LodgeWell Publishing is the academic press of children’s books. Building a better and more equitable world for our youth. We share stories that educate, empower, and inspire them to strive for excellence. We do that through:

Conceptualization support for children’s books

Writing support for children’s books

Publishing support for children’s books (including ebook production, audiobook production, and distribution) 

Content strategy (including newsletters, social media, and publicity) 

Digital advertising (including Amazon and Meta ads) 

Video creation (for advertisements, social media, and speaking demos) 

Crowdfunding strategy support for creative projects (hosted on platforms such as Kickstarter & Indiegogo) 

Web design and search engine optimization

LodgeWell Publishing is the best fit for mission-driven authors. Speakers, educators, thought leaders, executives, business, and nonprofit founders who want to utilize their work to change the world. They have a clear idea of how they will use their book to leverage or grow their platform.

No. We solely publish children’s books that educate, empower, and inspire our youth to strive for excellence. Our strategy-oriented team favor clients with the drive and introspection to achieve success on a commercial scale… in an independent model. We won’t let you make an investment that leaves you unsatisfied. Sometimes, that means we aren’t the best partner to help deliver your message.

We tend to decline work that does not have obvious trade market.

Self-publishing operates on an indie model where the author covers the initial costs of producing the book, entitling the author to all of the profit while in distribution. That investment affords the author full creative control, full control over the production timeline, and full control over book marketing and distribution. Most importantly, it entitles you to 100% ownership of your rights and royalties. LodgeWell Publishing embraces this model, helping authors navigate the complexities of self-publishing.

Traditional publishing shifts the financial burden and operational responsibilities from the author to the publisher. If a publisher decides to acquire your book, they will fund the entire production of the book, and pay you an advance against future royalties. Consequently, that investment will entitle the publisher to the lions share of your books profit. This route will almost always require a literary agent because traditional publishers will not talk to authors without one. After you find an agent that your are comfortable with, that agent will then pitch your book to as many publishers as possible. If they procure a book deal for you with one of those publishers, that will entitle your agent to approximately 15% of your agreed upon royalty share with your publisher… which usually range from 7% to 10% of the overall sales of your book into perpetuity. Additionally, royalties begin to accrue only after the advance is recouped—a process that usually starts six months post-publication, with royalties paid quarterly thereafter.

Whether opting for self-publishing or going the traditional route, both models benefit from authors who understand that they are the principal advocate, and engine for their book. Authors who understand their pivotal role in their books success is essential. They have to blend the creative spirit of an author with the strategic thinking of an entrepreneur— something like an authorpreneur. They know that their connection to their audience is paramount—and they understand that readers are drawn to their book because of THEM, not the publisher. Embracing this authorpreneur mindset is crucial in navigating the publishing landscape effectively.

We prioritize launching high-quality books over adhering to arbitrary deadlines. Most authors collaborate with us for about a year, from project inception to book distribution. During this period, you’ll work closely with a project manager to select top-notch designers, editors, and proofreaders. Together, we’ll develop a marketing strategy, refine your content, handle copyediting, illustration, cover and interior design, proofreading, printing, and distribution setup with mainstream retailers, and ebook and audiobook platforms. We’re committed to supporting you beyond the book launch, adapting the timeline as needed to ensure your project’s success.

You can contact us at any stage of your writing or planning process. When you reach out, one of our project managers will need to review either a sample of your writing, or your proposed content strategy to determine if we’re a good fit for each other.

Here are some helpful tips to prepare your work for querying:

– Check spelling, punctuation, grammar, and subject-verb agreement.
– Ensure the purpose of your book is clear.
– Use a tool such as Grammarly to revise passive sentences to active voice.
– Remove unnecessary text and have your final draft proofread—fresh eyes can catch errors you might have missed.

We meet authors at all stages of the writing process, even if you just have an idea. Our expert writing coaches and developmental editors will help you craft a book with high literary merit before we even go into copyediting. We work with editors, illustrators, and designers who have cut their teeth in both indie and traditional publishing, so there is no need to bring a team to the table (that’s what we’re for!). If your first draft is complete, that’s great too!

DIY Self-Publishing

In DIY self-publishing, authors invest in themselves, handling every aspect of the publishing process independently. This approach allows authors to retain all profits from their work. However, it requires meticulous attention to detail in order to avoid errors that could negatively impact the book’s success. Authors must continuously evaluate and refine their methods before finalizing any part of their project.

Hybrid Publishing

Hybrid publishing combines the independence of self-publishing with the advantage of professional support. In this model, authors maintain complete control and ownership over their work, with no cap on earnings. while benefiting from the expertise of publishing professionals throughout the entire publishing process. This approach ensures higher-quality production and reduces the potential for costly mistakes.