Self-publishing works the same way. Every major self-publishing platform will let you upload a manuscript and hit "publish" without spending a dime. But self-publishing a book for free doesn't mean it will ultimately cost you nothing. Instead, the costs come from your time, the quality of your book, and the sales you never make because the manuscript wasn't yet ready for readers.
When a self-publishing platform doesn't charge you for things like editing, cover design, or formatting, it doesn't mean that those tasks suddenly disappear. What it means is that you're now the one responsible for them, and if you have no training and no second set of eyes to look over your work, that can come back to bite you — hard.
It's one thing if you're a hobbyist publishing a book, but another thing entirely if you want to actually sell your book and build a loyal group of fans. If you're the latter, that "free" self-published book tends to show up as:
A skipped editing process that readers notice
When your manuscript goes straight from your Word document to a retail page, it carries every typo, plot hole and awkward phrase you didn't catch. Readers are harsh about this in reviews, and there's nothing worse for a first-time author than a handful of one-star reviews that state "this book needed an editor." Ratings like that can suffocate a book's reach — permanently.
Formatting that breaks on different devices
Just because your manuscript looks fine on your screen doesn't mean that when someone loads it in their eReader, they won't see things like:
- Broken margins
- Missing chapter breaks
- Missing images
- Garbled fonts
In terms of how much it costs to self-publish a quality piece of work, that price can vary considerably, from several hundred dollars to $5,000 or more depending on your goals and the services you need. Editing and proper formatting are the kinds of investments that separate the hobbyist books from the books that look like they belong on retail and digital shelves.
A cover that looks amateurish at thumbnail size
Most readers today discover books they're interested in as a tiny square on their phone screen, rather than a full-size glossy jacket in a bookstore. A cover designed without keeping this difference in mind can immediately give readers the wrong impression about what's inside. An amateurish-looking book cover, with busy fonts, pixelated images or stock art can crush your click-through rate (how many readers see your thumbnail cover and click through to read more about your book), before they even get to the description.
No ISBN or the wrong ISBN
Some free self-publishing platforms will assign their own free ISBN to your book. That sounds like a win until you realize that your book is shackled to that retailer and can't be included as part of a wider distribution plan. The good news is that if you don't already have an ISBN, BookBaby can assign one to your book for a reasonable fee. Keep in mind that you'll need a separate ISBN for each format of your book, including eBook and print formats.
When paying to self-publish pays off
Paying to self-publish your book won't guarantee that it will rocket to the top of the bestseller list, but there are times when paying to self-publish really pays off, including:
Planning to sell your book
If your book happens to be a memoir for family or a passion project without a real sales goal, self-publishing a book for free could be a wise decision that saves you money. If you want discerning readers to buy it, though, professional editing and design aren't optional. They could be all that stands between you and a reader who ultimately makes a purchase.
When you want a print version in stores
Traditional retail distribution comes with real, fixed publishing costs, including ISBNs, barcodes, and printing minimums. When bundled as part of a paid publishing package, like these services are with BookBaby, you'll save money over having to source and buy each one individually.
Your time is worth more than the money it costs
If the last thing you want to do is deal with formatting, try to design your own cover, or fight with an EPUB converter, it's often a far better investment of your time to leave those things to the experts while you concentrate on strategy or even writing a follow-up.
The real question isn't free vs. paid
Either way, you'll be paying in money, or in time, quality, and reach. Skipping out on editing, design, or formatting just adds more unnecessary risk that you don't have to carry.
The good news is that you don't have to figure it all out on your own. Get a free quote now on your book editing, formatting, cover design, ISBN, and more at BookBaby.com and see the difference that a professional touch can make, every step of the way.