The main expenses of book production are to edit the manuscript and to design the cover and interior. If you are not using print-on-demand (POD) services but will print a quantity of books, you will incur significant costs. And finally, it costs to promote books. Most self-published authors do not print a quantity of books, so you’ll be looking at costs for editing, design, and promotion.
Top-selling author Joanna Penn writes,
Remember to think of the cost of self-publishing as an investment, not a cost. [A book is] an asset that earns you money long-term.
How much will you need to invest to get your message into the world?
The majority of authors, both self-published and traditionally published, say you cannot cut corners on editing, designing a professional interior and cover design, or promoting your book.
Editing costs depend on the number of words of your book and the level of editing required. The best way to save costs here is to polish your manuscript to the best of your ability by thorough multiple rewrites.
Designing a cover and interior depends on the complexity of your cover design. You can expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $900 for both cover and interior design. An eBook will cost slightly less. An eBook and pBook together will cost slightly more.
The cost of promotion depends on how much promotion you will do yourself and the level of marketing and PR you want to have for your book. You can spend anywhere from $300 to $5,000 and up.
Get a quote for your exact requirements by customizing your own plan at Build a Plan and remove the guesswork.