So, I’ve got an acquaintance who’s got an idea for a book.
Wait! Don’t go!
I know, I know. Everyone’s got an idea for a book. Stay with me. It almost doesn’t matter what his idea is, yet. I first want to acknowledge the swelling of pride I have for anyone who has an idea they want to come to fruition. Normally, this is a tricky thing to share with someone, because we all know that once an intention’s out there, it’s less likely to become manifest. I’m thinking about New Year’s resolutions, for example.
What I think is also important to point out is that this person doesn’t consider himself creative. Again, touchy; I believe we’re all creative, we’ve just kept up with that aspect of ourselves in various degrees. My acquaintance doesn’t believe he’d kept up with his creative side, except for having this idea of making a book.
I’m gonna call this person Michael from now on.
Anyway, Michael wants to make a children’s book. He’s got an outline and everything. The thesis is something I’ve never seen before, partly because it’s so personal. In that, it’s simultaneously heartbreaking and inspirational. The premise hones in on the importance of cultivating in a child the ability to think critically, to question what one’s being spoon-fed, as it were. I salute Michael in his quest to make this book happen.
It’s intriguing that the book is meant to reach children. Michael’s got a limiting belief that children these days don’t read, which isn’t a very productive thing to think while he figures out how to make this thing come to life. Be that as it may, I’ve seen plenty of books written and produced that appear childlike, but have a rather mature audience. This notion was floated to him, with a bit of receptivity.
By the way. If you have an idea for a book, it’s important to find an illustrator who complements the content. If you don’t consider the aesthetic of someone who’d be visualizing your ideas, your presentation might fall flat and not be as communicative as it could be. This really goes for anything between someone who has an idea and someone who needs to translate the idea into another form, for an audience.
I emailed Michael a PDF of my illustration style, which I thought would work nicely with the idea. Athena categorizes my style as “gummy bear,” which isn’t inaccurate. He thanked me for showing me, and told me he hadn’t considered looking for someone to help with illustration outside Fiverr. Not only that, but he also revealed to me that he’d been asking agents for guidance on publishing the book, only to scurry away from the opportunity by various forms of sticker shock.
Here’s where we can relate further.
We’ve all got an idea for a book. Or a thing. Right? But we tend to jump somewhere having to do with money. Can we afford to put this thing into the world? Of course, we can. There’s no singular way to make it happen. We can even share our idea and build a support base, who can help move the project forward. No man’s an island.
Michael’s gotta get this thing out. We’ve all got to. It’s tied to our purpose. That idea’s leaking out of Michael because his story’s been swirling and bubbling inside him for so long, coloring his life experience, and he’s feeling a violent push to exorcise it. I imagine it’d be mighty medicinal to do so, given the subject matter. After all, isn’t purpose being yourself, with mastery? What a gift for us all, to witness each other create something through such catharsis.
Self-publishing requires coordination, but we’re in an age where we’ve got all we need to make it happen, with more ease than ever before. Here’s what to consider, off the top of my head:
Do you foresee the book being sold digitally, physically, or both? Why? Think about where you want the book to live, and for whom to have easy access to it.
Do you want to share the project with anyone in advance? You might be willing to visit in-person (or online) writing groups, to find beta readers.
Do you want to leverage an editor? Sure, there’s Grammarly and a slew of other AI tools for those services, but would you consider making a personal connection with someone to stay analog?
Do you have a vision for your book’s visuals, including the cover? You can look for a designer, an illustrator, or even a photographer (or a mixture of media to fit the medium). Consider the execution!
Do you intend on marketing the book through a contact list? You could develop an email list before publishing, for this purpose.
There’s also crowdfunding. Depending on the project, Kickstarter and Indiegogo are still tremendous (shoutout to the Crowdsourceress). Picture building a following of supporters who root for you to make the project happen from the get-go, and reward them for doing so. What a way to build community around an idea.
I admire whoever’s got an idea for an anything. The thing is, it’s never been easier to birth the thing. Our stories should be told because they might change society, sure, but mainly because they mark a change in ourselves. It’s a testament to our spirit’s need for connection to universality. All these personal expressions remind us of our shared humanity, one idea at a time.
Ready to launch a brand that’s uniquely tailored to your vision, purpose, and energetics? We’re accepting applicants for 2026. Email us at we@blaksalt.studio
In reverence for the process,
Alex Konsevick
Creative Director
