Crane Books Publishing Guide

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At Crane Books, we welcome imaginative stories that entertain, inspire, and engage readers of all ages.

Fiction is storytelling at its core — tales of adventure, romance, mystery, fantasy, and drama that captivate through character, conflict, and creativity.

We’re looking for:

Compelling plots that draw readers in

Distinct characters readers care about

Authentic dialogue and emotional momentum

Genres such as:

Contemporary Fiction

Historical Non-Fiction

Mystery / Thriller / Crime

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Young Adult (YA) or Middle-Grade Stories Illustrated

Everyone has a story worth telling — and Crane Books wants to help you share yours. We’re currently accepting memoir submissions of all types, from inspiring journeys of personal triumph to behind-the-scenes accounts of extraordinary careers and family legacies.

Whether your story is about overcoming challenges, growing up in a unique time or place, military or public service, entrepreneurial adventures, cultural experiences, or life in the arts or sports, Crane Books specializes in turning real-life experiences into compelling, professionally published books.

If you’ve lived it — we can help you tell it. Start your memoir publishing journey today with Crane Books Hybrid Publishing, where your voice and vision take center stage.

 At Crane Books, we believe every great story deserves to be told — especially the ones still waiting inside first-time authors. Our mission is to help new writers bring their imagination to life through beautifully illustrated children’s books that inspire, teach, and entertain. 

Our experienced team of illustrators, editors, and designers work hand-in-hand with each author to ensure their vision shines on every page. From character sketches and color palettes to layout, typography, and print quality, we manage the entire creative and publishing process. 

Crane Books is more than a publisher; we’re a creative partnership dedicated to helping first-time authors achieve professional results. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your story in the hands of children everywhere, now is the time to let Crane Books help your imagination take flight.

Every great story follows a natural rhythm of tension, challenge, and resolution. At Crane Books, we call this the Story Arc — the foundation of compelling storytelling.

Exposition – Introduce your main characters, setting, and tone.

Rising Action – Build tension through events and conflicts that challenge your characters.

Climax – The turning point or emotional peak of the story.

Falling Action – The aftermath; loose ends begin to resolve.

Resolution – The final outcome that brings closure and meaning.

Mastering this flow keeps readers engaged from the first page to the last — and helps your story shine during our editing and publishing process.

 At Crane Books, we believe informed authors make empowered decisions. If you're considering publishing your book, it’s important to understand the difference between Traditional and Hybrid publishing models. Each approach offers distinct benefits, depending on your goals, experience, and resources. 

 In a traditional publishing agreement, the publisher takes on all financial responsibility for editing, design, printing, and distribution. 

Authors typically:

• Submit manuscripts for acceptance through a competitive review process 
• Receive a royalty (usually 8–15%) on book sales 
• Do not pay any upfront fees 
• Relinquish some creative and copyright control 
• Must market actively, though the publisher may support promotional efforts. 

Traditional publishing is highly selective and offers prestige, but can be slow and limited in creative autonomy.

Self-publishing gives authors complete control over their work—from cover design and editing to pricing, distribution, and release schedules. Instead of waiting years for a publisher’s approval, a book can be in readers’ hands within weeks. Royalties are often much higher than in traditional publishing, and because authors retain all rights, they can republish, create special editions, or expand into new formats whenever they choose. For many, this independence is both financially and creatively empowering.

The challenge is that independence comes with full responsibility. Authors must handle or hire out every stage of production, and without professional polish, a book can struggle to gain traction. Marketing and distribution are also uphill battles, since there’s no built-in team or network to rely on. While the potential rewards are great, self-publishing demands persistence, entrepreneurial thinking, and a willingness to invest both time and money into the process.

 Hybrid publishing combines elements of traditional and self-publishing. At Crane Books, our Hybrid Agreements allow you to:

• Share the investment in publishing services (editing, design, distribution) 
• Retain more creative control and rights 
• Receive higher royalties, as high as 50% 
• Get professional support without waiting for a traditional publishing deal 
• Launch faster with a clear, collaborative timeline. 

Hybrid publishing is ideal for authors who want partnership-level guidance with greater control and better returns.

For many first-time authors, traditional publishing is just not an option. Most commonly, without a contact, or high-profile story to be told, first-time authors spend months, even years, sending query letters and filing the rejection letters away. 

Even most publishers won't offer a hybrid publishing agreement without a significant investment from the author. 

At Crane Books, we want to help first-time authors break into the business of writing and selling books.

At Crane Books, we understand that the journey from idea to bookshelf can be overwhelming for first-time authors. That’s why we’ve built a publishing model that blends the best of traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing.

Our staff brings decades of combined experience across all major publishing paths. We've worked within the constraints of traditional publishing and know how hard it is to break in. We've also taken the risks and felt the isolation that comes with self-publishing. 

With Crane Books, you get the support of seasoned editors, layout designers, illustrators, and marketing strategists, without losing creative control or ownership of your work.

What sets us apart is our hybrid publishing expertise. We partner with our authors, sharing the workload, guiding each phase of development, and using industry-grade tools to ensure your book meets professional standards. 

Whether you're writing a children’s book, memoir, novel, or specialty title, we know how to shape, refine, and position your manuscript for success—because we’ve done it ourselves.