How Much Does It Cost To Self-Publish?
Part Two Of The Self-Publish Your Book In 2026 Series
If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to self-publish…but I can’t afford it,” you’re not alone.
Most authors assume self-publishing requires thousands of dollars upfront. Professional editing. Custom cover design. Formatting. Marketing. Websites. Ads. The list adds up fast—and for many writers, it’s enough to stop the process before it even begins.
But here’s the truth, said plainly and without hype:
Self-publishing does not have to be expensive to be legitimate.
And when I publish a book, I only pay for one thing.
One.
And it’s probably not what you think.
I want to walk you through why self-publishing feels expensive, what you actually need to consider, what you can safely skip, and how I’ve built a profitable author career without throwing money at every step of the process.
Why Self-Publishing Feels So Expensive
Part of this fear is historical.
Before ebooks and print-on-demand, publishing was expensive. You had to pay upfront for printing and shipping, often with no guarantee you’d sell enough copies to recoup the cost. Authors ended up with boxes of books in their basements and no distribution plan.
Another reason it feels expensive is comparison. Authors see professional services marketed online—editing packages, cover designers, launch teams—and assume those are requirements rather than options.
They’re not requirements.
What’s changed is access. Today, publishing a book mostly means making it available for sale online. You no longer need inventory, warehouses, or massive upfront investment.
The challenge now isn’t cost.
It’s knowing where your money actually matters.
What You Could Spend Money On (and How to Spend Less Without Hurting Quality)
Let’s talk through the main areas authors are told they must invest in—and how to approach each one with clarity instead of fear.
Editing: Important, But Not One-Size-Fits-All
There are several types of editing, and not every book needs all of them:
Developmental editing looks at structure, clarity, and big-picture issues
Line editing focuses on sentence-level flow and style
Proofreading catches typos and grammar mistakes
Professional editing can be incredibly valuable—but it’s also one of the biggest expenses authors face.
Ways to reduce costs responsibly:
Join writing workshops or critique groups
Use tools like ProWritingAid or Grammarly
Give yourself time away from the manuscript before revising
The real goal isn’t checking a box that says “paid editor.”
The goal is a book that’s clear, readable, and respectful of the reader.
Cover Design: This One Deserves Thoughtful Attention
Your cover matters. It just does.
It’s the first thing readers see, and it signals genre, tone, and professionalism instantly. A cover that doesn’t work for your market can stop sales before they ever start—even if the writing is good.
That said, you don’t need a $1,500 custom illustration to have a strong cover.
Ways to reduce costs:
Pre-made covers that are professionally designed and customized
Canva or Kittl templates
Trusted marketplaces and vetted freelancers
One important note: be cautious with AI-generated cover art. Some readers actively avoid books with AI covers, and not all designers disclose their process. Know your audience and decide what aligns with your values and brand.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about meeting reader expectations.
More on making your own covers (and how to decide if you should):
Formatting: One of the Easiest Places to Save Money
Formatting sounds intimidating, but it’s one of the simplest parts of publishing today.
You can format your book using:
Reedsy’s free formatter
Atticus (a one-time purchase that you can reuse forever)
Canva for more visual or workbook-style interiors
Even Word or Google Docs in a pinch
Once your book is readable and properly structured, you’re doing just fine. No one is judging your margins.
See how the different formatting softwares compare here:
What You Should Never Pay For
There are a few things I strongly caution authors against spending money on:
Buying reviews
Paying for ARC readers
“Guaranteed” marketing or bestseller services
Marketing is one of the most common areas where authors get taken advantage of. Real PR is expensive and uncertain. Anyone promising easy visibility or guaranteed success is overselling reality.
Buying reviews and paying for ARC readers is against most book distributors' policies and guaranteed marketing services are a scam because nothing in this world is guaranteed. Book marketing is not a straightforward formula.
The Myth of the “Professional Standard”
You’ll often hear that publishing “to a professional standard” costs thousands of dollars.
It can. But it doesn’t have to.
Here’s the nuance that rarely gets discussed:
Different books serve different purposes.
I write contemporary romance. These books are meant to entertain. They’re not dissertations or literary classics. I care deeply about reader experience—but I don’t need to spend thousands perfecting something designed to be fun, fast, and emotionally engaging.
Your genre, audience, and long-term goals should guide your budget rather than an abstract ideal.
My Approach: Bootstrapping With Care
My approach is more hands-on and could be controversial.
I don’t pay for:
Editing
Proofreading
Cover design
Formatting
Blurb writing
That doesn’t mean I skip quality. It means I take responsibility for it.
How I Self-Edit Without Cutting Corners
Self-editing only works if you’re thorough and honest with yourself:
I step away from the manuscript for several days
I print a physical copy and mark it up
I apply the changes digitally
I read the entire book out loud (this is the most powerful step because you get tripped up in places that don't flow right or where there's a typo)
I run spell check
I set it aside again, then reread
It takes a little bit of time but it works to the standard that I feel happy with for my books. Part of this also comes from my years of education and experience. I know story structure well and I can feel when something isn't coming together right. People who don't have that instinct yet may need a developmental editor but it can also come from practice, reading with intention, and workshopping your writing.
Designing My Own Covers
Cover design became a creative outlet for me. I was bad at it at first. Feedback and practice made all the difference. I remember I showed one of my early covers to a graphic design friend and she gently told me that it looked like a Progressive Insurance ad.
Changing the colors around helped a lot with that.
These days I feel very happy with my covers. I have developed skills and I find it relaxing to take the time to slowly shift elements to get a cover I love. My process involves duplicating and changing one little thing over and over until something clicks.
Formatting My Own Books
For interiors, I use Atticus or Canva. Years ago, I used Word and Google Docs and you can still do that.
Atticus isn't perfect but when I tested out five different options I still liked it the best out of all of them. It's pretty simple to get a beautifully formatted ebook and print book with very little effort.
The One Thing I Always Pay For
There is exactly one thing I always spend money on:
My ISBNs.
If you publish print books, you need them—and you should buy them yourself.
Yes, platforms offer free ISBNs. And yes, they come with trade-offs. Ownership matters, and ISBNs are part of your publishing infrastructure.
In the U.S., a single ISBN costs $125, but a 10-pack costs $295, bringing the price down to under $30 each. You’ll likely need more than one per book, so buying in bulk makes sense.
Get them here: https://www.myidentifiers.com/
The Real Bottom Line
Self-publishing doesn’t have to be expensive.
You can start lean.
You can learn as you go.
You can reinvest later, once the books are already earning.
If you’re interested in self-publishing, I break down the real costs, systems, and steps so you can make informed decisions without overpaying or overworking in this blog and video series (follow along here or on YouTube).
Visit my shop to see author website templates and other book marketing resources!https://financiallyfreeauthor.com
