The world of self-publishing is a daunting one. Copyrights, sales pages, retail versus wholesale pricing—there’s so much to know with few answers readily available. Navigating the twists and turns is not for the faint of heart, and usually, it’s what you don’t know that can break your budget. Here are four surprise self–publishing book costs to be aware of as you embark on your publishing journey.
Check out our Book Cost Blueprint to learn more about the three publishing paths and find out which option is best for you.
When it comes to getting your book published, there are three options: traditional, self, and hybrid publishing. Let’s explore the hidden costs related to self-publishing your non-fiction book.
Four Surprise Self-Publishing Book Costs
1. Editing, Editing, and More Editing
While the importance of editing your book may be no surprise, many writers don’t realize there are four stages to the editing process. And here’s the catch—you may not need all four stages. The four main stages of editing are:
- Developmental editing
- Line editing
- Copyediting
- Proofreading
Take a deeper look at the four stages of editing.
Any editor you approach with your manuscript will want to know which stage your work is at before sharing their rates and services. Contracting multiple editing phases, especially if you don’t need them, will significantly impact your overall budget.
2. Your Book Cover (Not a Time For DIY!)
For all you book lovers, here’s an oldie but a goodie: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” When it comes to book sales, nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, the human attention span lasts about eight seconds. This means your reader base will absolutely judge your book by its cover when deciding whether or not they want to pick it up (literally!).
As hard as it is to admit, book covers make or break sales. Not only does the cover need to be unique and professional, but it should also attract the right readers.
Think about it: If your cover doesn’t match your genre, you’ll have the wrong audience buying your work, discarding it, and telling their friends the book was terrible when really, it wasn’t meant for them to begin with. When it comes to self–publishing book costs, we can’t stress cover design enough. You’ve come this far writing and editing your precious work; it’s important not to cut corners this close to the finish line.
3. Multiple Book Formats
Many new authors think they can cut costs by only publishing an ebook. However, readers have a preference for which format they prefer, so it’s important to cover all your bases.
Publishing a book in multiple formats is critical not only for distribution but also from an accessibility standpoint. Audiobook and ebook formats allow the visually impaired to access your work. And you’ll definitely need design support to format for various file types or print sizes.
Think you know about book formatting? Well, we have some news: one size doesn’t fit all. Non-fiction, ebooks, children’s books—even so-called “coffee table books”—all have different formatting requirements.
There’s no way around it: self–publishing book costs must take multiple book formats into consideration.
4. Marketing
Whether you self-publish or decide to go the traditional route, you will have to pay for your own marketing. The good news? You don’t need to already have a large social media following in order to publish. Marketing professionals can help build your brand and social media following when it comes time.
There are two facets to marketing you will want to account for: strategy and services.
Marketing Strategy
A comprehensive marketing strategy is one of the most important self–publishing book costs, as it accomplishes two key things:
- Solidifying your brand and presence as an author; and
- Preparing a detailed book launch.
These two facets are critical to your success as an author. Most importantly, an effective marketing strategy will help you find paths toward more exposure and revenue.
Save On Self-Publishing Book Costs When You Publish With PYP. Let us take care of the marketing for you. Our publishing package comes complete with a marketing strategy, giving your book the extra boost without the added cost.
Marketing Services
Marketing services include things like a personal brand logo, choosing and securing your website domain, and even creating an online course to complement your book.
Check out our Book Cost Blueprint to budget and plan to publish your book.
Let Publish Your Purpose Be Your Guide
For more information on self-publishing book costs, including best practices, cost ranges, and budget recommendations, check out our downloadable Book Cost Blueprint. Or, if you’ve decided you don’t want to go this road alone, never fear: a team of published authors and savvy publishing strategists is here to help! Publish Your Purpose (PYP) is a hybrid publishing company that works with purpose-driven authors like you to share your story, impact your community, and elevate your business. Get started by scheduling a consultation today.
