Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Are you ready to publish your book on Amazon? If so, you’ll want to know how much it costs to get started. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the entire publishing process, from manuscript submission to book launch. We’ll also reveal the various costs associated with publishing a book on Amazon and explain how to optimize your budget for success. So read on to learn everything about publishing a book!
Costs Involved in Self-Publishing Books on Amazon and Royalties
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Amazon’s self-publishing program for independent writers, is probably the first thing you’ve heard about. Yet you may be less acquainted with how much writers get paid when they get paid and how much Amazon takes out of those payments for things like printing/shipping costs.
Amazon pays royalties every month after the initial sale, with the first payment arriving 60 days later. Depending on where you do your banking, you may select to be paid through direct deposit, also known as Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) wire transfer, or check.
For check and wire payments, you’ll be paid only after you make a certain amount in royalties (for instance, $100 in USD and CAD and £100 in the UK).
Self-Publishing Costs on Amazon
Amazon will not charge you anything upfront to self-publish your book, unlike vanity presses, which require authors to pay for publication. Instead, your royalties are reduced by the cost of delivery (for ebooks) and the cost of production (for paperbacks). Below is detailed information on the cost of self-publishing on Amazon.
1 – Paperback Printing Costs
When you’re uploading your book to the platform, Amazon computes and shows you your printing cost, so you won’t have to puzzle it yourself. To ensure that your book sells for a sufficient price to cover the printing cost, it will also recommend a minimum list price.
The following formula (where the fixed cost depends on your page count and ink type) is used to calculate your printing cost:
Fixed cost + (page count x cost per individual page)
To give you a sense of how the calculation works, Amazon would charge $4.45 per copy to print a 300-page paperback in black-and-white because $0.85 + (300 x $0.012) = $4.45.
2 – E-Book Delivery Costs
eBook delivery costs will be subtracted from your royalty payments if you’re on the 70% royalty plan. Depending on the currency used, they may change. For example, in the United States, $0.15 per megabyte is translated to USD and CAD, whereas in the UK or the United Kingdom, it is £0.10 per megabyte. If you’d prefer to set a high selling price for your book anyway (as the 70% royalty plan requires), this expense is waived if you pick the 35% royalty option.
To sell your book and attract readers, you’ll be required to spend money. Even though Amazon’s KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is available for free, it isn’t enough. It’s your choice how to spend your book budget.
Other Costs Involved In Self-Publishing A Book
Amazon allows anybody to self-publish, but your book will not sell if you do. You’ll have to do everything you can to make your book as marketable and competitive as possible to compete against the millions of books available.
Self-publishing a book costs between $2,000 and $4,000 for most authors, which consists of editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing services.
Let’s break that down.
1 – Book Cover Design Costs
One of the most important decisions while picking a book cover is choosing one. The first thing a reader observes is your book cover. Before you publish your book, hire a book cover designer as one of your top priorities.
Beginner designers usually charge $300 to $500 per hour of work. Between $500 and $800 is typical for experienced designers. Between $800 and $1,500 is charged by top-tier designers.
2 – Book Editing Costs
An editor provides an outside, objective viewpoint of your text. Editing makes reading your book a breeze because readers aren’t distracted by story gaps, clunky wording, or grammatical errors.
Some editors charge by the word, others by the hour, and others by the page. Some seasoned editors charge per project, and your genre and page length determine this fee. Certain editors also combine copy editing and proofreading.
Your manuscript’s developmental editing charges are usually $.07 and $.12 per word. Some copy editors charge between $2.50 and $5 per page for each manuscript page. Your manuscript is typically proofread for between $.01 and $.02 per word, depending on the level of editing required. Proofreaders charge by the manuscript page in the range of $1.50 to $3.50 per page.
3 – Book Marketing Costs
Book marketing can be expensive and time-consuming. You can build your reader base with a basic author platform and a website. Your marketing will be built on your author’s website, and you may establish a cheap website.
On platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, keep your author’s presence distinct from any social media profiles. On social media, you can increase your book’s visibility for free.
On social media, advertise your book. You may spend as little as $1 per day advertising your book using targeted advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. Of course, you may invest more money.
You can promote to customers looking for books in your genre when you publish your book on Amazon. Your daily cost might start at $3 and go up depending on your budget, and promoting your new book using Amazon advertising is a good idea.
To run pricing promotions on Amazon, you may join KDP Select. Amazon will assist promote your price promotion to readers in your genre once you’ve created it.
Finding the perfect third-party promotions takes time, but it does help promote your book. Contact book review blogs and paid and unpaid book promotion services for reviews and building reader awareness. Make sure your book fits the guidelines for each service before you start.
You may outsource the promotion of your novel if you wish to concentrate on writing. The marketer will set up your campaigns by identifying your target readers, driving traffic to your book, and converting readers to paying book buyers.
FAQs on the Cost Of Publishing a Book on Amazon
How much does Amazon pay to publish a book?
Answer: The answer to this question may surprise you, but Amazon pays 70% royalty on the price you set for your book. If you sell your self-published book for $10, Amazon will earn $7.70 from that sale. If your book is sold at a higher price, Amazon earns a percentage of that amount.
While this might not seem like much compared to some traditional publishers who offer 50-60% royalties, it can still be an effective way to get started as a self-publisher. Plus, by setting the retail prices yourself rather than having them determined by a publisher or agent, you have more control over your book’s final cost and profits.
Can we publish the book on Amazon for free?
Answer: Yes, you can publish a book on Amazon for free. Just make sure that the book is good quality and meets all the requirements before submitting it to Amazon. You will also need to create an author profile and add your biography, blog link, and other important information. Once this is done, you are ready to start promoting your book!
One of the best ways to do this is using Amazon’s advertising platform. This will allow you to place ads in specific locations across the web, such as Google search results or Facebook feeds. Additionally, you can run ads on special offers related to your books or on pages where readers might be interested in buying Kindle versions of your work.
You can also use social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to share promotional posts about your new release with a wider reach than just Amazon followers alone would provide.
How many pages does a book have to be published on Amazon?
Answer: Books that are self-published on Amazon must be at least 24 pages long. This is the minimum length that a book must be published on Amazon, and it doesn’t matter if your book is electronic or print-on-demand (POD). In addition, you will need to include all of the following information when submitting your manuscript:
1. Your name
2. The title of your book
3. Author’s bio
4. A cover image for your digital version of the book (no more than 1080px wide by 1400px tall)
5. ISBN
6. ebook in the pdf format
Once you have completed these steps, you can upload your document through Kindle Direct Publishing and publish it online with Amazon.
How often does Amazon pay authors?
Answer: Amazon pays authors every month, but payment is not always immediate. Payments are usually made around the 60th day following the month in which a sale was recorded. This can be helpful if you’re waiting for bonus payments or other residual earnings from your Amazon sales.
How can I publish my book cheaply?
Answer: Publishing a book can be expensive, and there are many ways to publish your book cheaply. Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Press, and Kobo offer self-publishing services that allow you to upload your manuscript and then manage the entire publishing process from start to finish. These platforms also offer helpful tools like cover design templates or marketing guidance for getting your book into the hands of as many people as possible.
If you don’t want to go through any of these platform providers, you can alternatively publish your book with a traditional publisher. However, this may require more work since publishers typically take a larger commission than self-publishers do. Ultimately it’s up to you which route you choose, but rest assured that there is an affordable way for everyone to get their books published!
Is there anything else that will make my book more appealing to readers if I publish it on Amazon instead of other places like Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Apple Books?
Answer: The best way to market your book depends on the specific audience that you are targeting. However, some general tips that may help include using high-quality graphics and formatting your book in a way that is easy to read. Additionally, create a book trailer that will give potential customers a preview of what the book is all about. Finally, submit your book to book review websites and social media platforms like Amazon and Goodreads to gain exposure.
There are various ways to market your book, so finding what works best for you and your book is important.
What are the benefits of publishing a book on Amazon?
Answer: Publishing a book on Amazon can be a great way to get your name out there and make a name for yourself as an author. Not only will you make a ton of money from the sale of your book, but you will also receive royalties every time someone downloads your book or makes a purchase from it.
The best thing about publishing a book on Amazon is easy to do. You can self-publish your book through Amazon’s Createspace platform, or you can work with an Amazon publisher. Either way, you will have full control over the publishing process and will be able to make all the decisions regarding the design, layout, and marketing of your book.
Publishing a book on Amazon is a great way to get your message out there and reach a wide audience. It can also be a great way to build your brand and establish yourself as an authority in your field.
How much does an author make per book on Amazon?
Answer: Authors make anywhere from zero to 5 dollars per book on Amazon. This figure is based on the average price of a paperback book and is updated every day. While this could vary depending on the genre, length, and other factors, it is a good place to start when estimating what an author might make from their work.
Authors can also make money through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), an Amazon self-publishing platform. With KDP, an author can upload their book, set a price, and make royalties based on the sales. They do not have to pay any upfront costs, and royalties are paid once a month. If you are interested in becoming an author, check out Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing Guide for more information.
Do authors get paid for free Kindle books?
Answer: Yes, authors do receive compensation for free Kindle books. After a book is published on the Amazon Kindle platform, an author earns royalties based on how many pages are read by customers. This system works in two ways:
1) In the ‘Customers Who’ve Borrowed This Book’ section of the book’s detail page, Amazon reflects any royalty payments received.
2) If someone downloads and reads a sample chapter from your book before borrowing it, you earn referral fees at full retail price (ebook or print version).
Referral fees are paid even if no one decides to borrow your book–they’re earned as part of your marketing strategy!
Can you self-publish a print book on Amazon?
Answer: Yes, you can self-publish a print book on Amazon. Choose the Print On Demand option and include your graphics, images, and formatting instructions. Once your book is uploaded to Amazon’s printing facility, it will be printed and shipped to customers within days.
How do I self-publish a paperback book on Amazon?
Answer: Self-publishing, a paperback book on Amazon, can be a great way to get your novel or memoir published without the hassle and expense of traditional publishing. The process is relatively simple, and you will need to create an online account with Amazon Kindle Publishing. You will need to upload your manuscript in either .doc or .PDF format. You will also need to provide estimated eBook sales figures and information about how you plan on promoting and distributing your book.
Once everything has been submitted, Amazon Kindle Publisher will start processing your submission for review. If everything looks good from their perspective, the final step is to choose a price point and submit your amazon kindle readiness report (ARR) so that they can begin marketing and selling copies of your book.
Several factors affect the success of a self-published paperback book on Amazon, such as cover design, word choice, pricing strategy, and, more importantly – content! All of these elements are top-notch before submitting anything for publication.
Conclusion
We’ve summarized all the costs involved in self-publishing a book on Amazon.com. From the initial investment to the royalties that you’ll be able to earn, it’s certainly not a cheap undertaking! However, it can be a rewarding experience with the right strategies and planning. Do you have any questions about self-publishing a book? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll be happy to help!
Hi, I am a doctor by profession, but I love writing and publishing ebooks. I have self-published 3 ebooks which have sold over 100,000 copies. I am featured in Healthline, Entrepreneur, and in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology blog.
Whether you’re a busy professional or an aspiring author with a day job, there’s no time like now to start publishing your ebook! If you are new to this world or if you are seeking help because your book isn’t selling as well as it should be – don’t worry! You can find here resources, tips, and tricks on what works best and what doesn’t work at all.
In this blog, I will help you to pick up the right tools and resources to make your ebook a best seller.
Thanks for the article. I am a newbie and I find that the publishing side is quit confusing for me. I am from the older generation that was not raised with computers. I cannot find simple info as to how to format my book. I have about four children’s books I would love to publish , but I have no idea where to start. People told me Amazon was easy, but I disagree 🙂 Where does someone like myself even begin. thank you again
You can hire freelancers in Fiverr, who will do it for you at an affordable price. That will be the easiest option