5 Tips for Creating Coloring Books to Sell in 2026

1. Choose Bold-Simple Designs with Strategic Detail

The market is dominated by bold, simple designs that work well with markers and provide quick stress relief in short sessions, but there's growing demand for hybrid approaches. About 40% of bestsellers promote bold and easy styles, though more than half still don't use this branding, meaning there's room for both. Consider creating designs that are primarily simple but include optional detailed elements to appeal to different skill levels.

2. Optimize Format and Pricing

8.5 x 11 inches is the gold standard for both adult and children's coloring books. Other popular sizes include: 8 x 10 and the 8.5 x 8.5 inch square format, which is trending for mandalas and social media-friendly designs. 40 pages has become the standard for adult coloring books, with 21 of the top 50 bestsellers using 40 pages, previously 52 pages was the standard.

$7.99 is currently the dominant price point on Amazon, with two-thirds of the top 50 coloring books priced at $7.99. Starting June 10, 2025, Amazon KDP began paying lower royalty rates for books priced under $9.99, dropping from 60% to 50%, this means that a book priced at $7.99 that previously earned $1.95 per sale now earns only $1.16. You can get around this by positioning yourself as a premium seller with a unique art style and charge $9.99 or more.

Selling via Etsy or Gumroad will net much higher profit, and setting up your own website to sell from directly will offer the best potential income over time.

3. Target Wellness and Mindfulness Themes

Coloring books focused on mindfulness and positivity have become popular choices, filled with calming designs and uplifting affirmations that inspire mental clarity and gratitude . The market is growing due to increasing awareness of coloring books' positive effects on mental health, with stress-relief themes particularly strong. Consider themes like anxiety relief, self-care, meditation, and positive affirmations to tap into the wellness movement.

The new year is an especially good time to sell goal, affirmation, and stress-relief themed books since people tend to make new years resolutions around this time. If you are interested in this approach I highly suggest jumping on this coming trend immediately!

4. Focus on Niche (Specific Themes) Over Generic Themes

The most successful coloring books target specific audiences with clear needs rather than generic themes. Instead of "adult coloring book," narrow down to specific niches like positive affirmation mandalas, tropical forest animals, cultural celebrations, or career-themed books. Research Amazon bestsellers to find gaps in the market rather than competing in oversaturated categories like "storybook princess coloring books". Look for niches with demand but fewer high-quality competitors.

5. Prioritize Quality and Build a Recognizable Brand

Nearly half of the top 50 bestsellers are published under recognizable author names, with brands like Coco Wyo, Jade Summer, and others having multiple entries. Whether you're hand-drawing, using professional design software, or leveraging AI tools, the key is creating high-quality, well-crafted pages that provide real value to your customers. What matters most is the final product quality, avoid rushing low-effort content to market regardless of your creation method. Build consistency across your books with a cohesive style (you can build this into your ai prompts) and release multiple titles to establish trust and recognition with buyers.

🌟Bonus insight: Holiday seasons drive significant sales spikes, with adult coloring books seeing a 102% increase from November to December, but Valentine's Day and Easter are also big upcoming holidays to prepare for. Launch by mid-January to capture the Valentine's shopping period and release coloring books in late February/early March for Easter shopping.

Let's make 2026 great!

Ms. Vicky ✏️💛

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Coloring Book Creator Club

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