eBook Publishing Costs
The average eBook is 2,500 to 5,000 words long. Costs range from $125 to $250 on the lower end to $500 to $1000 on the high end. When your topic is research-intensive, you’ll end up paying more—budget 50 cents to 1 dollar per word, which equates to $1250 to $2500 for a 2,500-word product.
If you choose an ebook, you can avoid some print book cost. The time spent on an ebook is for development, which covers:
- Coding
- CSS styling
- Reviewing text for bad breaks and formatting issues
- Testing in different eReader environments
Simple layout and design and keeping the book short helps reduce costs.
Publishing Process
Publishing takes less than 5 minutes and your book appears on Kindle stores worldwide within 24-48 hours. Here are the steps:
- Write a strong book
- Create an Amazon KDP account
- Format your ebook
- Upload your ebook to KDP
- Choose your ebook publish date
- Build your book launch team
The decision to publish an ebook depends on weighing the costs against factors like creating value for your audience or using it to generate leads via promotion.
Self-Publishing vs. Professional Services
If writing and publishing an ebook yourself, the cost is $0. Hiring writers can cost $300 to $1,000 including a 3D cover image. The only upfront costs if writing yourself are equipment and software to compose it.
On Amazon KDP, you can earn up to 70% ebook royalties, significantly more than with a traditional publisher.
Profitability of eBooks
Selling eBooks can be highly profitable due to low overhead costs and a vast potential audience, with the eBook market size expected to reach $32.19 Billion by 2032.
Challenges to consider include:
- Continuous marketing
- Risks of digital piracy
- Copyright issues
With commitment and the right strategy, writing and selling eBooks can still be lucrative even in a competitive market.