The Complete Playbook for Running a Children's Book Publishing Company
Are you thinking about publishing children's picture books — or trying to make your existing press more profitable? This episode of “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” is packed with practical, on-the-ground advice you will not find in a how-to guide. Michele McAvoy, Founder and Publisher of The Little Press, walks through the full journey of bringing a picture book to market: how to find and work with illustrators print-on-demand vs. offset printing the real costs of shipping and production the business models that can keep your company afloat and much more! If you're an independent publisher or author-publisher trying to figure out how the pieces fit together, this conversation is your roadmap. GUEST BIO Michele McAvoy is a multi-award-winning children’s author and founder and publisher of The Little Press, an independent children’s publisher of picture books through young adult, launched in 2020. The Little Press books have received much acclaim including three Junior Library Guild Gold Standards in this Fall 2026 season alone. Her personally authored books include Willa the Werewolf, Buckingham Gets a New Shell , and Cookie & Milk. As a practicing attorney for nearly 20 years and a certified K–6 educator, Michele brings a distinctive combination of publishing, legal, business, and classroom experience to her work championing children’s literature and the creatives who make it. HOST BIO Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,900 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He’s also passionate about indie publishing, because he’s an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures . LINKS Learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/ Follow IBPA on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonline Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-book-publishers-association To learn more about Michele’s books, visit https://michelemcavoy.com/ Check out The Little Press at https://littlepresspublishing.com/ This episode is presented by RPI Print and Blurb. Learn more at https://www.rpiprint.com/






