Hey everyone! I want to talk about a common question I hear when I’m attending book events. The question relates to ‘how much does it cost to self-publish? Many authors who self-publish are responsible for formatting their manuscript, uploading the document, cover image, etc. I chose not to do that. There is another term that is commonly used. It is ‘vanity publishers’.
I chose to use a publisher who formats the manuscript, obtains the copywrite, creates my book cover, upload my finished book on large websites, like Amazon, Google Play, B&N, has internal editors, etc. With that said, you need to shop around, as there are a wide variety of fees that you could be charged. If you want to use a reputable vanity publisher expect to pay up to $2,000 -$5,000, depending on the size of the manuscript and genre.
One of the major fees and a necessity is editing. Professional editing is essential. I have an independent editor who edits my manuscript prior to me sending it to the publisher. Again, shop around and ask key questions. For example, if you write historical romances, you probably don’t want an editor who only works on paranormal thrillers. Which authors have they worked with? Go check out that author’s books and see what you think. We have all picked up a book where the editing was lacking. Don’t be that person. Editing costs varies on the size of your manuscript, the level of editing that is being performed (developmental edit, line edit, etc.). For a 90,000 word thriller, expect to pay $1000 or more for editing.
From my experience, I cringe thinking about my first novel. There were soooo many grammatical errors. I felt like a failure. Budding authors often tell me that they use spell check in Word or a family member with an English degree edited their manuscript. That should be enough. Right? No! The rules for publishing are unique. Bottom line – don’t skip on using a professional editor!
If you need help finding an editor, feel free to contact me and I’ll point you to a couple of sites.
Join me for future blogs where I’ll talk about marketing, how to finish that book, and lots of other fun topics. Boy! I have lots of lessons to share.