Self-publishing involves costs at several stages: editing, design, printing, identification numbers, and distribution. This page breaks down each category with realistic ranges so you can build a working budget before you begin.

For a standard 200-page trade paperback, total costs typically fall between $2,000 and $10,000. The range depends on which professional services you use, your print specifications, and how many copies you order.

Cost Overview

Category	Budget	Mid-Range	Premium
Editing	$500—$1,500	$1,500—$3,000	$3,000—$5,000
Cover design	$200—$500	$500—$1,200	$1,000—$2,000
Interior layout	$0 (self-formatted)	$500—$1,200	$1,000—$2,500
Printing (first run)	$750—$1,000	$1,500—$2,500	$5,000—$10,000
ISBN	$125	$295	$295
Other (eBook, marketing)	$0—$200	$500—$1,500	$2,000—$5,000
Estimated total	$1,575—$3,325	$4,795—$9,695	$12,295—$24,795

These ranges assume a 200-page, 6x9 book with a black-and-white interior. Color interiors, hardcover binding, premium finishes, and longer page counts increase costs. Use the pricing calculator for exact printing figures.

Editing

Professional editing is typically the largest variable cost in self-publishing. Three levels apply to most manuscripts:

Developmental editing addresses structure, pacing, and overall effectiveness. Typical rate: $0.03—$0.07 per word.
Copy editing corrects grammar, punctuation, consistency, and sentence-level clarity. Typical rate: $0.02—$0.04 per word.
Proofreading catches remaining typos and formatting errors after layout. Typical rate: $0.01—$0.02 per word.

For a 60,000-word manuscript, copy editing and proofreading together cost approximately $1,000—$3,000. Adding developmental editing raises the total to $2,800—$7,200. Costs scale with word count: a 40,000-word memoir costs less than a 100,000-word novel at the same per-word rate.

Rates reflect the independent editor market in the United States. Technical, academic, and heavily illustrated manuscripts may cost more. At minimum, every manuscript needs copy editing and proofreading. An error in the printed book means reprinting the entire run.

Origin Books does not offer editing services.

Design

Cover

A book cover must function at three sizes: a physical book on a shelf, an online retail thumbnail, and a social media image. Professional cover design accounts for genre conventions, typography, color, and technical print specifications. A cover that signals the correct genre increases the chance that browsers pick up the book.

Origin Books offers cover design starting at $89 across three tiers based on complexity. Industry-wide, custom cover design ranges from $300 to $1,500 depending on the designer’s experience and project scope. See Design Services for tier details and examples.

Interior Layout

Interior layout (typesetting) determines margins, fonts, chapter openings, running headers, and the placement of images or other non-text elements. Books with photographs, illustrations, charts, or mixed layouts require more work and cost more than text-only books.

For text-only books, self-formatting with templates is practical.

Origin Books offers professional interior design and typesetting starting at $399 across three tiers. See Design Services for details and pricing.

Printing

Printing cost depends on four factors: binding type, page count, interior color (black-and-white or full color), and quantity ordered. Per-book cost decreases as quantity increases.

For a 6x9 softcover with a 200-page black-and-white interior:

100 copies: approximately $7.50—$10 per book ($750—$1,000 total)
250 copies: approximately $6—$8 per book ($1,500—$2,000 total)
500 copies: approximately $4.50—$6.50 per book ($2,250—$3,250 total)

Hardcover binding costs more --- approximately $14—$18 per book at 250 copies for the same page count. Color interiors add approximately $0.10—$0.20 per page depending on quantity. Page count has the largest effect on per-book cost: a 300-page softcover at 250 copies typically costs $8—$10 per book, compared to $5—$7 for a 150-page book at the same quantity.

The pricing calculator shows exact per-book pricing for any combination of specifications. No account required. Orders of 100 or more books ship free.

Print-on-demand services produce single copies as orders arrive, typically at $4—$6 per standard paperback. Short-run printing (25—5,000 copies through Origin Books) produces lower per-unit costs and gives you physical inventory for direct sales. Many authors use both: short-run printing for events and direct sales, print-on-demand for broader online availability.

For a full walkthrough of the production process, see How to Print a Book.

ISBN and Barcode

Each format of your book --- paperback, hardcover, eBook --- needs its own ISBN. In the United States, Bowker (myidentifiers.com) is the sole authorized provider.

1 ISBN: approximately $125
10 ISBNs: approximately $295

A block of 10 saves money if you plan multiple formats or future titles. Some platforms offer free ISBNs, but the platform appears as publisher of record and you cannot transfer the number to another provider.

Our ISBN and Barcode guide covers the full purchasing process, barcode generation, and back cover placement.

Other Costs

eBook conversion. Converting your manuscript to ePub format costs $200—$500 through a professional service. Free and low-cost tools exist for authors comfortable with the technical work.

Marketing and launch. Costs range from $0 for organic efforts (social media, local events, email lists) to $2,000—$5,000 for paid advertising, publicity, and coordinated launch events. The Book Launch Planning Guide provides a timeline and checklist.

Library of Congress Control Number. An LCCN costs nothing, but you must apply before publication.

Direct sales and distribution. Sell directly through your own website, at events, or through bookstores. For bookstore and library placement, see the Distribution Guide.

Sample Budgets

These three scenarios show how costs combine for a 60,000-word, 200-page, 6x9 book with a black-and-white interior.

Budget Path: $2,100—$3,200

Item	Cost
Copy editing + proofreading	$1,000—$1,500
Cover design	$200—$500
Interior layout (self-formatted)	$0
100 softcover copies	$750—$1,000
1 ISBN	$125
Total	$2,075—$3,125

This path fits authors with a clean manuscript and familiarity with layout tools or templates. The essential investment is editing.

Mid-Range Path: $5,500—$9,200

Item	Cost
Developmental + copy editing + proofreading	$2,000—$3,000
Custom cover design	$500—$1,200
Professional interior layout	$500—$1,200
250 softcover copies	$1,500—$2,000
10 ISBNs	$295
eBook conversion	$200—$500
Marketing	$500—$1,000
Total	$5,495—$9,195

This path includes professional services at each stage and a print run sized for active selling at events, online, and through local retailers.

Premium Path: $13,800—$24,300

Item	Cost
Full editing (all three levels)	$3,000—$5,000
Premium cover design	$1,000—$2,000
Professional interior (complex layout)	$1,000—$2,500
500 hardcover copies	$6,000—$10,000
10 ISBNs	$295
Premium finishes (foil, Spot UV)	$500—$1,500
Marketing and launch	$2,000—$3,000
Total	$13,795—$24,295

Hardcover production and premium finishes account for most of the increase. This approach suits books targeting gift retail, institutional sales, or long-term shelf presence.

Controlling Costs

Five practical ways to reduce your total investment:

Start with copy editing and proofreading. Skip developmental editing only if your structure is sound. Writing groups and beta readers provide structural feedback at no cost.
Print softcover first. Softcover costs significantly less than hardcover per unit. A hardcover edition can follow if demand supports it.
Buy ISBNs in bulk. A 10-pack at $295 costs less than three individual purchases at $125 each.
Match quantity to demand. Printing 500 copies lowers the per-book cost, but unsold inventory ties up your investment. Start with what you can realistically sell, then reorder. Short-run printing makes moderate reorders cost-effective.
Use free resources. The file preparation guide covers common mistakes that lead to reprints or delays.

Last updated: January 2026