People often underestimate how much publishing a book can cost (both in time and money).
Some may be able to cut costs by not hiring editors, formatters, and/or cover designers and doing it all themselves, but the results tend to be lower quality (unless those skills are something they have a high competency level in).
I cannot tell you how many books I’ve read that ended up sounding like word salad because they weren’t edited and/or formatted correctly.
And, unfortunately, those lower quality results are much harder to market and sell.
This creates a cycle of disappointment and imposter syndrome for the author, discouraging them from sharing their message with the world.
So what should someone expect to pay if they want a high-quality book that will sell well?
(1) Editing
For a 200-page book, editing will typically cost $500-$5,000 depending on how much work the manuscript needs. There are three levels of editing: developmental, line-editing, and proofreading. Some writers need all three, some just need one.
(2) Formatting
This is typically $300-$1,000 depending on the genre of the book. Are there a lot of pictures? Charts? Graphs? Maps? Those will increase the amount of work needed.
(3) Cover Design
These can cost anywhere from $50-$1,000 depending on how much custom work is required. Are you using custom artwork, or pre-existing images and templates?
(4) Publishing
Depending on which platform you choose, this can cost anywhere from $50-$500. This is directly correlated to how many versions of the book you want (paperback vs. hardback vs. ebook) and where/how you want them to be distributed (online vs. in-person).
(5) ISBNs
One ISBN will cost you $125. If you want multiple versions of your book (paperback vs. hardback vs. ebook), you will have to buy a bundle for $295.
(6) Marketing
It is entirely up to you how much you want to invest in marketing. Personally, I set aside at least $1,000 for each book launch for ads, reviews, etc.
All in all, you’re likely looking at costs of $2,000-$9,000 (not including the hours and hours spent researching and comparing all of your options).
Do these numbers surprise you? Why or why not?
