Turn Your Children's Book Dream into a Published Reality
Join our 12-week immersive program designed to guide you from book concept to published story. Our proven approach blends expert coaching, structured learning, and a supportive community — empowering you to bring your illustrated children’s book to life with confidence.
Next Cohort Starting Soon
Limited spots available
Expert-Led Weekly Workshops
Exclusive Online Community
Comprehensive Publishing Software
Your Journey to Publishing Success
Join a structured 12-week program designed specifically for children’s book authors. Get the guidance, community, and tools you need to bring your story to life and successfully publish your illustrated book. Includes full year of software access ($290 value).
Cohort Learning
Learn alongside fellow authors in an intimate group setting. Share insights, get feedback, and build lasting connections.
12-Week Journey
Follow a proven roadmap from concept to published book. Clear milestones and deadlines keep you on track and motivated.
Expert Guidance
Learn from experienced publishers and successful authors. Get personalized feedback and industry insights.
Complete Toolkit
Access our specialized publishing software for a full year plus comprehensive resources designed for illustrated books.
More Than Just a Course
Hear from Our Authors
Meet the passionate authors who are bringing their children’s books to life through our structured program and supportive community.
12 weeks of intensive, focused progress
100% Completion Rate among founding members
Your 12-Week Journey
A structured program that guides you through every step of creating and publishing your illustrated book. Each phase builds upon the last, ensuring you’re always moving forward with confidence.
Foundation Phase: Weeks 1 - 5
Establish your book’s foundation and master storytelling essentials:
- Story concept development and visual storytelling techniques
- Writing for illustration and page-turn dynamics
- Illustration planning and style selection
- Book dummy creation and visual narrative development
- Individual project refinement and planning
Production Phase: Weeks 6 - 9
Transform your concept into a polished, professional book:
- Deep dive into illustration production and techniques
- Technical file preparation and formatting
- Cover design and interior layout
- Distribution platform selection
- Initial marketing strategy development
Launch Phase: Weeks 10 - 12
Prepare for a successful book launch and beyond:
- Advanced marketing and author platform building
- Final production quality checks
- Launch strategy development
- School and library outreach planning
- Long-term author career development
Self-Publishing Club™ Program Details
Your 12-Week Publishing Transformation
Limited spaces available — secure your seat now!
Early Bird Price
Available for a limited time-
12-Month Software Access ($290 value)
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12 Weekly Live Training Sessions ($1,200 value)
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Exclusive Online Community Access
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Comprehensive Learning Curriculum
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All Session Recordings
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Program Resources & Materials ($150 value)
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20% discount on one-on-one coaching sessions
Exceptional Value for Illustrated Book Authors
Compare our specialized program to other publishing courses that cost $1,000 - $1,500 without the focus on visual storytelling:
- Live interactive sessions vs. pre-recorded content
- Specialized guidance for illustrated books, not just novels
- Full year of professional software included ($290 value)
- Complete publishing journey from concept to launched book
- 20% discount on personalized coaching sessions
Our total program value of $1,820 for just $697 (regular price $797) represents significant savings compared to general publishing courses that lack our visual storytelling expertise.
Community Builder Discount: Early Cohort Special Offer
Join now and:
- Save $100 with early bird pricing
- Become a founding member of our author community
- Lock in pricing before future rate increases
- Shape the future of our program with your insights
Offer available for a limited time and limited to 15 participants. Don’t wait!
Not sure if this program is right for you?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Program Structure and Time Commitment
Each weekly group session is 60 minutes long and designed to work easily around other commitments. Homework suggestions and additional reading options will be provided. The more time you put into your project during the program, the closer (and quicker) you’ll get to the finish line.
All sessions will be recorded and made available within 24 hours. You’ll receive all additional session materials so you can easily catch up before the next session.
Each session will provide you with actionable tasks and practical exercises to move your book forward. These are designed to be results-focused, helping you make consistent progress on your publishing journey. Each live session builds on the next, but working outside of group sessions is not mandatory for enrollment.
Yes, you’ll have ongoing access to all program materials, session recordings, and resources. You can revisit the content anytime during your publishing journey.
You can join at any stage – from initial concept to completed manuscript. While we do our best to construct cohorts of authors at similar stages, the program is designed to meet you where you are and help you progress, whether you’re just starting, refining an existing manuscript, or further along in your journey.
Illustration & Technical Requirements
Like most self-published authors, you’ll be responsible for finding and hiring your own illustrator or artist. We’ll help guide you through the process so you can confidently find the right match for your book’s style and budget.
That’s great! We welcome authors who already have illustrator relationships. Our program will help you collaborate more effectively with your chosen illustrator and ensure you get the best possible results.
Basic computer skills and internet access are all you need. Our publishing software is web-based and user-friendly. Please note: The software is optimized for use on a personal computer.
No additional purchases are required. The program fee includes access to Made Live’s self-publishing software, group training sessions, and the resources you need to bring your book idea to life. SPC members get 20% off all one-on-one coaching sessions and packages.
You’ll have full access to Made Live’s specialized publishing software throughout the program, which is designed to help you plan, create, and get your illustrated book ready to publish. How and where you publish and distribute your book is entirely up to you.
Program Fit & Prerequisites
Absolutely! Many of our authors start with just a concept (or a whole lot of ideas). The program is structured to help you develop your idea from the very beginning, with guidance at every step to help you shape it into a polished children’s book.
While many publishing courses offer general guidance for text-only books, Made Live is specifically designed for visual storytellers creating illustrated books. Our program provides specialized tools, techniques, and support for the unique challenges of combining text and images effectively. Unlike courses that rely solely on pre-recorded content, we offer live interaction with industry experts, personalized feedback, and a supportive community of fellow visual storytellers. Our program also includes a full year of access to our specialized publishing software, providing significantly more value than general writing courses that cost $1,000+ but lack illustrated book expertise.
The program was designed primarily for authors of picture books, including traditional picture books, early readers, and chapter books with illustrations. We can help any author looking to publish a book where visuals play a key role in storytelling. This may include comics, graphic novels, and poetry.
While we welcome authors from anywhere around the world, all programming is provided in English, and live sessions are scheduled from the Pacific Time Zone (Vancouver, Los Angeles). Cohorts will be scheduled based on the availability of each cohort.
Many of our authors plan to publish multiple books. You’re encouraged to focus on one primary project while applying the learning to other stories. The skills and processes you learn will help with all your future projects, and you’re welcome to get feedback on multiple concepts during office hours. Please note, our software is currently able to manage one project per user account.
No prior publishing experience needed! We start with the basics and guide you through the process. Whether you’re a first-time author or have previous publishing experience, the program is designed to meet you where you are.
Payment & Enrollment
Cohorts are started on a rolling basis throughout the calendar year. We run small, intensive, and personalized cohorts regularly, with a limited number of spots to ensure personalized attention for each author. Apply now to be added to the waitlist.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted through Stripe, a secure, third-party payment processing company. To secure your spot, payment is due in full before the start of the program.
We keep our cohorts intimate with no more than 15 authors to ensure each person receives personalized attention and ample opportunity to participate in discussions and receive feedback.
The process is straightforward – click here to be added to our waitlist and answer a few simple questions. We will reach out when the next cohort is scheduled.
Support & Community
Each author has access to group training sessions where there will be opportunities to briefly discuss personal projects. Additional coaching can be purchased separately and all SPC members receive 20% off all coaching sessions and packages. Authors are invited to ask questions during the Q&A portion of live sessions and can ask for feedback in the community forum between sessions.
When you join any cohort of the Self-Publishing Club, you automatically become part of an active community of children’s book authors. This includes a private forum for sharing work, asking questions, and connecting with peers. Weekly live sessions provide opportunities to learn from others’ experiences and challenges.
The program is led by Made Live founder and CEO, Karen Richard. Karen worked as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist for the better part of two decades before branching out into publishing. She has extensive knowledge of child development, children’s books, and self-publishing and has guided numerous authors through the publishing process.
The program provides lifetime access to all materials and recordings. You’ll maintain access to the software for a full year, as well as access to the community forum so you can continue your journey with support from fellow authors. Many of our authors stay connected long after the program ends.
