I set myself the deadline for self-publishing my children's picture book on 1 Jul 2022.

Here are 5 things I need to decide on before my book can be published.

1) Which publishing platform to use

I decided to go with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for my e-book and paperback versions and IngramSpark for the hardcopy version.

Why KDP? It's the most widely used platform and accounts for more than 80% of e-book purchases in the United States.

Why IngramSpark? KDP just introduced hardcopy books in 2021, but they are only for limited trim sizes.

2) Which ISBN number to use

Free. Both KDP and IngramSpark offer free ISBNs, which stands for International Standard Book Numbers.

It's an internationally recognized ID for your book, like any product you buy. For free ISBNs, the publishing rights will be with the platform.

Paid. If you pay for your own ISBN, it will identify you as the owner and publisher.

United States. You can buy your ISBN from Bowker, they come individually and in sets of 10.

Thankfully, I got mine from our National Library Board (NLB) as they offer free ISBNs for materials published in Singapore.

KDP. Spine text is only allowed for books with 79 pages or more.

IngramSpark. Spine text is allowed for the hardcover version which needs to be 18 pages or more. For paperback, it's 48 pages or more.

For my book, it will only have spine text for the hardcover version as it's 32 pages.

For kids, I prefer a glossy cover as it would be more fun and shiny ✨ for them.

Currently, I have only figured this out for my hardcopy version.

Will use the standard color 70lb paper, as the premium version is too pricey.