Allow me to present three inspirational sucess stories for those in need of a white pill mood boost. (And of course, let us enjoy the pretty illustrations, too!)
Meet Illustrator Will Terry
Over his thirty-year career, artist Will Terry has worked with top publishing houses in the United States to illustrate more than thirty books for children, and taught illustration at both Bringham Young University and Utah Valley University.
But due to his "vocal" presence on Facebook, Terry says publishers are no longer interested in working with him, and many art directors won't even speak to him:
I have the wrong brand of politics, plain and simple. They have made it clear they're looking to promote authors and artists who are actively seeking to promote a progressive agenda.
I'm not interested in that.
I'm interested in promoting books that are fun. And books that have a good moral message.
- Will Terry, "The Big Myth About Traditional Publishing in Children's Books"
His refusal to tell stories with "updated values," as he puts it, hasn't meant his picture book illustration career is over, however.
On April 7th of this year, the first copies of his self-published children's book, "Pickleball Paul," were shipped out to customers across from the country. In the first week of his launch, he sold over 500 copies.
This isn't Will Terry's first foray into self-publishing. In the summer of 2020, he launched a Kickstarter to fund "What They Don't Teach in Art School," a book he wrote for aspiring professional illustrators.
This was me making my own business book for artists, to teach artists how to thrive, to teach artists how to sell their own projects and basically self-publish their own games, their own books, their own comics--whatever it is--their own dreams, and to get it out into the marketplace!
I sold just under 10,000 copies of this. I was able to pocket 6-figures...I've never been paid this much from a traditional publisher.
- Will Terry, "The Big Myth About Traditional Publishing in Children's Books"
He is confident "Pickleball Paul" will turn a profit, too.
If you would like to follow Will Terry's self-publishing journey, he regularly posts videos on his YouTube channel, where he takes the time to answer questions from his viewers.
Meet Authour Stephen Cosgrove
Back in 1974, when still an aspiring children's book author, Stephen Cosgrove recieved a tempting offer from a major New York publisher. But since they wanted him to ditch his illustrator, Robin James, who had already created beautiful artwork for his stories, and cut out the "values learned" bit from the end of his book, he turned them down.
Because Stephen wanted to print affordable soft-cover books, something the big publisher opposed, he decided to self-publish his books himself.
Within 3 months Serendipity Press was born with me acting as publisher, editor, shipping clerk, and janitor. I have to admit I was a better janitor than an editor, but in time I learned how to deal with my only author, me.
- Stephen Cosgrove, About Stephen Cosgrove
Four years later, Stephen Cosgrove and Robin James had sold well over 3 million books.
In 1983, "Serendipity Stories: Friends of Pure Island," an anime series based upon their Serendipity books, aired in Japan. 
The series was later dubbed into English, and released on home video for American audiences.
Though he did end up working with traditional publishers after his initial sucess with self-publishing, in 2019 Cosgrove returned to the self-distribution model:
It is nearly impossible for an independent author/publisher to work with the major distributors. As I was coldly told recently by the kindly folks at Ingram, “We don’t talk with authors.”
SO….
In protest, all of my new books and formats will be sold either by direct contact with me to an independent bookstore or directly, here on this site wherein I pack and ship them myself.
- Stephen Cosgrove
Today, Stephen Cosgrove is still writing books, and hosts a free podcast on his website, called "Kid Talk Radio," were he narrates his own stories for listeners from around the world.
Meet Artist Sarah Jane Wright
As a new mother of two small children, Sarah Jane Wright wanted to find a way to stay at home with them. So in 2007, inspired by a new website called Etsy, she started to sell her illustrations online as art prints:
I overcame the overwhelming fear of starting something I didn’t know how to do, but I knew I could figure it out: starting a business from my art with a one and two year old in my arms, a husband in grad school, and a dream of being able to share goodness with the world all while being home with my kids...
With two more kids, a second graduate degree for my husband, and lots of joy, tears, exhaustion, failure, and wisdom later, I look back at my naive but brave self, and feel grateful for this opportunity to carve my own path.
It’s been, in many ways, the workout gym for muscles I never knew I had or needed in life.
My family has always been my center priority above all else, but my work here has given me the courage to do hard things over and over again. Lessons that have given me the backbone needed in a ever changing world.
It’s given me hope that good can come from failure. Growth can come from trying. And joy can come from getting out of my comfort zone and showing up.
- Sarah Jane Wright
After a decade of running her independent Etsy shop, Sarah Jane and her writer husband, Kenneth, landed a book deal with Bloomsburry Publishing. Their first Lola Dutch book was published in 2018, with two more books to follow, and more on the way!
Last month, Wright announced she would be closing her Etsy shop in order to take the position of Art Director at Lego America, in Boston, Massachusetts:
Change is good, and I’m thrilled to be working for a company whose values and mission I believe in, and that I’ve tried to uphold in my own small sphere.
Over the last couple years it’s become clear to me that just as my family grows and changes, I must as well. This new opportunity is one that will take the wide range of skills I’ve had to learn the hard way by figuring it out on my own the last 15 years (I never went to art or design school or took business courses) and now I get to team up with some of the best talent and I’m truly honored to make the world a better place for kids in this new role.
Kenneth and the kids are just mostly excited to have more legos to play with 🚀- Sarah Jane Wright
And to think her career started here, with "one of the first" prints she published on Etsy back in 2007:
On instagram, Wright said: "she was me, shy and hopeful."
I hope these three stories inspire in you the courrage to follow your own big dreams, too! However large or however small they might be.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider following me here on Locals, Rumble, or YouTube. I only post public articles on somewhat disparate subjects such as this once in a blue moon, but am working on my first art vlog about my life as an independent illustrator.
Affiliate Disclosure
Leora Winter is a member of the Amazon Affiliate program, which means that she will recieve a small commision on sales generated through some of the links contained within her articles.
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