Publishing Costs

There are many factors that contribute to the cost of publishing a book:

• Dimensions (4.75" x 7" - 5.5" x 8.5" - 6" x 9" - 8.5" x 11")
• Number of pages (The more pages, the higher the cost)
• Number of books ordered (the more books ordered, the lower the cost per book)
• Number of illustrations (photos, graphics)
• Cover design
• Amount of editing required
• Shipping (can vary between $.30 to $.50 per book, depending on size and weight)
• Color/bw pages
• ISBN/bar code
• Copyright registration

Because most of these factors are variable and some are optional, each book is unique. Therefore the cost of each book is unique. The table below lists average, reasonable costs for different sizes of books and different quantities you might expect to pay at Green Street Press. They include custom full color cover design (for which other publishers will charge you $200 or more), book design, layout, typesetting, proofreading, and the inclusion of author-provided camera-ready photos or artwork.

 *Prices do not include shipping costs or optional ISBN/Bar Code ($75 per title)

The exact cost of your book will be settled before any work we start, and we will sign a contract with you that defines all costs (including shipping and optional services) and expectations. There will be no surprises when you receive your final invoice.

Cover Price

You can set the cover price of the book at whatever you want - or not have a price on the cover. If you are looking to make any money, you should set the price at three times your total cost per book (including shipping, ISBN, etc.) because you will have marketing costs, and very likely will give some books away to friends, relatives, and book reviewers. That is only practical when you order a large enough quantity - at least 250 books.