The
creation of a mainstream published book will differ to a self published book
because input from several people is involved as opposed to just one.
Creating
a Self Published Book
Book Production Costs of Self Publishing |
More
often than not, only one person is involved with the production of a self
published book. The writer will write, edit, proofread, design the book cover
and conceive the synopsis all alone. The writer has no deadlines to stick to
(only a personal one). Book creation is unique to each self published writer.
For this reason, the cost of the ebook can be kept low as all the royalties go
to the indie writer. I shall explain how this differs in the paperback example
in a moment.
Literary
Agents, Publishers and Designers
Production
of a mainstream published book is a different matter. Several individuals are involved
with the book process. The book will be written to a deadline or per contract, an
editor and proofreader will then go through it with a fine-tooth comb and make recommendations
and edits which may be agreed with the author.
But
input doesn’t end there. Book cover design, blurb writing and marketing also will
also affect the feel of the book and the time of release. The literary agent who
sells the book to the publisher will require a percentage of the net profits of
the book, and so this will affect the price of the book, whether published on Kindle
or on paperback. This means the price of the ebook tends to be higher than the price
of a self published book.
Paperback
Costs of Novels
Whether
the book has been mainstream published or self published, digital books
attracts no paper or postage costs, only the cost of upload. But generally
speaking, household names and bestsellers will attract a higher price than self
published, unknown authors.
To
make a mainstream Kindle book worthwhile, the price has to fall within a particular
price bracket. A price too high may result in fewer uploads; a price too low
wouldn’t make the book worthwhile to sell. A price of around £4 -£7 seems to be
the norm for such ebooks, but I have seen high profile ebooks offered for free
for a few days.
The
self published writer can publish the book on the Kindle for as little as of
£1.50, but will keep all the royalties.
Paper
Back Production of Novels
Production
of the paperback novel is different. A self published writer has little choice
but to use a print on demand company. Print on demand (POD) means the book is printed
only when it is ordered. This eradicates the problem of surplus books
cluttering up a garage or warehouse. Amazon offers Createspace. Lulu is another
example. Yes, there will never be a surplus of books and it will never be out
of print, but the production costs can be high compared with the high street
bulk print of brand authors.
Mass
Produced Books
A mass-printed paperback of the mainstream
published world will cost little per unit but if the book does not sell the
result will a warehouse full of books and a dented profit. On the plus side, an
author published by the likes of Random House or Harper Collins is more likely to
see his/her book in Waterstones, WH Smiths or Tescos. The self published writer’s
visibility will mostly remain with the online store.
So
as can be seen, the production process of self published books and mainstream books
differ. The price and royalties earned will also differ, as will the market place
and the look and feel of the book.
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