Tip #2: Get the price right.
Oh, the headache of self-publishing. You want to realize your dream and publish your book, but you have The Industry to contend with, you have the cost of production, and you have to worry about wholesalers and distributors, and Amazon . . . and the list goes on. After all that time, energy, and money, it seems only natural that you’d want to earn back your costs through the price of your book. $22.95 sounds like a fair price for your paperback fiction after all you’ve put into this book, right?
Sorry, but wrong. If your ultimate goal is national distribution and book sales, you have to consider the price point as a standardized range that every author and publisher must work within. National buyers will have a hard time considering your book if, as a new author, you are charging $5 or $6 more for your book than the big names are charging for comparable titles. Also, a higher-than-average price point can drastically affect your sales. While you can charge whatever price you deem worthy, paperbacks are usually priced below $19.95 and hardbacks are usually below $24.95. There are all kinds of exceptions to this rule of thumb, based on genre, the size of the book, and the inclusion of photos and illustrations, but those numbers are a rough estimate for fiction and non-fiction like self-help, health, business, finance, and religious titles. Visiting a local bookstore, Amazon.com, or Indiebound.com for reference is an unbeatable way to see how similar titles are priced and keep yourself competitive. Remember: raising your price doesn’t necessarily raise your bottom line.
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Katie Steigman reviews Greenleaf’s submissions for market viability and helps determine what books to take on as projects at GBG. She reads everything—the good, the bad, the ugly, and all genres from personal finance to cookbooks.
Tags: Amazon.com, book, bookstore, hardcover, paperback, price, submission tips
I’m a new author, trying to navigate the business. I’m looking for distribution of my first book before publishing the next two, already edited. Greenleaf looks good, but I suppose what I’m looking for is advice and cost information. I will share whatever I get with my writing group. Thanks
Marshal
Hello Marshal,
Give me a call and I can give you some advice about our company and publishing. I’m in the consulting department at Greenleaf and you can reach me at 512-891-6100.
Talk to you soon!
- Katie