Publishing a high-quality book requires an investment from the author, regardless of the method chosen. Below is a breakdown of the typical costs associated with each publishing option. As with any investment, it’s important to understand your expenses and what to expect.
TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING: You Pay on the Back End
In traditional publishing, whether through one of the major publishing houses or a smaller press, your investment comes after the book is published. Traditional publishers cover the upfront costs, but they take a significant percentage (82%–95%) of your book’s profits to recoup their investment. If you receive an advance, which for many new authors can be as little as $1,000, you won’t see any royalties until that advance is paid back. Additionally, if an agent helps secure your publishing deal, you’ll owe them 15% of your earnings.
Marketing is often the author’s responsibility in traditional publishing unless you’re a big name. Many authors only receive limited promotional support, such as a few email blasts to the publisher’s mailing list, with anything more requiring you to cover the costs.
SELF-PUBLISHING: You Pay as You Go
In self-publishing, you invest incrementally, and you repay yourself through the sales of your book. While it’s possible to minimize costs by handling aspects on your own, cutting corners can result in a lower-quality product and impact sales.
Without experience in the publishing industry, mistakes can happen, leading to costly revisions. Publishing is more than just designing a cover—it involves selecting the right keywords, genre codes, crafting a compelling book blurb, and more. The complexity of the process often requires expert guidance, which can be difficult to navigate. Many so-called “experts” have questionable skills, and distinguishing the good from the bad can be challenging, resulting in lost time and money.
Professional expertise comes at a price. Here’s an overview of some costs you can expect:
- Copy editing: $1,080–$1,714
- Proofreading: $620–$955
- Cover design, formatting, and layout: $2,300–$3,750
- Editing and proofreading for author biography & book blurb: $150–$500
- Keyword & category optimization for online sites (Amazon, Barnes & Noble): $300–$800
- Uploading of ebook, paperback, and hardcover for distribution: $300–$1,500
- ISBN: 2 for $250
WEST-WOODS PUBLISHING
Choosing West-Woods Publishing is a wise investment in your book’s success. Our experienced team handles every aspect of the publishing process, including design, distribution, and marketing guidance. We provide expert advice to help you market your book professionally, and with our streamlined process, you avoid the stress of managing multiple service providers.
At West-Woods Publishing, you retain most of your book’s profits (70%) and pay yourself back with earnings from your sales. We offer straightforward pricing with no hidden costs, making it easy to budget for your publishing journey.
When your manuscript is ready for publication, we charge a flat fee of $11,000 to cover all publishing services. This includes everything from cover design and formatting to global distribution. If your manuscript needs additional editorial support to meet our quality standards, we’ll notify you. The cost for these services is not included in the one-time fee. Manuscripts over 95,000 words may also incur additional fees.
We’ll provide recommendations for professional editors, and if you choose one of our preferred editors, we guarantee publication. West-Woods Publishing does not profit from editorial services, ensuring that you receive unbiased guidance. If you prefer to use your own editor, you are welcome to do so; however, we cannot guarantee that your book will be accepted for publication unless it meets our editorial standards.
With West-Woods Publishing, you’ll not only have a book you can be proud of but also the best possible chance of success in a competitive market.