Fiction publishing, what should I expect to pay for?
This information is mostly for fiction authors; non-fiction has different options.
This article is in response to a few conversations I’ve had recently about paying for publishing.
Q: Do I pay for uploading to KDP, etc.? - No, Amazon KDP and other similar platforms do not charge to upload.
Q: Do I have to pay regularly to keep my books on the platform? - No, but you may have to pay to make updates.
Q: Who pays for the paperback books' printing costs? – That depends. If someone buys it from the platform directly, the buyer pays, it’s approx. 1/3 of the purchase price. If the author has requested copies to distribute at events, then they pay the upfront printing cost, and then they recover those costs when/if they sell the physical copies of the book. For POD (print on demand), the buyer pays as it’s included within the purchase price.
Q: Do I have to pay a literary agent to represent me or review my manuscript? – No, you never pay the agent; they are paid by the publisher at the time of signing a publishing contract.
Q: Do I pay the publisher to produce the book? - This is the most significant difference between fiction and non-fiction. A publisher you pay is commonly referred to as a hybrid or sometimes vanity, although they aren’t strictly the same. A fiction author should not pay for publishing; the amount of money that will be made from a fiction novel makes paying such a cost impractical, as you are very unlikely to recover that money through sales. Non-fiction is different; here, the reason for producing the book isn’t necessarily to make money on the book but to use it as a tool for promotion and to support other aspects of the business model. So a business or professional speaker might pay to have a book produced to support their promotions.
Q: What things should I expect to pay for? – Freelance editing, proofreading, cover art and possibly marketing are all things that you may choose to pay for to improve the quality and appearance of your book. As regards marketing, this is probably not worth it. If you have a traditional publishing contract, the publisher pays for some of the marketing. But the best person to promote your book is you. Readers like to feel a connection with the author, so it’s best to handle the promotions yourself. Also, knowing which marketers are legitimate in a sea of scammers is next to impossible.
Let me know if you think I’ve missed anything, and I’ll update the post?
This article is in response to a few conversations I’ve had recently about paying for publishing.
Q: Do I pay for uploading to KDP, etc.? - No, Amazon KDP and other similar platforms do not charge to upload.
Q: Do I have to pay regularly to keep my books on the platform? - No, but you may have to pay to make updates.
Q: Who pays for the paperback books' printing costs? – That depends. If someone buys it from the platform directly, the buyer pays, it’s approx. 1/3 of the purchase price. If the author has requested copies to distribute at events, then they pay the upfront printing cost, and then they recover those costs when/if they sell the physical copies of the book. For POD (print on demand), the buyer pays as it’s included within the purchase price.
Q: Do I have to pay a literary agent to represent me or review my manuscript? – No, you never pay the agent; they are paid by the publisher at the time of signing a publishing contract.
Q: Do I pay the publisher to produce the book? - This is the most significant difference between fiction and non-fiction. A publisher you pay is commonly referred to as a hybrid or sometimes vanity, although they aren’t strictly the same. A fiction author should not pay for publishing; the amount of money that will be made from a fiction novel makes paying such a cost impractical, as you are very unlikely to recover that money through sales. Non-fiction is different; here, the reason for producing the book isn’t necessarily to make money on the book but to use it as a tool for promotion and to support other aspects of the business model. So a business or professional speaker might pay to have a book produced to support their promotions.
Q: What things should I expect to pay for? – Freelance editing, proofreading, cover art and possibly marketing are all things that you may choose to pay for to improve the quality and appearance of your book. As regards marketing, this is probably not worth it. If you have a traditional publishing contract, the publisher pays for some of the marketing. But the best person to promote your book is you. Readers like to feel a connection with the author, so it’s best to handle the promotions yourself. Also, knowing which marketers are legitimate in a sea of scammers is next to impossible.
Let me know if you think I’ve missed anything, and I’ll update the post?
No comments have been added yet.
