One of the most asked questions when it comes to publishing books on Amazon is “How much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon?” In this article, we will tell you what it will cost to publish a book on Amazon.

The world has greatly advanced, and writers no longer need to use the traditional method to publish books. They can simply publish their books on platforms like Amazon with little to no stress.

Amazon is the world’s best retailer and a good place for independent writers to start selling their books. Many writers have gotten rich from publishing their books on Amazon. 

How much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon?

Publishing books on Amazon is free but you need to spend money to get the book ready for publication. Below are the things that will determine the total amount it will cost you to publish a book on Amazon. 

• Book Research
• Editing & Proofreading

• Book formatting

• Book cover design

• Marketing 

Book Research

Cost: $99

Book research is the foundation on which the success of a book lies. If it is not properly done, chances are that the book will not sell. Book research entails finding out what book buyers are searching for, especially the phrases they use when making the search.

Doing the research manually can be a daunting task but it can be made easier by the use of a software. Publisher Rocket is a software that makes it easy to carry out book research. It also helps you to get the right categories for your book, and also gives you insight into what your competitors are doing. The software also gives an insight into the pricing for the kind of book you want to write. 

You can get more information about the software here

Editing & Proofreading

Cost : $800+

This is one of the most important steps you should take before publishing your book on Amazon or anywhere. It can be tempting to edit and proofread your book by yourself to save cost. Please, do not do it. Hire a professional.

No matter how good your book cover and book description are, if you do not proofread and edit your book it will cost you a lot. No one wants to read an unedited work. The content of your book needs to live up to the hype of the book cover.

Before you hire a professional editor, proofreader, or/and copyeditor, make sure that you read reviews and testimonials about their work. Only let someone who is a professional and who you are comfortable with edit your work.

Most copyeditors, editors, and proofreaders charge by the hour. You might end up spending more than $800. The amount of money you will spend for editing and proofreading depends largely on the quantity of your work. When it comes to editing your book, please spend as much money as possible to get the quality you need.

The major reason it is advisable to hire professionals to edit and proofread your book is that you might have some emotional attachment to it and this will block your use of logic. 

Below are the duties of a copyeditor, Proofreader, and developmental editor and why you need each of them.

• Developmental editor:  A developmental editor looks deeply into your plot, storyline, and other parts of your story. He/she looks for plot holes, inconsistencies, and a better way your story can be told.

• Copyeditor: A copyeditor examines the diction (language) you use. He/she looks for a better way to construct paragraphs and sentences for better readability. A copyeditor helps make your book clear, readable, and enjoyable to your reader.

• Proofreader:  A proofreader usually comes in last. He/she looks for inconsistencies in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax and fixes them. Once a proofreader gives you a clear, you can go ahead and publish.

Combining these three will make your work good. Do not neglect anyone. 

If you cannot afford a professional, you can ask close friends or family members to help you. But, make sure that you are with them every step of the way to avoid mistakes. 

 

Book formatting

Cost: $100+

Another thing you should give attention to before publishing your book is the formatting. Amazon can indeed help you format your ebook from your word document. But, you can use formatting software to create interior design and typesetting of your book to create a better reading experience for your readers.

Softwares like vellum, Atticus, or Scrivener can get the job done. Find the one that works best with your operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac, Chromebook)

 

Book cover design

Cost: $200-$500+

A book’s cover design is important to the success of the book because it is the first thing the reader sees, it is what draws their attention. So if you want your book to sell, you need to invest in a good book cover design.

You can hire a good designer and give them the details needed and wait for your awesome book cover.  Sites like 99designs, CrowdSpring and DesignCrowd allow you to crowdsource your book cover design. This is great if you are on a tight budget. Designers submit their designs, and you choose the best and reward the winner.

If you are on a very tight budget, you can try out Canva. It has good book cover templates. You can start there, and when you have a bigger budget, you can hire a professional designer and swap your book cover.

 

Marketing

Cost: $500+

What is the purpose of creating a perfect ebook if you don’t make any sales? That is why marketing is important in publishing. There are so many ways you can advertise your ebook, thanks to modern technology.

You can advertise your ebook through your author’s website, email list, social media, Amazon, book marketing services, and third-party promotions.

• Author website: As a writer, you need to have a website, it helps readers get in contact with you. It is also a good way to promote your book.  You can set up a website with WordPress, Wix, and others or you can also hire a professional to set up your website.

• Email list: Using email marketing to promote your book is a sure way to get your book sold out. You can use Convertkit, MailChimp, or any other email marketing software to accomplish this.

• Social Media: This is one of the best ways to promote your book. Social Media is life-changing and gets your book to more people. You can use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Tiktok to promote your book. It is also important to promote the book on your author’s social media page.

• Amazon: Amazon also allows you to promote your book for about $3 a day. It is a good way to promote your book. Endeavor to make use of it.

• Third-Party Promotions: Using third parties to promote your book is great. You can get book reviewers to read and review your book or pay for Google ads, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter ads. It can be expensive, but it will be worth it.

 

Note: Your budget will depend on how much you can spend for the above, but if you want your book to succeed, you need to spend more. It is an investment that will reward you handsomely.

 

Conclusion

Amazon is one of the best places to publish books, especially for an independent or Indie author. The beauty of publishing on Amazon is that it is free. What requires money is everything you need to get the book ready for publication and in front of potential readers.

Originally posted 2022-05-24 11:09:51.

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