Some people discount authors who pay to publish their books. But here’s the thing—no matter how you publish your book, you have to pay a price. The question, then, isn’t whether you’ll pay to publish. It’s what you will pay.
The Price of Traditional Publishing
With traditional publishing, that price you pay to publish is control. Sure, you get a say along the way, but another person—a book editor, publisher, or someone else—often has the final word in every aspect of your book. Someone else can even change vital parts of your story.
This is most common with the major publishers. Talk with enough writers who published with the Big Five*, and one of them may have had their story changed. Sometimes, the changes are minor. Other times, the changes are significant. So significant the author no longer identifies with or wants to claim the book.
You also lose connection with your income. Instead of getting paid directly from the printer/distributor, you’re stuck using an author portal that gives you secondhand knowledge instead of the direct inside scoop. Not the end of the world, but it’s another hassle.
And it’s the price you pay with traditional publishing.
*Or as this article from Kirkus states, the Big Four.
The Price to Publish on Your Own
If you want to self-publish all by yourself, you’ll do all your own editing, layout, design, and illustrations. In this case, the price you pay to publish is time. Depending on how good you want it to be, the time you spend can be immense.
When doing things on your own, a few things you have to learn include:
- Chicago Manual or another style (for grammar, usage, etc.)
- How to use InDesign, Photoshop, or other computer programs (Some use Microsoft Word, which is possible but difficult to use well)
- Printing and distribution options (which is best for you and how to use the interface)
Don’t have time to invest in your DIY book publishing venture? The price you pay is quality. Your book won’t be as good as it could or should be.
This isn’t a big deal until the bad reviews start piling in or worse—no one buys your book because it’s obviously the work of an amateur. With your book being one in 4 million, going low-quality is a deadly mistake.
Cost of Publishing with a Partner
Finally, you can hire a company like Argyle Fox Publishing to do all the behind-the-scenes stuff. We edit, design, and illustrate your book. Then we do all the other stuff to make it available for purchase.
The price you pay to publish in this way is money. The financial cost varies from company to company, so do your homework before signing a contract. Many start at $3,000, but others provide the same services for much less. The trick is to determine what services are most important to you, then sign with the company with a reputation for providing those services with integrity and quality.
What Will You Pay to Publish Your Book?
No matter how you go about it, you have to ask yourself what you are willing to pay to publish. Which will lead to a book you’re proud of? Which is easiest to replenish?
Control, time, quality, or money—the choice is yours. But you have to pay something. There is no option.
At Argyle Fox Publishing, we put our costs out-front. We operate a transparent publishing company that answers any questions you have. The only surprise our authors get is excitement when finally holding their published book in their hands. Guess that’s why our authors love us! (Check out our Author Survey Results for proof.)
Interested in working with Argyle Fox Publishing? Take a peek around our site and check the cost to publish your book with us. If you like what you see, we’d love to take a look at your manuscript!
P.S. Need help with capital letters in general? Here’s a primer on what words deserve capitalization.