Formats, Fulfillments, and Fees

continued from page 1

Once printing and distribution is defined, the elements of the book formatting can be determined.

• Hardcover or paperback (e-books will be not be discussed in this article)
• Trim Size (for paperback books, typically 6x9-inch
  in the US)
• Paper type (white, off-white, weight)
• Binding type (perfect, spiral)

Many printing companies have templates prepared and ready to download to make the page and chapter formatting of the book simpler. If you know in advance which printer you will use, you can even write your book using their format, to reduce the work during the publication preparation stages!

Because of the variables involved in this area, I took a different approach with the example provided to show you possible cost structures. Please remember that these are examples and may not include everything you need to consider. In the example following, the author-prepared version is what I actually used for the book Pink Place & Blue Blaze, A Special Edition. However, I considered using professional assistance, and therefore obtained the estimates that are provided in this example.

Example: Publication Costs for Pink Place, Blue Blaze, A Special Edition (click for larger view):

Using the examples above, if 100 books are sold, the cost of publication for one book would be from $1.82 to $56.84 per book, depending on which options I chose. If 1000 books are sold, it would be $0.18 to $5.68. I am not making a recommendation for either way, simply providing examples to assist you in defining what you need to consider in determining Your Book's Bottom Line.

In the final article of this series, we will work with all of the examples provided previously to determine how to price your book and determine its overall profit or loss.

I welcome your feedback regarding these articles and whether they have been helpful to you. Please contact me through my Web site (link below). Thank you and Happy Writing! •

Next: Tracking and Totals »

© 2011 Deb Simpson. All rights reserved.

Deb Simpson writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She's been employed in the healthcare industry for more than twenty years and holds a degree in Business Management. More »

Updated 1/5/14