Breakdown of costs for publisher

[TheImmaterial]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has an idea to the cost breakdown for publishing or launching a new author? I'm guessing most of it comes from marketing?

I've read a lot of posts about how much of a risk it is to take on a new author so by better understanding where these risks come I might then try to work to minimise them.

Thank you,

TI

 

[suralxiong]

If were talking self pub then it can vary and there are a ton of variable.

First you can do the whole shot and thats the most expensive if you want to do it right.

You can go with on demand and thats a bit more frugal but you have to wade through all the option.

most important consideration is how good is the book and the writing skill of the author. Even the best will need substantive editing or you are doomed and depending on page or word count choices that can get pricey.

Id say using POD top choice will be 7,000 us or more with the worst of substantive edit.
Then the biggest cost is marketing because you have to get it out in front of everyone. And that will be money in the toilet if the writing is not good and there has not been substantive editing.

For all the work you might consider standard publishers unless you are an established writer with a rep.

 

[Montero]

I don't have a breakdown but I doubt marketing is the biggest cost because publishers don't do a lot compared to say the launch of a new shampoo or a breakfast cereal. They have reps who go out to bookstores with the new releases list, they will probably send a few review copies out to magazines and maybe websites, but I am not sure that major publishing houses do much in the way of say taking out adverts especially for a new author.

These days a lot of publishing houses expect the author to have an internet presence (web page, blog) and be active on the internet to help generate awareness.

Big publishing houses do have their own websites and sometimes blog and keep interest going but authors now provide a lot of assistance in marketing.

The costs lie in:
The overall running cost of the publishing house
Editing
Cover art and graphic design.
Printing (new author is from memory usually about 3,000 copies - so low end of print run).
Marketing/review copies

For your further information, of the cover price, the last time I heard (some years ago I must admit) up to half goes to the book seller, 6%, 8% or 10% goes to the author (depending on author's standing, newbies get 6%). The remaining money possibly less than 50% of cover price - some goes to the distributor that sends books out to bookstores and the publisher recoups their outlay from what is left, and hopes to make a profit. (With new author not guaranteed).