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Self Pub 101 (Pricing)

Desk with laptop, coffee and pad of paper

Consider the costs.

Now that you know the costs you’ll need to decide how to price your book and what investment is required.

Here are a list of possible costs for you to consider:

  • Book Cover Design
  • Book Proofs (3-5)
  • Developmental Editor
  • Copy Editor
  • Proofreader
  • Fact Checker
  • Website Shop & Fees
  • Crowdfunding Fees
  • Shipping Materials
  • Hosting Fees (for ebooks & audiobooks)
  • Email Automation (for delivering digital editions)
  • Microphone & gear for audiobooks
  • Editing software for audiobooks
  • Interior Illustrations or Photographs
  • Professional Author Headshot
  • ISBNs
  • Advance Reader Copies*
  • Marketing Materials (stickers, bookmarks, etc.)
  • Ads
  • Conferences
  • Signage, etc.* Advance Reader Copies (often called ARCS) can be free PDF or cheap paperbacks. ARC are often lower quality than finished books. Or you can send finalized author copies. We talk about this more about ARCs later on.

Running the Numbers

Considering your costs you’ll need to consider where to price each edition of your book. How many books will you need to sell to break even? How many to turn a profit?

Additional Resources

Ingram Spark’s How Much Should My Book Cost?

Bear Hebert’s Anticapitalist Guide to Pricing Your Work

Cross Pollinate 🐝