Roseanne Frank Interview

Please welcome award-winning, traditionally and self-published author Roseanne Frank to the interview. She is a picture book expert who runs a class at the East Meadow Library. If her recent program for our chapter is any indication, it would be well worth signing up.

Welcome, Roseanne. How did you get started with writing for children?

I was an early childhood teacher, and I think wanting to write for kids might come with the territory! After teaching for so long (and becoming a parent), I thrived on their sense of wonder and curiosity. At that age, everything is new and fascinating. I realized I had a lot of ideas I wanted to share and themes that were important for kids to confront in life, like grief and mental health. But I also create stories that could make them laugh or encourage curiosity and learning.

What was your path to traditional publishing?

There’s a choice between being represented by an agent or submitting on your own directly to publishers. I feel submitting directly to publishers gives me more control over what I want to submit and to whom. I have about two dozen polished manuscripts, and I rotate sending them out. I love them all for different reasons: maybe for the way they’re written or for what the story has to say. My most recent book, O’win & the Moon (Wonder House Books, 2025), is not the first to be traditionally published, and it had a long journey to get there. O’win went through a lot of revisions and a ton of rejections. A LOT! But I really felt there was something there. It’s a folktale that had a unique subject woven into a story of friendship and loyalty. So I kept sending it. I keep writing and sending out my stories. You never know what’s going to hit. I’ve heard that a thick skin and persistence are key, and that is absolutely true.

What made you decide to self-publish?

I decided to self-publish each book under my company name, Full Sail Press, for a different reason. For Bite Size Reads, a collection of short & flash fiction, I knew how I wanted the stories to be organized and presented. My upper middle grade, Legacy & Legend, was with a publisher, but we parted ways. They had an awful cover and formatted it to the wrong size. Also, they’d done no marketing whatsoever. So when I got my rights back, I republished it with a killer cover (it is!) and added illustrations to engage the reader. My most recent book, Finding Christmas (an early chapter book), was a collaboration with my daughter, who did the artwork. Publishers like to choose their own illustrators, but I wanted Em to do the spot illustrations, so I knew I had to self-publish. Then there is a series, PUPtime Stories, which is for pet parents to read to their dog, illustrated in colors that dogs can see, and Kvetch & Sketch, an interactive art therapy/journal—both totally out-of-the-box ideas. Like, who else would publish those? So each project is different.

Tell us about starting your publishing business. I know I think about taking the self-publishing leap. What do I need to know?

The decision to publish on my own was an easy one. My naiveté about the process allowed me to jump right in without hesitation! I learned what to do along the way. The one thing you have to realize is that once you self-publish, finding an agent or traditional publisher for that story will be highly unlikely. So, be sure that it’s something you want for your story.

If you’re thinking of self-publishing, here are some things I found out:

• Buy a bulk of 10 ISBN’s from Bowker and create a publisher name you love.
• Choose which publishing platform you want to use: Ingram, Amazon, Book Baby, Lightening Source, LuLu.

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• Some of these platforms are free to set up, and there is no upfront cost. Some may charge for changes or uploads or have a set-up fee. Read everything carefully.
• You can also choose to have your books printed in bulk. But then you will lay out thousands of dollars, and you’ll need space to store boxes of books, which is why print-on-demand is so attractive. 
• Know what your royalties and expenses are with each platform.
• Make sure the trim size of the book allows for expanded distribution (international, bookstores).
• Stay away from vanity/hybrid presses. It is highly unlikely you will make back the thousands of dollars you pay them, and they aren’t doing anything you can’t do yourself.

How has SCBWI fit into your journey at different stages?

I owe everything to the people I’ve met and worked with—from the first person who extended a friendly hand (thank you Bonnie Grubman), to my awesome critique group of other SCBWI writers, to the Long Island chapter, which graciously allowed me to run social media for so long, leading to opportunities to meet speakers as I helped with events and even to my recent workshop. To lean into the Full Sail Press theme, SCBWI is the wind in my sails and rudder for my journey.

I know you write across age groups. What are you working on next?

Right now, I’m focusing on submissions. I have about two dozen polished stories of all different genres. When I see a publisher open, I study their book list, read through their wish list, and determine if I have a story that would fit.

So you’re still interested in traditional publishing despite your business? Interesting. Tell us about your teaching and support of other writers.

I run picture book writing workshops at libraries. I love working with other writers, especially ones new to picture books. They bring their drafts to the workshops for critique, ask questions that challenge me, and offer support to each other. I encourage participation in feedback, since the best way to internalize new skills is to use them. In addition, I just ran Elements of Picture Book Writing for our SCBWI chapter. I hope to bring that program to other local chapters. I get great satisfaction seeing participants grow in their writing and ability to recognize what makes a book work, giving them their best shot at success, whether their goal is traditional or self-publishing. The most surprising thing I’ve found is how much teaching others has helped my writing. We’ve become quite the family.

You’re also a freelance editor. How can people connect with you for those services?

My services include editing, critiques, proofreading, and formatting for publication for picture books. For all other manuscripts, I only proofread. I offer an AMA (Ask Me Anything) for people who just want to chat, find direction, or figure out what to do next. I’m also listed on KIDLIT411 under Freelance Editors & Critiques. 

Do you have any final words of wisdom for us?

Each of us is made up of the experiences and people we meet along the way. That’s what makes us unique. Sometimes we forget that, and we ask, “What do I have to offer? What unique thing do I have to say?” I’ve found that we all have our own individual way of telling a story—our own voice. We all bring something to the table that no one else can. So no matter your career or life stage, even if you’re struggling, those experiences make you YOU, and you can tell a story like no one else. So let’s hear it.

Thank you, Roseanne. You can find out more about her and her services at rbfrank.com.