How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
As a professional editor, I often get the question of much does it cost to publish a book. People are curious about how book publishing works from a price perspective, and whether or not it's worth the money to invest in the process. In this blog post, we’ll share our thoughts on the matter.
Many Factors Affect How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book
As with so many other choices, the way you decide to publish affects how much does it cost to publish a book. If you sign with a literary agent and sell the manuscript to a traditional publisher, it shouldn’t cost you anything. You might even make either a nominal or substantial amount of money through your advance and royalty payments. However, even if you do get a traditional book deal, you might pay some money. In practice, a lot of traditionally published authors have invested money in publishing their book, either through hiring a freelance editor beforehand, attending writer’s conferences, or spending their own money on book marketing and ancillary materials to help their book succeed.
Authors who choose self publishing are responsible for all of the costs associated with turning their manuscript into a physical (or entirely digital) product. This means the answer to how much does it cost to publish a book is definitely higher than for a traditionally published author. Indie authors (those who self-publish) cover the cost of developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading services, cover art, formatting, advertising, and any other marketing they choose to pursue. Some formats, like art books, cookbooks, picture books, are prohibitively expensive to self-publish because they require you to pay an illustrator or photographer, as well as full color printing.
You Get What You Pay For When You Ask How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book
In my experience, the quality of the finished product is directly related to the amount of money you're willing to pay for it. If you hire a cheap freelance editor or cover designer, chances are you might end up with a subpar product. On the other hand, if you're willing to pay top dollar for services for your book, you're much more likely to be happy with the final product. (Remember, if you end up going with a traditional publisher, you will incur less upfront costs and might even make an advance.)
The reason for this is simple: good editors and designers are often not cheap, and cheap editors and designers are often not good. A quality editor or designer will have years of experience and will know how to help you craft a piece of writing or an image that is both marketable and engaging. They will also be able to work with you to ensure that the finished product is something that you're happy with, and something readers will pick up out of the thousands of projects that are traditionally published and self-published every month.
On the other hand, cheap freelancers are likely to produce subpar work that doesn't meet your expectations. They may also be difficult to work with and may not be willing to make changes that you're unhappy with. In my opinion, it's not worth saving a few dollars upfront only to end up with a subpar product that you're unhappy with.
So How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?
The answer to how much does it cost to publish a book can range from a few dollars to tens of thousands invested. In practice, most authors spend somewhere in the middle, according to their budget, their own skills and abilities, and their ultimate goals.
If you're wondering about how much does it cost to publish a book, my advice is this: Don't skimp on quality. “How much does it cost to publish a book?” and “How much does it cost to publish a good book?” are two completely different questions. It's better to pay more upfront for high quality than it is to try and save money by hiring someone who's not up to the task. Trust me, in the long run you'll be glad you did.
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