This year, I had the opportunity to write a book for my church’s Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes. OCC, run by the international ministry Samaritan’s Purse, sends boxes full of toys, school supplies, and hygiene items to children in need around the world. Churches use these boxes to introduce children to the Gospel, the greatest gift of all. Many of the children go on to make commitments to Christ. This ministry is so important to me, and I was excited to give back to it in a special way.

Writing this book, A Book For You!, was an honor and a big learning experience! If you are curious about self-publishing, you may have questions about how a project like this works. Let me share with you five things I learned about self-publishing from writing A Book For You!

Disclaimer: My book was published by a local print shop, not a traditional publisher, which is why I refer to it as “self-published”. My experience may look different from most self-published authors who use an online platform.

1. Writing without support from a publisher can be challenging.

I didn’t have the same resources as an author working with a large publisher. I didn’t work with an editor, so I had to be very aware of my grammar, rhyme, and meter. My mom and I also had to figure out where we could get the book printed, which was harder than we thought. There were lots of options online, but nothing seemed like a good fit.

However, there were several things I liked about working for myself. Since I was the author and editor, I had control over the story. I got to teach others about the publishing process, like showing my illustrator, Sarah Clark, what a picture book manuscript looked like. I’m so grateful for her hard work on this project!

If you don’t like putting extra work on yourself, then self-publishing may not be for you. But if you’re creative and highly motivated, you might enjoy self-publishing. Pray about your publishing options before you consider what’s the best option for you!

My church needed one hundred high-quality books for our shoeboxes, and we needed them quickly. Mom and I weren’t sure where to get them printed, but we asked the folks at Charleston Blueprint (in Charleston, WV) and they delivered big time! Thanks to them, my book has a glossy cover and highlights Sarah’s artwork beautifully. They even formatted the text so there are large gaps between each sentence, leaving room for Samaritan’s Purse volunteers to translate the story into a child’s language.

If a self-publishing website doesn’t fit your needs, then consider your local print shop. I at first thought that Charleston Blueprint only worked for businesses, but it turned out they had produced a few children’s books before. Print shops love working with local authors!

3. Always, always, always do your best.

The original version of A Book For You! was not told in rhyme. I know – shocker. But I’m so glad I took the time to go back and rewrite it. While the original story was serviceable, I felt like it was too simple, as if I hadn’t given it enough time or attention.

As the book’s printing deadline neared, I felt convicted. What if reading my book was the first time a child learned about Jesus? Why would I write something low-quality for the King of Kings? I went back to the drawing board, a day before we sent the final PDF to the printer. (I do not recommend this!)

I didn’t know how to fix the book until God dropped an idea in my lap. What if it rhymed? I had been writing in verse all summer for my internship with award-winning children’s author Michelle Medlock Adams, so it made perfect sense. After lots of prayer and revising, I was finally happy with the story, and so was my church.

When writing gets too difficult, remember Who you’re writing for. Give God your best, and He will do the rest.

4. Be flexible.

This project was not easy to put together. Sometimes, I couldn’t access the PDF files I needed, or I struggled to interpret what I saw in my head as I wrote the illustration notes. Things didn’t always go as planned, and it was hard to wait and trust that the final product would turn out great.

Now that I’m through, I wish I had prayed more and worried less. It might sound cliché, but the book really was out of my hands. God brought Charleston Blueprint, Sarah, and my amazing church family together to make this book way better than I imagined.

When your project doesn’t go your way, don’t force it to. God may have something bigger and better in store.

5. Signing books is surreal.

We sold nearly 200 additional copies of the book as a fundraiser for our ministry. What a blessing it was to sign books to the families and children at my church! One two-year-old walked right up to the table, looked me in the eye, grabbed a book, and returned to her dad. Though she couldn’t read yet, I think she knew the book was just for her. 😉

Signing books was hard for me because I am introverted. If you are too, know that your readers care for you and want to build you up. They wouldn’t ask for a signed copy if they weren’t interested in your book! Remember to smile and serve them well as you sign.

This experience has been such a blessing to me. Thank you to Charleston Blueprint and my church family who made this book possible. I’m excited whenever I think about how God will use this story to share Jesus with children around the world!

Have you ever self-published a book? What did you learn from the experience, and what questions do you have about self-publishing? Let me know in the comments!

Happy writing, writers!