The Cost of Publishing a Book

One of the biggest questions I hear working with indie authors is “How much does it cost to publish a book?” The second biggest question? “Do I really need [insert production cost here].”

I get it. It’s rare that an indie author is someone supported by a sizeable trust fund with no financial obligations. More often, said author is jumping into publishing their book as a side gig. It’s been their dream to be an author, to publish their story, and they just want to get it out there. Then someone comes along and tells them they need to invest X amount of money into editing, X amount into a cover artist, and X amount into marketing, and suddenly their dream that felt attainable seems far out of their reach.

There’s a sentiment I see often in writing groups that “self-publishing is free.” And while this can technically be true (you could just write your book, do everything yourself, and click publish), it’s not a realistic view of what it takes to create a quality book that will do your dream justice. You’ve likely been dreaming of the day your name appears on the front of a book for a very long time. So, let’s dig deeper into what’s really required to ensure the moment you realize your dream is as satisfying as you hope it will be.

The Changing Landscape of Publishing

We can’t have a true discussion about what it takes to become a successful indie author without going back to traditional publishing and how the publishing world has changed. Years ago, the options for writers to be published were pursue the traditional path or pay a vanity press to publish boxes of books for you to store in your house and hope you could find homes for. But today, authors have the opportunity to retain creative control of their stories and produce high quality books that can reach real readers and rival or exceed the expectations readers have for traditionally published books.

The traditional path towards publishing was, and still is, a lengthy process. Writers spend months if not years querying agents who, because of the high volume of submissions they receive, often take a long amount of time to respond if they’re able to respond at all. Once a writer does secure an agent, they then repeat a similar process with publishers, this time with the agent to guide them. And then, if fortunate enough to land a publishing deal, it typically still takes a year or more for the book to be released.

So, what’s happening in that time between signing an author and releasing their book? The editorial process. Traditional publishers have a system for bringing a book from submitted manuscript to polished and published. Each book goes through developmental, copyediting, and proofreading before being deemed ready for publication. There’s also cover development, back blurb creation, and marketing plans. There’s securing endorsements from other authors to help promote this new book. There’s a plan in place. No book is simply printed and thrown into the world.

There’s a lot of time and energy that goes into giving each published book its best chance for success. But the really exciting thing is, these days, indie authors have access to all of this as well thanks to the internet and freelance editors, cover designers, and book marketers. But like any professional services, they’re not free.

While traditionally published books still make up the majority of physical books sold in stores, online book sales are a different story. Traditional and indie published books vie for the same spaces, and if an indie book is well-produced and high quality, most potential readers won’t know the difference when looking through thumbnails of potential books to buy. And if you present them with a solid back book description and a cover that’s enticing and on point for your genre, they’re not likely to care how the book was produced. They’re only going to care about if the story meets their expectations. Utilizing a process similar to the traditional publishing model is the best way to ensure you will meet them.

Why Not Just Stick with Traditional Publishing?

While a traditional publishing deal was long the coveted sign of success for a writer, it’s no longer the case that it’s the only way of achieving success. Indie publishing is much more often a choice an author makes about their writing career rather than a last resort because no agent or publisher would take their story. There are legitimate pros and cons to both publishing paths, and the decision to go one way or the other depends upon a particular writer’s career goals and their own preference.

Another nugget of “advice” I often hear in writing groups is if you don’t want to pay to publish your book, just pursue traditional publishing and they’ll incur the costs for you. Again, while this is true, it’s not realistic advice and it misses the mark. For one, the path to traditional publishing is a long and often grueling one. Querying agents and then publishers is not for the faint of heart, and it’s not a quick-fix to the problem of not having the funds to pay for the services needed to produce a high quality book. Seeking traditional publishing is still a valid and wonderful path to publishing. But it’s not for everyone for various reasons and may not align with a particular writer’s goals and vision for their writing career. And at the end of the day, what you don’t pay for up front in terms of the cost to produce your book you will ultimately pay for in the end with much lower royalties than you’d receive going the indie route.

What Does It Cost to Produce a Book?

So, what does it actually cost to produce a book? The actual number will vary from one book to the next, but here’s the main point you need to know: producing a book is never free. If you traditionally publish, the publisher will cover the upfront expenses, but you will receive far less compensation later on in the form of royalties. As an indie author, you’ll pay the upfront costs out of your own pocket, but your royalties will be much higher. And if you do choose the path of cutting corners on expenses and publishing for “free,” it’s likely your book will not sell well, and you’ll pay in terms of your dream not being fully realized. This is the hard reality of publishing.

While there are large ranges in the cost of professional services for authors, I’d encourage you to not default to going with the cheapest options simply because they are cheapest. Like with anything, you often get what you pay for with these services. Editing work takes a lot of time and mental energy to do well. Cover design requires artistic and graphic design talent as well as a solid understanding of the genre expectations and trends for your particular book. It’s the experience and expertise you are paying for. If someone is offering these services for a significantly lower rate than their competitors, I’d encourage you to consider why that might be and if they’ll be able to devote the time and energy required to your service to do it well or if they’ll be rushed to move on to their next project. Taking the time to vet the professionals you might engage with for your book is worth it so you don’t get suckered in with low fees and end up disappointed in the results.

I know that money is never a fun discussion, and everyone’s financial picture is different. But the truth is, your dream of becoming a published author is one you deserve to take seriously. You’ve worked hard to write a story that you’re proud of and want to share with the world. Cutting corners on the professional services needed to produce a high-quality book can feel so tempting. Believe me, I get it. But while a manuscript is a piece of art, at the end of the day, a book is a product. And as with any other product, readers can tell the difference between a book that was invested in and those that weren’t. Readers won’t enthusiastically preorder your next book if the first left them underwhelmed. But if you put the resources into creating a professional quality book that delivers on all their expectations, they won’t care one bit if you or a Big 5 Publisher created your next book. They’ll be lining up, counting down the days until your next release.