How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book?

The practice of self-publishing has become quite common among authors in the UK.

According to Writing Forums, “The global publishing market is expected to grow at 1% CAGR per year, whereas the self-publishing market is expected to grow at 17%.”

After writing a book, the main step is to publish it. Book publishing is one of the most common issues for authors. Apart from writing, it is one of the lengthiest and complex processes. After finishing a book, the very first question that pops into their minds is how to get their books published. Countless authors get confused at this point. Some authors choose to self-publish, while others opt for traditional publishing.

In this blog, we will discuss self-publishing and its cost. So, if you have written your manuscript and want to self-publish it, you need to get a clear idea of its cost and how you can manage it.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s begin our blog!

What is Self-Publishing?

Self-publishing allows you to publish your own book without any involvement of a professional or a company. Additionally, to self-publish a book, you have to cover the costs and the entire publishing process yourself. However, by self-publishing, you would receive a larger share of the profits, but it requires a greater investment of money and time.

If you want to know, “how much does it cost to self-publish a book in UK?”, then keep on reading!

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

Now, the main question arises: how much does it cost to self-publish a book?

However, there is no fixed cost to self-publish a book. It can range from £500 to £2,000, based on your preferences.

Here is a quick summary of how much you might spend if you self-publish a 250-page book:

Editing: £250 - £400

Book cover: £100 - £500

Proofreading: £250 - £500

Printing (per book): £3 - £3.70

Marketing: £120 - £300

The average total cost of your 25-page book ranges from £700 to £1,500.

Remember, these prices are estimates and may vary based on the service quality and the service provider’s experience level. Hence, it is vital first to set up your budget and then start your self-publishing process.

Editing and Proofreading

First and foremost, one of the most vital services you need is editing and proofreading to ensure professionalism in your writing. A proofreader ensures to remove major to minor errors in your writing, including spelling, capitalization, and grammar. Additionally, these experts check the credibility and authenticity of the facts you have added in your writing.

On the other hand, an editor ensures that your writing is properly structured and has a consistent flow.

Most proofreaders charge per word, and the cost of hiring one can range from £10 to £19.

However, an editor charges £5-£9 per page, which makes around £1,250-£2,250.

Book Cover Design

Apart from that, a book cover design is vital because it is the first impression your book makes on the reader. However, the cost of the book cover design can range from £250 to £1,500. But it can vary depending on the design type.

• Pre-made covers: £90 to £200
• Freelance designers: £100 to £500
• Professional design agencies: £300 to £1000
• DIY tools: free-£50

Printing

Besides that, the cost of printing a self-published book depends on the number of copies(£3 - £3.70 per copy).

• 50 copies: £150 to £185
• 100 copies: £300 to £370
• 200 copies: £600 to £740

However, the prices also depend on the quality of your book. For instance, a hardback print would be expensive than the paperback one. Moreover, a colorful cover would also be charged separately.

Marketing

Moreover, marketing is also vital to make your book reach a wider audience. However, it can range from a few pounds for basic services to thousands of pounds for large campaigns.

• Basic services: £50 to £200
• 100 copies: £500 to £4000

How Much Does it Cost to Publish a Book on Amazon?

Besides that, the cost to self-publish your book also depends on the platform you choose. Many platforms, like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, allow you to self-publish your book online to reach a wider audience.

However, it is essential to know: how much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon?

Firstly, you have to decide which publishing format you will choose, paperback or Kindle. You can choose either one or both of them without any cost.

However, the price of an ebook and a print-on-demand book differ.

E-book

Amazon doesn’t charge for publishing; rather, it cuts them from the royalty rates.

70% royalty:

For the books priced between £2.99 and £9.99, Amazon takes a 30% commission.

35% royalty:

For the books priced below £2.99 and above £9.99, Amazon takes a 65% commission.

Print-on-demand (POD)

Unlike an ebook, you will be charged for printing. Though they won’t charge a listing fee, they will deduct almost 60% from your royalty.

The approximate fixed price for a regular-sized book is £0.85, and £0.01 per page.

This means that the average POD cost for a 250-page book might be:

[ fixed cost per book + no. of pages * cost per page ] = POD cost per book

[ 0.85 + 250 * 0.01 ] = £03.35 per book

How to Minimize the Cost?

There are many ways that you can minimize the cost so that you can remain within budget to self-publish your book.

• The very first thing is to proofread and edit your manuscript yourself. However, if you are not confident with the editing, you can do the proofreading. This will save you some money.
• Additionally, you can design the book cover by using free DIY tools. Even if you don’t know how to design, you can hire a freelancer with minimal experience. This will allow you to get top-notch designs at prices.
• Apart from that, you can seek help from book publishing services. These services provide high-quality support, saving you time and effort. Some book publishing companies also offer printing, proofreading, editing, marketing, and distribution services at very affordable rates.

All in all!

To conclude, the average cost to self-publish a book is around £700-£1,500. However, you can follow the tips mentioned above to keep this in budget.

This brings us to the end of our blog! We hope that this blog will help you manage your budget to self-publish your book. Best of luck with your publishing!