What Does A (My) Book Mean: Enduring The Cost of Publishing a Book, Using a Self-Publishing Company From Writing to Cash

What comes to your mind when you hear self-publishing a book? If you are thinking of self-publishing you might find a lot of peope think of a writer who is desperate to get a published book out to the reading world that they will do anything to get it out.

You're all probably going the cost of publishing a book? What cost? I mean all I/ we need to do is write a book and send it out and, money will come, and then I go and do a few book signing and some speeches, and hey more money, and a byline, and less work.

Really so confident with that one?

Let us try hubpages for example. What's the cost? You are publishing a hub, and it needs to be great, beyond great if you want to promote and keep a writing business going. If you want to make money the content must be there and also the presentation and links. Also helping others a lot of other people, so what is the cost for me in terms of emails and helping others?

Well for me it's 150 emails a day, this means about 3 hours per day of reading these questions and questions. No, I don't get paid for this. Not a cent. I get paid on hubpages with affiliate programs. This is what self-publishing online is about.

I've also encouraged and helped (I hope) a number of people improve their chances of writing, they are all talented writers, and with a bit of work, and energy and focus they will make good authors with a chance to make some money. It's a slow process but it's wonderful to see people who have talent and want to write contacting me. It's also said, when they don;t get a yes, it's hard to tell people no, believe me it is.

But it's a cost that I never imagined.

That's one example which is a hidden cost publishing. It's not a bad cost, but there are others which can be more deadly that a near constantly filled email box. There are both financial and emotional tolls that can be quite unexpected.

Some are marketing and money. Many writers now have the option of self-publishing, or getting their work done in a type of custom publishing, where they have more say than in a strict traditional publishing method.

Some of it is time, and time management, yes I love to sleep but my best hours to work in peace are between 9-12pm. Not conductive to great sleeping since I wake up about 7am if not earlier. My brain doesn't seem to stop and comes up with new and wonderful ideas, which fill my computer and my to do list.  It is a long list, but i want to see success in publishing, and have money on the side as well.

I would say the biggest cost of publishing, is the cost of money for most people. some will argue that they spend a couple hundred dollars getting thier book to a self-publishing company, but as one of my friends who is very knowledgeable about the self-publishing industry that gets you books (if that) and nothing more.

So if you don't want to spend thousands on marketing, and the money is an issue, then time will be a big factor. Then you need a great time management system and desk that is organized and perhaps a professional blog or three.

A blog or three? Yep read that right, I have three that i write on one is about Transylvania, one on writing and one on book reviews I do for authors. My time is at a premium and I'm in teh final stages of working to get my book sent to a literary agent (not the one I help, just in case you're wondering.)

I try to keep a journal and an idea book which I call my "black book" since it has all my good and bad ideas. it's a green book so don't ask me why it's a black book. It's still a cost, since it's with me most of the day.

With traditional publishers I need this book in order to show them my ideas. I am a big fantasy writer but I try to keep grounded in non-fiction. Again this is bouncing ideas between the two and keeping organized.

A Traditonal publsiher might mean there is less money spent to a degree but less "choice" for you. So why go with them? If cost of publishing is writing less marketing plans but following directions, and working with a team, and this is appealing to you then so be it.

 In the end, i love the art and craft of writing so much that I I can safely say that for me enduring the cost of publishing, a book a blog, a hub or anything is worth it.  It takes time, but still for each person there is a cost and it is up to each person to decide what they are willing to do.

So what will stop you?

Is it time? Is it money?  It is lack of doing things you've enjoyed before?  Is the cost not yet high enough to make you write or is it too high?

Don't feel bad if the first few attempts don't work as well as planned, it does take time, but it not luck just some good honest work.  i believe as writers we can all endure the cost of publishing, because we love what we do.