editor
How To Provide Clear Illustration Notes For Your Illustrator
How To Selfedit Your Manuscript For Redundancy
Steps To Finalizing Your Manuscript For Childrens Book Publication
How To Find And Hire A Professional Editor For Your Illustrated Book
How To Get Feedback On Your Manuscript
Publishing
Choosing The Perfect Title For Your Childrens Book
Preparing For International Distribution Language Translations And Multiple Formats
Going Global Preparing Your Childrens Book For International Distribution
Understanding Isbn Pcn And Pcip For Childrens Book
Navigating Legal Aspects Of Copyright And Infringement In Childrens Book
Navigating Contracts And Rights For Childrens Books
Navigating Self Vs Traditional In Childrens Books
Marketing
Building An Author Brand And Online Presence
Navigating Book Reviews And Publicity For Childrens Books
Connecting With Key Players Engaging With Schools Libraries And Bookstores
Mastering Book Launches And Promotional Events For Childrens Books
Maximizing Your Reach Utilizing Social Media And Online Platforms For Childrens Books
Mastering Effective Strategies For Childrens Books
Community
Joining Writing And Publishing Communities For Childrens Book Creators
Enhancing Skills With Workshops Webinars And Learning Opportunities In Childrens Book Publishing
Maximizing Your Publishing Success With Made Live Resources And Support
Building Connections Networking With Other Childrens Book Authors
Business
Navigating Literary Agents And Query Letters For Childrens Books
Advanced Marketing Techniques And Analytics For Childrens Picture Books
Leveraging Technology In Childrens Book Publishing
Staying Ahead Keeping Up With Industry Trends And Changes In Childrens Book Publishing
Embracing Diversity Exploring Diverse Themes And Representation In Childrens Books
Mastering The Query Process In Childrens Book Publishing
Prioritizing Accessibility in Children's Book Design
Accessibility in Book Design: Ensuring Legibility and Inclusivity
Creating an accessible book design is essential to ensuring your work can be enjoyed by the widest possible audience. Accessibility goes beyond just aesthetics—it focuses on making sure your text is easy to read, your design elements are inclusive, and your visuals are accessible to all readers, including those with visual impairments or color blindness. Here's how to prioritize accessibility in your book design.
Why Accessibility Matters in Book Design
Accessibility makes your book available to readers with different abilities and needs. A design that’s hard to read or reliant on color alone can exclude potential readers. By making thoughtful design choices, you ensure your book is enjoyable and accessible to everyone, regardless of their visual abilities or reading challenges.
Ensuring Font Size and Style Are Legible
One of the most important aspects of accessibility in book design is choosing a font size and style that is easy to read. This is especially important for illustrated books, where fonts may need to complement artwork while still being legible.
- Choose a Readable Font: Opt for fonts that are clear and easy to read. Sans-serif fonts (like Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana) are often more accessible for younger readers or readers with visual impairments. Avoid overly ornate or decorative fonts for body text, as they can make reading difficult.
- Use Adequate Font Size: For most books, especially children’s books, a font size of at least 12-14 points is recommended for body text. Larger font sizes (16-18 points) may be necessary for books aimed at very young readers or readers with vision challenges.
- Limit Decorative Fonts to Headlines or Titles: While it’s tempting to use fun, decorative fonts for stylistic purposes, limit these to headlines, titles, or short bits of text. For the bulk of your content, prioritize readability.
High-Contrast Text and Backgrounds
Text that blends into the background can be hard to read, particularly for readers with low vision. Ensuring high contrast between text and background is a simple but effective way to make your book more accessible.
- Use Dark Text on Light Backgrounds: Black or dark-colored text on a white or light-colored background provides the highest contrast and is easiest to read. Avoid placing light-colored text on light backgrounds or dark text on dark backgrounds, as this can reduce legibility.
- Avoid Low-Contrast Combinations: Colors like yellow on white, pale blue on grey, or light pink on beige may seem visually appealing but are often too low-contrast to be readable, especially in certain lighting conditions.
- Test for Readability in Different Lighting: Try viewing your book design in different lighting situations (natural light, dim light, etc.) to ensure the contrast remains strong and the text is always readable.
Designing for Colorblind Readers
About 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women worldwide experience some form of color blindness. To ensure your book is accessible to colorblind readers, it’s important to avoid relying on color alone to convey information.
Use Patterns, Shapes, or Textures
If your book uses color to differentiate between objects, characters, or other visual elements, be sure to use patterns, shapes, or textures to provide additional context.
- Avoid Using Color as the Sole Identifier: For example, if different colors represent different characters or plot points, ensure that these elements are also distinguished by labels, shapes, or patterns, not just color.
- Consider Red-Green Colorblindness: Red-green colorblindness is the most common form of color blindness. Avoid using red and green together without additional distinguishing features like boldness, shading, or patterns.
Check Colorblind-Friendly Palettes
You can test how colorblind-friendly your book’s design is by using online tools or software that simulate different types of color vision deficiencies. These tools help you ensure that important visual elements remain distinguishable even for colorblind readers.
- Use Tools like Color Oracle: Tools like Color Oracle simulate how your design will appear to colorblind readers, allowing you to make adjustments before finalizing your book design.
- Test with Grayscale: Viewing your design in grayscale is another way to check if it’s colorblind-friendly. If your book’s visual elements are still clear without color, it’s likely accessible to a wider range of readers.
Avoiding Overcrowded Layouts
Accessibility isn’t just about fonts and colors—it’s also about ensuring the layout is easy to navigate and understand. A cluttered or overcrowded layout can make reading more challenging for everyone, especially readers with cognitive impairments or attention difficulties.
- Use Ample White Space: White space helps break up text and illustrations, making it easier for readers to focus on one element at a time. It also prevents the page from feeling visually overwhelming.
- Break Up Large Text Blocks: Avoid long, dense paragraphs. Instead, break up your text into shorter sections, use bullet points, or add headings to help readers navigate the content more easily.
- Keep Layouts Simple: For younger audiences or readers with cognitive disabilities, a simple, clean layout is more accessible. Ensure there’s a clear hierarchy of information, with headings, subheadings, and page numbers clearly defined.
Accessibility Beyond Print: Digital Considerations
If you’re planning to offer your book in digital formats (eBooks, PDFs, etc.), accessibility remains crucial. Digital books can offer additional accessibility features, but there are also unique challenges to consider.
- Ensure Text is Adjustable: For eBooks, ensure the text can be resized without losing readability. Many e-readers allow users to adjust the font size, so design your eBook with flexibility in mind.
- Consider Screen Readers: For readers who use screen readers, ensuring that images and text are properly tagged is important. Use alt text for images, and ensure the reading order is logical and easy to follow.
- Interactive Features: If your digital book includes interactive features (like audio narration or embedded links), ensure these features are accessible to users with disabilities. Provide alternative text or descriptions for audio or visual features as needed.