How Much Does it Cost to Publish a Book?

I’ve worked in traditional book publishing for nearly 20 years, and a statement I hear all the time is that “books don’t make you any money.”

So: this can be true, especially if and when you choose to self-publish because the money to produce the book is paid upfront by the author. In that model, you only make money when and if you earn those costs back. So — let’s say you paid $10,000 to self-publish and your book is $10. You would need to sell 1,000 books to make any money.

In traditional publishing, the math works the same way except that the publisher pays you an advance on earnings — basically money that the publisher expects to recoup after the book is published and sold. Let’s use the same math as before — you got paid a $10,000 advance (for what it’s worth, my clients earn at least 10x that) and your book is $10. You would have to sell 1,000 copies again before making any money — but instead of getting 100% of the profits, you’d likely get a small percentage — 15% or less — as a royalty from the publisher. 

That might seem unfair, but in traditional publishing, the publisher is taking the risk of loss — whereas in self-publishing you are. But let’s talk about where the money really is because it’s not in the sale of the book. 

I tell my clients that their advance from the publisher is nice and all, but the real money is in their author platform. Even before you have a book, the amount of money you’ll earn as an entrepreneur who is building their audience is way bigger than if you chose to stay small and remain a best kept-secret. I see this constantly in Author Platform Builders, where entrepreneurs are showing up and starting to share the advice and wisdom that will eventually exist in their book.

In my own business, I saw both an increase in followers, email subscribers, and the number of clients I served — and a substantial increase in revenue (nearly 300%) when I concentrated on building my platform. For my clients who have significant audiences already, a bestselling book not only increases their following but also their bottom line because the book acts as a selling tool for higher cost services, products, and programs. 

So while those entrepreneurial authors who chose traditional publishing may receive a small royalty check a few times a year, they’re also making substantially more in revenue month over month — because, as I said before, the real money isn’t in book sales but rather in the visibility and audience growth that a book can create for you. More visibility equals more profits — and not just from your book deal.