I wrote a children's book - here's why…. and how I made it happen

I’ve always been a writer and a creator... when I started journalism school I loved the idea of telling a story with video and pictures and words. I made a career out of storytelling - but most of the work I do on a day-to-day basis is not kid-friendly. I never really thought about it until I became a mom.

Since the day Andi was born, we have read to her (almost) every day. When she was in the NICU, we would bring books and read to her in her little isolette. Then when she came home, we continued that tradition as our bedtime routine. Now a days, she sprints from one side of her room to the other while we read to her. But still, we read.

My husband and I quickly realized our selection of books - while fantastic - was small. We signed Andi up for Imagination Library and an Amazon book subscription, which was exciting to get new books every so often!

But that also got me thinking about stories from my childhood - and I one stuck out in particular. The story of our family dog, Grunt.

Grunt was a beautiful yellow lab who gave my family so much love and joy for about a dozen years. Grunt was his name, love was his game.

Grunt Dog is no longer with us. The big old yellow lab went to heaven (where ALL dogs do). It was one of the hardest times for my 3 sisters and parents. It was (and still is) one of only a handful of times I’ve seen my tough Dad cry. 

We got Grunt as a puppy, and as with all animals in my family, we decided to have a naming contest. We like to get creative with our animals’ names… no Fido’s or Fluffy’s allowed. For example, a previous dog in the Burdine family was named “Four Legs.” Yes, he had four legs.

Many of the names stemmed from family inside jokes, Tennessee-themes, plays-on-words or military-inspired monikers. In the end, the latter won: Grunt (Although 1-tail was a close second). We chose the name Grunt for a couple of reasons: 1. Grunt is the name for a Marine. My dad is a USMC Colonel, aka, a Grunt. They do the hard work, the dirty work, the ground work…the Grunt work. And 2. Grunt Dog ‘grunted’ quite a bit when we brought him home. It was adorable. Puppy grunts and puppy smells. The cuteness was all encompassing.

Like most family dogs, Grunt quickly became the most-loved member of our family. He willingly let three girls cuddle him, hold him, carry him, pull his tail and lay on him. To Grunt, it didn’t matter what we did, as long as he was by our side.

My dad often gives inspirational speeches on leadership and life. In one of his speeches, he focuses on Grunt Dog.  Grunt followed us wherever we went, did whatever we wanted, and loved us unconditionally. The feeling was mutual. But we slowly learned, it was Grunt’s attitude we should be emulating.

My dad created a daily “Thoughts by Grunt Dog” email he sent out to us girls. The 'thoughts' were often accompanied by a picture of Grunt Dog and a quote. And that's how the book, "Live Like Grunt" came about.

Now for the process on how to write a book. Since publishing LLG, I've heard from so many people who say, "I've always wanted to do that, how did you make it happen?" So here's the secret: There is no secret.

My best advice: Is to put pen to paper - or fingers to keyboards. Get your ideas out of your head and out there. Seems simple, I know. But it really is!

After that, you need a publisher. (Unless you plan on self-publishing, which I have no advice for...) I used a publisher in East Tennessee, Jan Carol Publishing. I was fortunate to be referred to them by a friend, so after a brief introduction, we got to work!

You really don't need an 'in' to get a publisher, though. If your idea is solid, they'll work with you and guide you through the process.

After a series of emails, going back and forth with my publisher, I signed a contract, solidified a copyright and wrote a check. Yes, it does cost money to use a publisher, but in my opinion it was worth it.

I then made an actual lay-out of my book. I used an old notebook and wrote out how I wanted each quote to be on a page, and added where a drawing would go to accompany it. You need to figure out a few things next:
-Font

-Number of pages

-Number of illustrations

-Title page

-Dedication

-About the author

-About the book

-Pricing

-Hardcover or paperback or both

The publisher can help guide you through this. I took most of their recommendations and implemented them.

The next step is the illustrator. Your publisher will likely recommend one, or you can always use a freelance artist. I used Teresa Wilkerson from East Tennessee and she was an absolute dream to work with! I sent her a picture of Grunt and she captured him perfectly! You will need to pay the illustrator separately. Most illustrators charge per drawing plus an additional fee for the cover art. Make sure you set a timeline up in advance and determine how many revisions will be included in each piece.

Illustration from “Live Like Grunt” by Teresa Wilkerson

Send the pages and illustrations to your publisher. Write your check. PRINT!

After that, you need to figure out how you want to sell the book. You don't have to choose just one option. I sell my book in multiple places! Personally, I sell the majority of my books on my personal website. Since I am controlling the sales on my site, I get to keep all of the profits after paying the publisher for the actual printing of the books. I had this site designed a while ago using an incredible developer/designer, Good on Paper. Tiffany Chaplin set up the shop on my site which uses PayPal. I handle all the shipping myself, which can be time-consuming, but I actually enjoy it! Side note - if you do handle the shipping yourself, make sure you send each book via USPS and utilize their 'media mail' option. It's much more affordable than UPS or FedEx.

Amazon is of course an easy option for authors. No fuss, no effort on your part. But also very little profits. By the time Amazon takes a chunk and your publisher takes their fee, you will be lucky to break even.

The publisher selling your book is another option. This varies based on who you use.

The final option - is actual book stores! Contact your local book stores to see if they are open to accepting new books. Your publisher will likely offer a wholesale option for stores and handle everything on that end.

I hope this helps! If you've got that creative itch to become an author and publish your words, go for it!

In the meantime, I hope you'll grab a copy of my book, Live Like Grunt.