Steve Harpster: On Indie Publishing Children’s Books
Indie author Steve Harpster explains his multi-pronged approach to publishing his children’s art instructional books.
A condensed version of this Indie Author Spotlight appears in the Jan/Feb 2023 issue of Writer's Digest.
Name: Steve Harpster
Books, Genre, & Indie Imprint: Drawing Dragons with Numbers, Drawing Rad Robots with Letters, Drawing Baby Monsters with Lowercase Letters, Drawing Zombies with Letters (How to draw /art books; Harptoons)
Why self-publish? I have created many books for other companies including entire series of books with product lines and merchandise. When the recession hit, my phone stopped ringing and it was hard to find new work. It dawned on me to create my very own line of books. I was already teaching kids in schools how to draw using numbers and letters and a book series would only complement my school visits.
Had you considered traditional publishing? I have nothing against traditional publishing and I would still work with traditional publishers, but I don't focus on trying to find them or create materials to show them. Traditional publishing is a very strange animal. You’re expected to show them ideas and then wait to see if they want them or not and this can take months or even a year to hear anything. Traditional publishing moves slow. It’s a business with lots of moving parts and it can be very frustrating.
Order a copy of Draw Crazy Dinosaurs Using Letters & Numbers.
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Self-publishing appeal: The process of making a book is very fun and scary at the same time. There are always changes that need to be made, ideas that don’t quite make the cut, and it’s amazing to see what the finished product looks like.
Biggest challenge: Promotion of a book is always the hardest thing. There are so many other products online that are for sale that people want and books aren’t always what people are looking for. In fact, books are very hard to sell online. It can be very frustrating trying to promote a book. I think the problem that most people make when trying to do self-publishing is not understanding where the market is for their book. Your self-published book is not going to sell millions of copies on Amazon. I think people can be a bit delusional on just how many books they will sell their first try.
Wish I’d known: I wish I would have understood shipping costs a bit more. Shipping a book can be very costly. It’s even harder now that Amazon and so many other companies offer free shipping that most people now expect that. The size and the weight of your book will play into just how much it will cost to ship a book effectively to a customer.
Order a copy of Draw Crazy Cartoons With Letters.
Publishing Advice: My advice when creating a book is to make it look and feel as much like a book in the bookstores as possible. You want the customer to believe that this book was printed by a major publishing house. … Know the difference between print-on-demand and printing in bulk, they both have advantages and disadvantages. For a first-time self-published author, I would advise keeping your costs as low as possible. This means taking the time to price out different printers, different book sizes, and different paper/cover options as possible. This doesn’t mean make the book cheap or cheap looking, but understanding what you can afford and how quickly you can make your money back so you can start on your next book. Also, as a self-publisher you must understand where you are going to sell and market your book, who is your ideal customer, where can you easily find that customer. You need to create your marketing plan before you even start your book.
Marketing Strategy: I do school visits all over the country both in person and online. I also have a popular YouTube channel (Drawing With Steve Harpster) where kids and parents learn about my how-to-draw books. I have a strong niche where I only do books that show kids how to draw. … Many of the schools I visit are repeated many years in a row because I always come up with new programming and new books.
Don’t skimp on: They say you can’t judge a book by its cover but believe me, that’s exactly how a book is judged. … A cheap looking cover that [also] feels cheap is going to be a hard book to sell. Luckily, I am an artist, so I am able to create my own art for my covers, but I do spend money for a glossy cover that feels durable so buyers are comfortable purchasing my books. Kids can be very rough on books.
Website: DrawingWithSteveHarpster.com
About Amy Jones
Amy Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of Writer’s Digest and was the managing content director for WD Books. She is the editor of the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market and Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Prior to joining the WD team, Amy was the managing editor for North Light Books and IMPACT Books. Like most WD staffers, Amy is a voracious reader and has a particular interest in literary fiction, historical fiction, steamy romance, and page-turning mysteries. When she’s not reading, Amy can be found daydreaming about Italy or volunteering at her local no-kill cat shelter. Find Amy on Twitter @AmyMJones_5.
