Started my own business! - pypbooks.com

AndreaGS

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So as of last night, I have the last part of my business up and running - my website! I'm really excited.

Last year I wrote and illustrated a book for my stepson-to-be for Xmas. He didn't read ANYTHING back then unless forced to, so I thought that if I wrote a book to star him as the main character and to format it a bit like a video game - maybe he would read it. He did! I called it Pick Your Path, and whenever we bought him a new book after that, he'd ask "Is this a Pick Your Path?" Really tickled me.

It got me thinking, and with some help and input from my fiance, I started my own business - customized books for kids! It's nice to be able to combine my interests of writing and painting :D

Also have one completed short story to be submitted hopefully by the end of next week (needs a couple tweaks), and another short story nearly finished.

Now if I can gather the courage to get back on the query bandwagon for my novel...
 

CACTUSWENDY

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Best wishes and much success with this. I think you will have fun with it.
 

qwerty

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That's interesting, Andrea. I'm not a natural children's writer, but I wrote and illustrated some stories for my granddaughter and bound them in a laminated cover. The stories all had things in them that related to her and her life. Now I'm having to respond to her request for more, which I'm preparing in time for Christmas.

I can't for the life of me remember the name of the company, but several years ago there was one in UK doing customized books for children. They offered a variety of basic stories, but it was up to the customer to supply the names of the characters (ie your own kids' names) which they put in.

One of the things my GD liked about her own book was a printed message in the front from her own Gran.
 

Bufty

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Congratulations. I wish you success.
 

Fenika

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Nifty! Good luck :)
 

DocBrown

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Cool idea. :)

I wrote a Choose your own adventure story long ago in high school. Not a full book, mind you, but it was interesting to write in 2nd person. (Not that that is necessarily how your story is written, it's just the way the old CYOA stories were written.)

Good luck!
 

Sury

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Wow, Andrea. That sounds like a fun business to have. Wish you every success with it. Hugs to your son for putting you on the "path." :)
 

dgiharris

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As a former business consultant, let me say that this is a very good idea.

I wish you the best with it and drop a line in a few months and let us know how it is doing.

Also, as for marketing.

Might I suggest that you find 50 morning show radio djs that have kids in your age range, and provide them a customized book for free and see if you can't get a few free plugs. If their kids like it, then tell the parent dj, there's a really good chance you'd get multiple plugs over time.

Anyways, good luck.

Mel...