A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing Costs

When you first decide to self-publish your book, all the information available online can be daunting. The self-publishing process can seem mysterious, and it is difficult to know where to start. One of the first key things to consider upon deciding to self-publish is the cost of this process. This is where self-publishing differs from traditional publishing, where the financial responsibility is taken on by the publishing house. But don’t let this put you off! There are many useful resources online to help you get your head around these costs, such as the reedsy blog and the bookbeaver.   Below, we have set out the keys costs to take into account when you are considering self-publishing: 

1. Editing 
There are three different levels of editing that your book may need, and the price of this process will depend on which you choose. The most extensive service is developmental editing, where the editor will take an in-depth look at your entire manuscript, examining all elements of your writing from individual words to overall structure and style. Next, there is copy-editing, through which the editor will ensure your writing is effective and consistent. The final and least expensive form of editing is proofreading. This is the process of checking the text for any basic spelling or grammatical errors.  

2. Type-setting / Interior Formatting 
Next, there is the process of turning your manuscript into the correct format to be produced as a book. You may choose to carry out this stage of the process yourself, after doing some research, or you may wish to hire a professional to do it for you. More experienced typesetters will charge more for their services, but you will be sure that your finished book will be of high quality.  

3. Cover Design
Your book’s cover is ultimately what decides whether it will be picked from the shelf or not. The importance of cover design cannot be understated, and so you are likely to want to commission a professional cover designer for the job. Factors that may affect the price of your cover design include the level of experience of your designer and whether you are looking for an illustrated or photographic cover. Illustrations tend to incur higher costs.  

4. ISBN and Legal Registration 
There are certain legal requirements associated with publishing a book in the UK. To ensure that these requirements are met, the book must be legally registered. In addition to this, each book on the market is required to have its own unique ISBN (International Standard Book Number) by which it can be identified. To acquire an ISBN, you must pay a small fee to Nielsen UK ISBN Agency. 


5. Production 
Perhaps the most obvious cost associated with self-publishing a book is the price of production and printing. These costs will vary depending on the format(s) in which you wish your book to be available. Unsurprisingly, eBook production is the cheapest option, followed by paperbacks, with hardback book production being the costliest.  


6. Distribution 
Many online marketplaces that you are likely to use to sell your book, such as Amazon, require a fee from the seller for their place on the site. This can be thought of similarly to renting your stall in a physical market. You pay the company for the space on their site, which will allow readers to find your work.   

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7. Marketing 
The final important cost to consider is marketing. After putting in all that work to write your book, you want to make sure that it is brought to the attention of as many potential readers as possible. That’s where marketing comes in. Marketing costs can vary dramatically depending on the approach you take and the scale of your campaigns. Many authors may choose to manage the marketing of their work themselves, whereas some decide to hire a marketing professional to be sure that their book gets the attention it deserves.  

At Rowanvale Books, we offer a selection of individual services and self-publication packages including all services listed above. To find out more, please visit https://www.rowanvalebooks.com/self-publishing-services or contact us at info@rowanvalebooks.com ​