WhistlePig Publishing · Independent Publishing Since 2017
Your Book. Your Vision. A Clearer Path to Publishing.
Since opening WhistlePig Publishing in early 2017, we’ve spent nine years writing, publishing, troubleshooting, and figuring out what works in independent publishing. Now we want to share those lessons—so other authors can spend less time feeling lost and more time getting their books into readers’ hands.
Whether you’re planning your first children’s picture book or preparing your next title, start with practical guidance from a publisher who’s been through the process.
Free Interactive Tools
Plan Your Book & Find Your Characters
Try our free browser-based tools for writers. No account or purchase required.
Self-Publishing Cost Calculators
Build a book budget, compare editing, ISBN and cover costs, and estimate royalties and break-even sales.
Character Name Generator
Generate fictional character names using genre, setting, age, period and tone. Save and copy your favorite ideas.
Book Title Generator
Brainstorm book titles by genre, tone, audience, setting and theme. Save your favorites as you explore.
Children’s Picture Book Page Planner
Plan 24-, 32-, 40-, or 48-page picture books with story text, facing-page spreads and illustration notes.
Writing Goal & Deadline Planner
Set your manuscript goal, choose writing days, and calculate session targets and weekly milestones.
Book Launch Timeline Planner
Plan editing, formatting, ARCs, preorders, marketing and release day with a customizable launch checklist.
Character Profile & Development Sheet
Build detailed fictional characters with motivations, flaws, relationships, backstory and character arcs.
The tools are free to use. Publishing costs are estimates, not quotes; research suggested names when cultural or historical accuracy matters.
Start Where You Are
You don’t have to learn everything at once. Choose the stage you’re working on and find guides that answer the questions in front of you.
1. Plan Your Book
Get the fundamentals right before you invest in formatting, illustrations, or printing.
2. Prepare Your Book
Make sense of layout, margins, bleed, and preparing a professional interior.
3. Publish & Distribute
Understand your options for print-on-demand, publishing platforms, ISBNs, and distribution.
Start with our picture-book publishing guide. We’re expanding this section with more detailed, experience-based articles.
4. Market & Sell
Publishing is only part of the journey. Learn about finding readers, pricing, discoverability, and the realities of selling books.
Can you make money self-publishing children’s books?
More practical marketing resources are on the way.
Free Download
Children’s Book Formatting Starter Kit
Formatting a picture book for print involves more than picking a font and clicking Export. Our free starter kit helps you think through trim size, margins, bleed, fonts, paper, and print-on-demand considerations.
Download the Free Starter Kit (PDF)
Free PDF. No purchase required.
Why We’re Sharing What We’ve Learned
Independent publishing has given us the freedom to bring our own stories into the world. It has also taught us that there is a lot to learn—often the hard way.
Over nine years, we’ve worked through the details: preparing manuscripts, making formatting decisions, dealing with production requirements, choosing publishing and distribution options, and trying to get books noticed after publication. Some things worked. Some didn’t. Plenty took longer than we expected.
We created this resource center because we remember what it’s like to have a book you believe in and a hundred questions about what comes next. We want to share the practical lessons we’ve picked up so you can make informed decisions, avoid some of the mistakes, and move your own book closer to publication.
We’re still learning, too. When we discover something useful, we’ll share it. When something changes, we’ll work to keep our guidance current.
No promises of instant bestsellers. No expensive shortcuts. Just practical help from one independent publisher to another.
Writing Guides & Workbooks
Prefer to work through a writing project at your own pace? We now offer two optional digital resources alongside the free articles and formatting starter kit above.
- From Idea to First Draft — a 57-page PDF guide for beginning fiction writers, with examples and practical exercises.
- The Creative Juice — 50 creative-writing scenarios with guided worksheets for developing story ideas.
These are separate paid PDF downloads; no physical products are shipped. You can also browse the shop or continue using the free resources on this page.
We’re developing additional practical checklists and planning tools, but won’t list new paid resources until their files are ready.
Have a Publishing Question?
Are you stuck on a publishing decision or wondering where to start? Tell us what you’re working on and what you’re trying to figure out.