May 27, 2015
Ylleya Fields Talks Becoming an Author and How She Created Princess Cupcake Jones
What elements did you pull from your children to create Cupcake Jones and why?
There really isn’t any part of Princess Cupcake Jones that isn’t one of my daughters. She’s cute, sassy, spunky, determined, mischievous and learning to navigate through situations just like they are. It was important that when they read the books they envisioned themselves. And I could only do that if I created a character that was every inch of them.  ‬
‪From an entrepreneur perspective what steps did you take to start your business?
Becoming an entrepreneur has been extremely challenging, but after parenting, the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I didn’t go into this with a business plan so to speak. But I did have a goal..which was to write a story based on my daughters, then turn said story into a book that they would be proud of. Because I had never done this before I relied heavily (and still do) on others who have and are experts in the book writing, marketing, illustrating, distribution world. That obviously took hours of research to find people that saw my vision and wanted it to succeed as much or more than I did. I used picture books that my daughters read and loved as my guide. Those books helped me know the quality and characteristics of books I wanted to make. And probably the most important step that I took was to hire a great lawyer. I had no clue about copyrights and trademarks, which are all extremely important in this business. Legal representation makes sure that I know my rights and I explore the best options for Princess Cupcake Jones.‬
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For those wishing to become a published author, about how much capital would they need to get started and how do they go about looking for a publisher?
In today’s world you don’t have to have a traditional publisher in order to turn your manuscript into a book. There are so many self publishing options that are amazing. I decided to create my own publishing company with the sole purpose of publishing my own manuscripts. That way I have complete control over every single project I put out. I can’t really say how much capital you need because there are a lot of factors that go into cost. For example, if you want a hardcover or soft cover, how much your illustrator charges, if you’re hiring a publicist, etc. It could range from $500 to $50,000+ depending on your preferences.  ‬