ARE 32 PAGES UNAVOIDABLE?

Are 32 pages unavoidable?

Yes… and no. It really depends on your goals.

Thirty-two pages are the industry standard because they’re the most cost-effective to print. That doesn’t mean you can’t do 24 or 48 pages - you absolutely can. But if you want to keep printing affordable, or you’re hoping to land a traditional publishing deal one day, sticking with 32 is usually the safest choice.

Count your blessings and your words.

I personally don’t believe the famous 500-word limit should be treated like an unbreakable law. Sometimes a story simply needs more space.

That said, even with the freedom self-publishing gives you, it’s still worth cutting every unnecessary word. Make sure the ones you keep truly earn their place and let your illustrator handle some of the storytelling magic through visuals.

Turn pages in your mind as you write.

This might sound obvious, but you really need a plan.

What’s the highlight of your story? Where does it happen in the book? How do you lead up to it?
Try to imagine page turns like scenes in a movie build anticipation, create pauses, make the reveal impactful.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Picture books need pictures which means that unless you’re an illustrator yourself, you’ll be working with one.

Find someone whose style genuinely resonates with you. Someone whose work you admire. That alone can make the entire process more enjoyable and far less stressful, it will also make it much easier to…

Loosen your grip.

As authors, we naturally want control over the visual side of our stories. I get it, I’m a control freak myself.

The temptation to describe every illustration down to the tiniest detail can be very real. But when you do that, you often lose out on a huge chunk of creative input.

I personally don’t mind detailed author notes — I’m confident in my ability to make almost anything look its best, and I’m not shy about speaking up if something doesn’t work. But a less confident illustrator might simply follow instructions word for word, focusing on finishing the project rather than exploring creative possibilities.

Wear many hats.

Once your story is written and your illustrator is busy drawing, it’s time to take off your picture-book-writer hat and put on your marketer’s trousers.

If no one sees your book, it won’t sell. This is actually the perfect time to start showing up on social media.

I usually recommend starting with the cover. Make sure it’s good. And then make sure it’s really good. Start sharing it. Show sketches, progress shots, short WIP videos (ask your illustrator for these and plan them into your budget - they’re marketing gold).

Talk about your writing journey. Share little teasers.
By the time you’re ready to launch, you’ll hopefully already have curious readers and potential buyers.