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Owned by Zack
Dad, storyteller, and author of 70+ kids’ books including bestseller Made For Me. I help you go from idea to a finished, published children’s book.
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Skoolers
181.1k members • Free
25 contributions to Kids Book Academy
2h •
I just wanted to share this because I still find it incredible.
Three months ago, I published my book without high expectations; I only hoped a few people would read it. But life surprised me. Now I'm earning around $2,000 a week from it, and I'm still so thrilled because I remember how hard it was to earn even a few dollars. It's amazing how something you create can suddenly change your life. For those of you who have already launched a project... Have you ever experienced such rapid success?
0 likes • 2h
Joel, this is HUGE 👏 First off—congrats. $2k/week is life-changing, and more importantly, it proves what’s possible when you actually ship the book. I love what you said about remembering how hard it was to earn even a few dollars—that perspective never leaves you. For everyone reading this who hasn’t published yet: THIS is why we do it. One book can absolutely change your life. Joel—would you be open to sharing one thing you think most contributed to this momentum? Also, what is the name of your book? Please share!
0 likes • 2h
@Joel Bridges Thanks for sharing more context, and again, congrats on the traction you’re seeing. This is a great example of what can happen after the book exists—distribution and traffic matter. One important clarification for the group though: inside Kids Book Academy, we focus first on writing, publishing, and owning your book/IP (Amazon, Ingram, etc.) before advanced funnels, Shopify, or paid traffic. For anyone reading this: don’t let the platform distract you. The real unlock is finishing and publishing the book. Everything else is optimization. Joel—appreciate you sharing your experience. If you’re open, I’d love to hear what the hardest part was before the momentum started.
9d •
Welcome to Kids Book Academy…
WELCOME TO KIDS BOOK ACADEMY! 🎉📚✏️ I’m so glad you’re here. Whether you’ve written zero words or you already have a story in progress, this is the place where your children’s book goes from idea to finished book. Here’s what you can expect inside this community: ✔️ Daily lessons + writing guidance ✔️ Mistake-breakdowns to help you avoid the traps most new authors fall into ✔️ Support for outlining, writing, editing, publishing, and launching ✔️ Feedback on your ideas, titles, and pages ✔️ A group of people cheering you on and moving with you This is the FIRST time I’ve opened up my full process — the exact tools, techniques, and insights I’ve used to publish 70+ children’s books, including a national bestseller. If you’re new here, say hello below! Share: 1️⃣ Your name 2️⃣ The children’s book idea you wish you could write 3️⃣ What brought you here We’re building something special — and I’m excited you’re part of it. Let’s make your book REAL. 🚀📘
0 likes • 2d
Hey Chris — welcome! I love this idea already. Sports stories with real emotional stakes are incredibly powerful for kids, especially when they deal with confidence, pressure, and identity. You’re tapping into something a lot of young readers (and parents) can relate to. A few thoughts to help you shape it: • The tryout pressure is a great built-in conflict. Kids instantly understand what’s on the line. • The “mental and emotional preparation” angle gives you heart. This is where the message and inspiration really live. • You already have the core of a strong character arc. A kid stepping into uncertainty → finding belief in himself. I’d love to help you develop this. If you’re open to it, share: — What’s the athlete’s biggest fear going into tryouts? — And what’s the ONE lesson you want readers to walk away with? You’re in the right place — and we’ll help you turn this into something kids feel.
1 like • 3h
@Matthew Ferguson welcome! Really glad you’re here, and I appreciate you taking the time to look into my books before joining. You’re actually in a great spot already. Having finished and published kids’ books puts you ahead of most people — the part you’re describing (marketing + finding momentum while juggling a day job and family) is exactly where a lot of talented authors get stuck. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing very practical, realistic ways to think about positioning, reviews, visibility, and long-term traction — especially for authors who don’t want to turn this into a full-time hustle overnight. When you’re ready, I’d love for you to post one of your titles or a new idea you’re working on so we can look at it together through both a story and marketing lens. Glad you’re here — and welcome to the community 👋
1d •
Pets- poem I had which will be in booklet.
People And Their Pets Needs to be edited. I put this up from animal sounds post here!:) Extending on animals:)
1 like • 6h
@Nina Larbalestrier Great question and I appreciate you asking. I did not use AI to generate or rewrite your work. My edits were strictly my own, focused on clarity, rhythm, and expanding what you were already doing—not changing your voice or ghostwriting. I’m very aligned with you on steering away from anything that feels inauthentic. Your writing clearly comes from you, and my role was simply to strengthen the foundation that was already there. And totally hear you on tools, used thoughtfully, they can be helpful, but your work absolutely stands on its own.
1 like • 4h
@Nina Larbalestrier That makes complete sense and I really respect that perspective. You’re absolutely right: staying grounded in your own voice is the safest and most sustainable path long-term, especially when it comes to ownership, credit, and creative integrity across writing, lyrics, scripts, and film. What you’re describing is exactly what strong, lasting work is built on. My intention here is never to replace that instinct, only to help sharpen, structure, and protect what’s already yours. Tools can support a process, but they should never dilute authorship or originality, and your work clearly stands on its own. I also love that you mentioned how this deepens creativity and nuance as that’s the real craft. Excited to keep working through this together at your pace and in a way that stays fully aligned with how you create. 🙏✨
4d •
What’s the ONE Thing You’re Stuck On Right Now?
Now that we’ve covered the 5 biggest mistakes new children’s book authors make, I want to hear from you: 👉 What’s the ONE thing you’re struggling with most right now? Idea? Writing? Editing? Finding an illustrator? Publishing? Something else? Drop it below — I’ll reply to every comment and point you in the right direction. This will help me create posts + resources that actually serve you. Let’s get you unstuck. 🙌📚
1 like • 6h
@Nina Larbalestrier For a poetry booklet, I’d avoid paying for a full custom photo shoot unless the cover image is central to the book’s identity. You have good, lower-cost options. If you want a nature scene, my recommendation would be: • Use a high-quality licensed stock photo (nature works especially well for this) • Then hire a book cover designer to handle typography, layout, and light graphic treatment That usually gives you a polished, professional cover without the price tag of a photographer + graphics. Doing it yourself can work if you’re comfortable with design, but most poets are happier letting a designer handle the cover so it matches the tone of the poems.
1 like • 4h
@Nina Larbalestrier Great question. Pinterest is excellent for inspiration, but it’s not a safe source for final cover images unless the image is clearly marked for commercial use and you can trace the license. For a book cover, I recommend this approach: Use Pinterest for mood + direction only • Save images that match the feel you want (tone, color, atmosphere) • Share those with your designer as visual inspiration Then source the actual image from a licensed stock site, such as: • Shutterstock • Adobe Stock • iStock • Depositphotos These ensure you have proper commercial rights, which is important if the book will be sold. Your photographer/designer can absolutely handle the graphic design, typography, and layout using a licensed stock image — no custom photo shoot needed unless you want something very specific.
2d •
Author
Hi. I’m looking to hire a children’s book illustrator. Skillful with jungle animals and forest like settings. Any recommendations or referrals are appreciated.
1 like • 2d
Great question, Steve — and welcome! We’ve got a lot of members here who have worked with illustrators, so you’re in the right place. A couple I recommend checking out: • Upwork – tons of talented children’s book illustrators, and you can filter by style (jungle/forest, animals, etc.) • Fiverr Pro – vetted illustrators with proven children’s book work • Behance / Dribbble – great for browsing portfolios to find the exact style you want If you want, feel free to drop a short description of your story or the vibe you’re going for. I can help you narrow down the style and even share what to ask illustrators before hiring them.
2 likes • 6h
@Nina Larbalestrier Both can work—it really depends on the feel you want for the book. If the story is meant to feel timeless, whimsical, or fully illustrated, I’d lean toward animated/illustrated versions inspired by your dogs rather than direct photos. That gives the illustrator more flexibility and keeps everything stylistically cohesive across the book. Using real photos can work well if the book is very personal, memoir-style, or meant to feel documentary but it can sometimes limit consistency page to page. A nice hybrid option some authors use: start with photos as reference, then have the illustrator create animated versions that capture their personality. Best of both worlds. Happy to help you think through which fits your story best if you want to share more about the tone.
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@zack-bush-4083
Dad, storyteller, and author of 70+ kids’ books including bestseller Made For Me. I help you go from idea to a finished, published children’s book.
Active 19m ago
Joined Nov 30, 2025
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