subject: How Much Might It Cost Me to Self-Publish My Book and How Long Will it Take? [print this page] How Much Might It Cost Me to Self-Publish My Book and How Long Will it Take?
This is a frequently asked question I often receive. There is a perception that publishing your own book is a costly endeavor. The costs are really variable depending on who you use for the different services. I believe you can get a book done for under $3000 though.
Here is a rough estimate of cost you might expect:
$350 for the cover design
$1000 Editing
$650-1000 Layout
$10 Domain Registration of book name
$50 Misc
Sales tax license, if you don't already have one.
Use a print on demand service, so you don't need to order a big amount in stock. I used Create Space for my two books.
Regarding time, I firmly believe that you can complete your book in under one year. My latest book, How to Bring Your Book to Life This Year was only a concept in late June and early July of 2010, and my Amazon launch date was November 10, 2010. This book was created in about 4 months.
Speaking Your Truth, an antology, was launched August 25, 2010 and was about a 7 month project. I suggest you set a launch date and work backwards to the present and set deadlines to keep you on track.
Writing a book and sharing your experiences or expertise is well within reach for anyone. Being a published author is accessible and with guidance can be a relatively smooth and simple process. Self-published books are so widely produced with such high quality, that it is often difficult to distinguish traditional published books from self-published ones. The key is to hire a professional cover designer and a good editor and not skimp on that part of the process.
If you are an independent soul, you may elect to purchase the guidebook How To Bring Your Book To Life This Year for self-study. If you need or want a partner in the process for accountability and support, you may elect to become a part of one of my writing groups or receive private coaching. However you decide to proceed, I would love to hear from you along the way and celebrate your achievement when your book is done.
