Business Ideas for Stay at Home Moms

Most new mothers would prefer to stay at home with their kids instead of head back into the office. However, many families need the extra income, and several women enjoy having their own careers too.

The Best of Both Worlds

It would be great to have the best of both worlds – to be able to stay at home with your kids and have the great career too, which explains why so many moms are starting home-based businesses.

Not all home-based businesses are ideal for parents, however. New parents typically need a flexible schedule. Having fewer deadlines and time constraints is helpful too.

This brings me to a great business idea for stay-at-home moms: writing children’s books.

Why Write Children’s Books?

Writers don’t have to go out to meet clients, and they don’t have to be confined to a schedule of meetings or appointments. There is very little cost to getting started as a writer, and it can be done part-time.

Writing can be done at virtually any time – even while you’re hanging out with your kids. Children’s books don’t need to be hundreds of pages long or require heavy-duty concentration.

And go figure – parents are probably the best people to be writing children’s books because they understand the market the best! For many – this will probably be more fun than work…

Nowadays, authors can get their books to consumers very quickly and inexpensively compared to several years ago. Writers can self-publish their own books, and they don’t have to hire an agent.

How Do You Get Started?

Companies like SelfPublishing.com will print a specified number of books for you, and you can sell them through online bookstores like Amazon, through your own website or through local book stores. Many self-publishing companies offer lots of different services, so it’s like a one-stop shop. It take a lot of the extra work out of being an author – which is especially great for work at home moms.

Alternatively, you can use a site like LuLu.com who will print and bind your book for you – in the size and binding style of your choice. They take care of book formatting, cover design, reviews of your book, publicity services, marketing materials and more. Authors can publish in digital format as well, and you can publish and sell your books on LuLu.com for free if you decide not to purchase any of their services.

More Resources:

• How to Apply for an ISBN Number
• The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators shows you what editors are looking for, how to submit a manuscript and more: http://scbwi.org  
• How to Write a Children’s Book in 14 Days

For more small business ideas, visit The New Business Idea. You can also get start-up instructions for 200+ businesses and download the Home Business Start-Up Checklist free from HomeBusinesscenter.com.