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How Much Does it Cost to Self-Publish a Book? (article)

 

 

When I began writing my first book a little over 4 years ago, I never stopped to consider how much it would cost to produce the final product, bring it to market and then spread the word to potential customers. I simply started typing and assumed the cost would be minimal. Fast forward to today (approximately 3 months after I published Engaging College Students: A Fun and Edgy Guide for Professors), and the reality of just how expensive this endeavor actually was has finally sunk in. To date, I have spent a GRAND TOTAL of approximately…

 

[drum roll please]

 

Seven Thousand Smack-a-roos. Really? Really, really?  Holy Toledo! Where did all that money go?

For anyone thinking about self-publishing your future book, you might be interested in the following breakdown of costs to write, self-publish and market my new non-fiction book in three formats (eBook, paperback and hard cover) via CreateSpace, KDP and Ingram Spark. Of course, there are plenty of other books created, self-published and promoted at a total price well below and above my total cost. From what I’ve read thus far, I believe my total cost is not uncommon for a self-published book. In any case, the following cost breakdown for my new book should give folks a rough idea of what to expect if they decide to take a similar path down the exciting road of Self-publishing Lane.

 

WRITING COSTS: $2,400

Developmental Edits…………………………………………..$1,000

Copyediting………………………….…………………………$1,400

 

SELF-PUBLISHING COSTS: $2,500

Domain name, webhosting contract (3 years) and website theme…..….……….….$300

ISBN numbers (pack of 10)……..…………………………………………………$250

Book Cover Design………………………………………………………………….$850

Interior formatting and eBook conversion, including later corrections for typos…..$500

Professional author pic (for back cover, website, social media pages, etc.)…………$150

Purchased rights to use name, likeness, quotes of third parties used in the book……$100

Editorial Book Review……..………………………………………….…………….$100

Proof copies of print books and fast shipping from Ingram Spark/CreateSpace……$100

File uploading fees for Ingram Spark (CreateSpace was free)………………………$100

Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office, including cost to mail 2 copies………..$50

 

MARKETING COSTS FOR THE FIRST 90 DAYS: $2,100

Purchased 150 paperback copies and mailed them to colleges, news media, give-away

contest winners and book reviewers……………………..………………..$1,050

Entered 10 book contests…………………………………………………………$800

Ads on Facebook, Amazon and Goodreads………..……………………….………$150

Office supplies (envelops and postage) to mail books and follow-up letters………$100

 

Now for the GOOD NEWS! I self-published my second book (a self-publishing guide) for only $1,500 using the same 14-step process that I used to produce my award-winning debut book described above.  You can find out all the details of what I spent and also how to save big $$$ in my NEW self-publishing guide called 14 STEPS TO SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK (please click this link to find out more!)

 

Copyright © 2017 Mike Kowis, Esq.

Lecture PRO Publishing
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