How much does it cost to publish your book

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
W

Wildman

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,390
Location
Jacksonville, NC, USA.
Question about writing a book on pen turning asked week or so back. Surprised no one touched upon "How much does it cost to publish your own book?" So I went looking for answers. I am the guy that thought producing a CD/DVD on the subject might be easier and cheaper.

Full-service self-publishing http://outskirtspress.com/selfpublishing.html

Welcome to Lulu.com, the global leader in self-publishing.

https://www.lulu.com/s1/paperback/l...4788693381~p&gclid=CKaBh4LjqaMCFQwIswod3xHR4Q

I stopped looking after going to sites listed above, did not send off for information. Think Christina Hamlet's article below gives food for thought and other options.

How Much Money Does It Cost to Publish a Book?

Read more: How Much Money Does It Cost to Publish a Book? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5059254_much-money-cost-publish-book.html#ixzz0w0s7F0AY
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Self-publishing a book is a consuming, expensive and frustrating proposition. The $600 figure from one of the articles is a joke. Yes, you can do a black and white text-only book for that if you add in a minimum print run and is you warehouse that run yourself. Otherwise, the add-ons get wild.

Costly decisions include:
  1. Hardcover or paperback?
  2. How many pages?
  3. Color or black-and-white cover?
  4. Color or black-and-white interior?
  5. Will you use pictures? How many?
  6. Professional or amateur photos?
  7. Self-edit or professional edit?
  8. Professional layout?
  9. Registered ISBN?
  10. Distribution channels?
  11. Registered copyright?
In my experience, I would count on $2,500 for a minimalist book. Anything fancy, think at least $5,000.

Next, what competition is already out there? Here's a sampling from Amazon.
  • The Pen Turner's Workbook: Making Pens from Simple to Stunning
  • Turning Pens And Pencils
  • Pens from the Wood Lathe
  • Turning Pens and Desk Accessories
  • Unique & Unusual Pens: From the Wood Lathe
  • Learn to Turn: A Beginner's Guide to Woodturning from Start to Finish
  • The Pen Turning Manual
  • The Pen Turner's Workbook: Step-by-Step Instructions for 9 Projects
Other competition includes the IAP Library and Wiki, the PMG Library, numerous personal websites, numerous videos (including a handful by our own Russ Fairfield!) You Tube videos, etc.

This is not meant to discourage anyone, but the venture should not be taken lightly.
 
I've struggled with it quite a bit over the last couple years. I want to do it, but the amount of time involved is overwhelming. You don't write a good technical book in a couple days. Unless you have a photographer on hand and a secretary to help organize everything ...just the time involved in pictures, editing photos and organizing where that all goes is a major ordeal. I have a few friends with some scrolling books and those took them years to compile and write. You really need a plan. The financial cost is the least of my concerns...if I only needed to raise money, then it would be a walk in the park.
 
I'm sure I'm missing some good ones. But here is a good start to some chapters in a book I would buy. By the way most of this is in the library, however, these people can probably look back and update some of the information with new techniques and other findings.

Lou Metcalf - Editor, Steve Schweitzer with Veneer Work, Dawn - PR Casting, Jeff Powell - Scroll Work, Neil Pabia - The Herringbone, Jason Swanson - Uniformly Striped Blanks, Toni Ransfield - Polymer Clay, John Underhill - Feather Casting, Curtis Seebeck - Cactus Casting, Ken from Kallenshaan Woods - Laser Blanks, Lou Metcalf - The Fountain Pen, Don ward - Snakeskin Casting, Russ Fairfield - CA Finish, Ed Davidson - Inlays and Embellishments, Steven Jackson - Metal Work for Pens, Eugene - casting Worthless Wood, Butch - The Kitless Pen, Eric Rasmussen - Pen Photography, Jeff Powell - Segmenting, Randall Smith - The Celtic Knot, Mike Vickery - The Invisible Clip, Brandon Wong - Golf Shaft Pen, George Butcher - Making Your Own Threads, William O. Young - Segmenting Bowls, John Crane - Custom Finials.
 
Lulu.com site have almost all those answer, you can use their product configurator to find your cost price. For the rest it's all a matter of quatity and how you want to make your marketting. You can even buy your own ISBNU code. If i recall, Harry Potter author started to sell her book in this kind of site.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom