Self-Publishing Cost Calculator

What does it cost to self-publish a book?

Self-publishing is far cheaper than traditional publishing, but it isn't free if you outsource the craft. The real costs are services: editing, a cover, and formatting. How much you spend depends almost entirely on how much of that you do yourself or hand to AI.

Notice that the three biggest items — writing/editing, the cover, and formatting — are production, not marketing. That's the part an AI ebook tool collapses. You still bring the judgment, the editing pass, and the marketing, but the expensive production step is handled.