This is how my “go big or go home’ mentality drained an already strained budget. Let’s talk money.
Self-publishing isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t cheap. I learned this lesson the hard way while publishing my debut novel, Taming Armand. What started as an exciting creative journey quickly became a financial wake-up call when my “go big or go home” mentality burned through my budget, one seemingly innocent expense at a time.
If you’re curious about the self-publishing journey and considering embarking on this wild ride, let me first walk you through some of my most costly mistakes—and how you can avoid making the same ones I did.
The Price of Indecision
My most expensive mistake wasn’t the result of a single purchase—it was due to lack of preparation. I made the cardinal sin of completing my entire manuscript without doing any research about the publishing process, whether traditional or self-publishing. I went in as ignorant as a newborn babe.
When I was finally ready to release my book into the world, my “research” consisted of watching several YouTube videos, and even those came embarrassingly late in the game.
This lack of preparation revealed itself in my publishing platform dilemma. From my limited research, I discovered Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark—three platforms consistently recommended by the content creators I followed. Instead of understanding the differences between them, I found myself paralyzed by choice, unsure which path would serve my book best.
The root of the problem was simple: I went into publishing with absolutely no plan. I had “pantsed” my novel (written without an outline), and I naively thought I could “pantser” my way through the publishing process too. But here’s what I learned the hard way—without direction, you have no aim. Without aim, you waste money on unnecessary expenses and miss opportunities to spend wisely on what actually matters.
Hidden Costs Add Up Fast
Let me break down where my money actually went. These costs cover both of my novels, Taming Armand and Bloody Endings, because the devil truly is in the details:
Professional Services
I went through Fiverr for book covers for both books, plus purchased a yearly subscription for a service that allows you to design your own book covers and create social media ads.
- Fiverr covers: $150 (ebook and paperback versions)
- Bookbrush yearly subscription: $246
- Editing: $150 for developmental editing, $150 more for proofreading after making changes
- Formatting: $120, then $80 more when I decided to add print versions
The “Just One More” Expenses
- ISBN purchases: Started with one for $125 (Taming Armand), ended up buying a pack of 10 for $295 (during the publishing process for Bloody Endings)
- Marketing materials: Business cards, bookmarks, banners—$200 total
- Website and domain: $18/year that I forgot I was paying
What I Should Have Done Instead
Looking back, here’s the research-first approach I wish I’d taken:
Before Writing
- Understand your genre’s market expectations
- Research cover design trends in your category
- Set a realistic total budget (including marketing)
- Choose your publishing platform based on your goals, not popularity
During Writing
- Build your author platform early (it’s never too early to start generating hype and an audience)
- Connect with other authors in your genre
- Start building an email list (this is something I’m currently working on—it’s a lot harder than people online make it seem)
- Research editors and designers while you’re still writing
Before Publishing
- Get quotes from multiple service providers
- Understand the difference between developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading, and beta reading (I hired a beta reader through Fiverr for Bloody Endings and it made a world of difference)
- Plan for both ebook and print formats from the start
- Create a marketing timeline and budget
The Emotional Cost of Financial Stress
What the YouTube videos don’t tell you is how financial stress affects your creative confidence. Every unexpected expense made me second-guess my decisions. Should I have gone with the cheaper cover designer? Was that developmental edit really necessary? These doubts crept into how I felt about the books themselves.
The financial pressure also rushed my timeline. Instead of taking time to make thoughtful decisions, I found myself throwing money at problems to meet unrealistic self-imposed deadlines because I was trying to have something ready for Noir at the Bar. This led to expensive rush fees and less-than-optimal choices.
Note: Don’t rush and risk putting out subpar work by publishing before you’re ready. Looking back, I wish I had listened to my gut on this one and waited.
Building a Sustainable Self-Publishing Budget
For your first book, I recommend this approach (please adjust as needed—if you have a large budget, go for it, but if you’re working with limited funds, stay in your lane):
Essential Expenses (Budget 60% here)
- Professional editing
- Cover design
- Basic formatting
- One set of ISBNs (this is where I suggest you splurge, especially if you plan to self-publish more than one book)
Marketing and Promotion (Budget 25% here)
- Simple website
- Basic promotional materials (some websites offer this fairly cheap—WordPress does)
- Initial advertising budget
Contingency Fund (Budget 15% here)
- Unexpected revisions
- Additional promotional opportunities (I’d also factor in author events where you can set up a table and sell books etc.)
- Learn from mistakes early and don’t be afraid to pivot
The Long-Term Perspective
Here’s what I wish someone had told me: your first book is an investment in learning the process, not making money. The real return on investment comes from applying what you learn to subsequent books. With each book you publish, you’ll get better.
My expensive mistakes with Taming Armand taught me valuable lessons that saved me a couple hundred dollars on Bloody Endings. With book two, I had direction and aim. I planned before I spent.
The Bottom Line
Self-publishing is challenging and fun, but it doesn’t have to break the bank—though it will cost more than you initially think. The key is channeling that “go big or go home” energy into strategic planning rather than reactive spending.
My advice? Start with research, not with writing. Understand the full journey before you begin, and your wallet (and sanity) will thank you later.
Have you had similar experiences with self-publishing costs? The Weirdo wants to know—I’d love to hear your stories and your money-saving tips in the comments.
hayleymoon.com 