Editing Services
Basic Copyediting: $160 up to 10,000 words. $0.016/word for
10,000+
Eg. 80,000 word book would cost $1,280 ($160 + 70,000 x
0.016).Where Love Once Lived: $1,453 (CreateSpace editor – freelance magazine editor)
The Vengeance Squad: $1,162 (CreateSpace – same editor)
Love Lives On: $550 (I used a Christian writer friend who did more than copyedit.)
CreateSpace provides other editing services such as
comprehensive editing, editorial evaluation, and multi-round editing. Read
about all editing services here:
https://www.createspace.com/pub/services.home.do?tab=EDITING
Cover Design Services
CreateSpace provides a variety of services for cover design.
For Where Love Once Lived, I chose
the most expensive they had to offer, the Illustrated Cover, drawn specifically
for my book. Cost: $1,199.
For my next book, The
Vengeance Squad, I paid a friend $60 to do the layout and paid $25 for the
photos. For Love Lives On and Job Seekers' Attitude Adjustment Guide,
I did the layout myself and paid $10 for photos. Paid Bowker for ISBNs and
UPCs.
You'll find links to all cover design services here:
https://www.createspace.com/pub/services.home.do?tab=LAYOUT
Interior Options
CreateSpace charges for assistance in getting your text
ready to print. For my first book I paid $379 for this and another $100 when I
wanted to change it. For the following books I did this all myself using the
Microsoft Word templates CreateSpace provides free. See:
https://www.createspace.com/en/community/docs/DOC-1323?sitesearch_query=templates&sitesearch_type=SITE
Marketing/Publicity Services
CreateSpace provides marketing and publicity services such
as book trailers, posters, press releases, reviews, business cards, bookmarks,
etc., all priced higher than you can get elsewhere. I did of this for first
book only.
Royalties
Royalties are based on costs and selling price. There is a
formula for computing the cost. This should be done before deciding on a
selling price. See:
https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/
and click oh Royalties tab. Input includes trim size (mine are 5 ¼ x 8 inches)
and number of pages. You enter a selling price and the calculator will show the
royalty for books sold on Amazon, eStore, and through expanded distribution for
U.S. dollars, UK pounds, and euros. Expanded distribution is an option for
bookstores, libraries, etc. If you want to set the price of your book as low as
possible, pick a price where the expanded distribution royalty is just slightly
above zero.
You can buy books and have them mailed to you for book
signings and such. The unit price remains the same regardless of how many books
you buy. The only variable is shipping cost. I find it is best to order 36
books at a time. Love Lives On costs me $5.40 each including sales tax and
shipping. The list price is $12.95 for Amazon, but I can sell for $10.00 and
make about the same profit.
E-Books
You can set a different price for Kindle editions. There is
no cost. CreateSpace pays a 70% royalty for books priced between $2.99 and
$9.99. The royalty is 35% otherwise. CreateSpace will assist you with your
ebook for a fee, but you can do it yourself here:
https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin
You'll probably want to also set up on Barnes and Noble, iTunes, etc.
Bookstores
Bookstores can order books from Amazon as long as you've
paid the $25 fee for expanded distribution. They won't order unless they've
made a sale first since there is a no return policy.
Other Services
CreateSpace also provides some package plans with discounts
for buying more. Costly $5,000+.
Pros and Cons
CreateSpace is an excellent way to get published quickly
with as little or as much help as you need. I don't recommend it until you have
exhausted possible traditional publishers.
