Creating your own coloring book might seem like a fairly simple project at first. You sit down thinking you’re just going to make a few quick pages, and before you know it, you’re overwhelmed with ideas, sketches, file formats, and questions you never anticipated. The good news is that the process becomes much easier and a lot more enjoyable... once you grasp a few guiding principles, that is! A great way to start is by picking a fun, tiny theme! Instead of building a whole universe, think about a specific idea like "garden gnomes," "cozy tea time," "forest fairy homes," or "faith and flowers." The more focused your theme is, the more your pages will connect with each other. When each page feels like it's part of a group or theme, your coloring book will have that special intentional vibe that draws people in! And try not to expand your theme until you’ve completed a small batch... finishing pages in sets keeps your project moving forward instead of spiraling into “endless ideas mode.” Another helpful tip is to work on coloring pages in pairs. Create two pages at a time that have matching levels of detail. Your future readers (along with your sanity) will appreciate consistency. This approach will make your coloring book feel cohesive and polished, while also preventing you from unintentionally making your coloring book feel messy and unprofessional. Here’s the part most new creators skip: clean-up you artwork. Raw AI line art is usually not ready to go from the moment it is generated. Custom drawn pages might not upload perfectly, or may have inconsistent line thickness. That 5 to 10 minute cleanup pass where you make crisper lines, remove stray marks, and balance the white space... that turns a “decent page” into a stunning page someone’s excited to color. Even adjusting the scale of the line art so the details feel neither too cramped nor too sparse matters more than people expect. By consistently following these essential steps, you can craft a great coloring book ready for sale. If you decide you want to go deeper, the premium membership gives you the full course… step-by-step walkthroughs, book templates, cleanup checklists, formatting guides, and real strategies for selling your work across multiple platforms. It’s a huge shortcut for anyone who wants to skip the guesswork and build their first book with confidence.

What would be the most valuable additions to this group in your opinion? Feel free to comment any additional thoughts below. I am skilled in everything from coloring to coloring book creation and selling coloring books so I can offer advice on any of these topics. I'm also a professional marketer so I could offer marketing advice!

Your creative toolbox for 2026 just got a powerful upgrade… my 365-Day Gratitude Journal is now live inside the Premium Vault! Check under "Bonus Drops" This isn’t just another journal. It’s gentle guidance designed to reshape your mindset, brighten your days, and help you build a calmer, happier inner world… all in just 5 minutes a day. Think of it like daily mental wellness meets creative play... which is always the goal here! Inside the new pack, you’ll find the full printable system with daily prompts, creative drawing spaces, mindset-shifting affirmations, and monthly reflection pages that quietly track your growth over the year. It’s designed for anyone who wants a simple, doable way to reduce stress, improve mood, and stay connected to what’s good in life. The “Gratitude in Action” section is a favorite of mine… a tiny nudge to reach out to someone each day, whether it’s a friend, a barista, or someone you love. Those little moments add up and ripple outward in the best way. The world NEEDS more positivity.. so much pain out there. Gratitude journaling is one of the most studied and effective mental-wellness habits out there and now you have access to a beautifully designed journal you can make your own. Premium members, your new pages are waiting for you in the Vault! Go download, print, and start your 365-day gratitude journey today. More goodies are coming... this club is just getting started. 😁💛

1. Choose Bold-Simple Designs with Strategic Detail The market is dominated by bold, simple designs that work well with markers and provide quick stress relief in short sessions, but there's growing demand for hybrid approaches. About 40% of bestsellers promote bold and easy styles, though more than half still don't use this branding, meaning there's room for both. Consider creating designs that are primarily simple but include optional detailed elements to appeal to different skill levels. 2. Optimize Format and Pricing 8.5 x 11 inches is the gold standard for both adult and children's coloring books. Other popular sizes include: 8 x 10 and the 8.5 x 8.5 inch square format, which is trending for mandalas and social media-friendly designs. 40 pages has become the standard for adult coloring books, with 21 of the top 50 bestsellers using 40 pages, previously 52 pages was the standard. $7.99 is currently the dominant price point on Amazon, with two-thirds of the top 50 coloring books priced at $7.99. Starting June 10, 2025, Amazon KDP began paying lower royalty rates for books priced under $9.99, dropping from 60% to 50%, this means that a book priced at $7.99 that previously earned $1.95 per sale now earns only $1.16. You can get around this by positioning yourself as a premium seller with a unique art style and charge $9.99 or more. Selling via Etsy or Gumroad will net much higher profit, and setting up your own website to sell from directly will offer the best potential income over time. 3. Target Wellness and Mindfulness Themes Coloring books focused on mindfulness and positivity have become popular choices, filled with calming designs and uplifting affirmations that inspire mental clarity and gratitude . The market is growing due to increasing awareness of coloring books' positive effects on mental health, with stress-relief themes particularly strong. Consider themes like anxiety relief, self-care, meditation, and positive affirmations to tap into the wellness movement.

Happy December, creative friends! This week's coloring page is absolutely delightful – we've got Santa's busy elves hard at work loading up the sleigh with beautifully wrapped presents at the North Pole! I love all the intricate details in this one: the cozy workshop, those adorable elf outfits, the stacks of gifts with their decorative bows, and that cheerful "North Pole" sign. There's so much here to bring to life with your favorite colors! 🖍️ Download your free coloring page attached below and get coloring! 🤖 This Week's AI Prompt Challenge I figured I would combine an AI prompt challenge with this as well! Here's the exact prompt I used to generate this festive scene via ChatGPT: "Illustration of Santa's elves loading wrapped gifts onto a sleigh at the North Pole, black and white line art only, intricate details suitable for adult coloring, clean outlines with no shading or gray tones, full letter size page coloring book page" Your (Optional) Challenge: - Use this prompt in your favorite AI image generator - Share your results in the comments below! - Tell us what worked well and what you might change - Bonus points if you color your AI-generated page and share that too! I can't wait to see what you all create, both your colored versions of this page AND any AI-generated variations you come up with. Remember, there's no "right" way to color, so have fun and let your creativity shine! Happy coloring! 🌟 Ms. Vicky P.S. – If you color this page, I'd absolutely LOVE to see your finished work. Share it in the comments or make your own post in the group!