Many users of this forum are book buyers. My question is what price is your own range if you wanted to buy a paperback, w/25 photos--most in color--close to 120 pages in length? Reason of asking is I am self publishing a local rr history book. I need to come up w/a sell price. I have been given feedback from dealers and regular book buyers. Results vary. I hope to set a price that can be in the range for most book buyers of products like what was just described.Any number suggestions?
SFbrkmnMany users of this forum are book buyers. My question is what price is your own range if you wanted to buy a paperback, w/25 photos--most in color--close to 120 pages in length? Reason of asking is I am self publishing a local rr history book. I need to come up w/a sell price. I have been given feedback from dealers and regular book buyers. Results vary. I hope to set a price that can be in the range for most book buyers of products like what was just described.Any number suggestions?
I have no idea of the costs of production or the cost of distribution of a book or the profits, if any.
Most of those I have purchased over the years have been in the $25 to $50 range.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Balt is about right .... Then again look at what Indiana (IU) Press does on books that have a limited appeal, limited market....but we all wind up looking at on different subjects from time to time.
I think you'll find the market for a local railroad history book can be somewhat limited, but those that are interested in the subject iwll buy it if it looks like a good book. The ones I've purchased seem to be in the $30-$40 range but I've spent $50 when it looked like it was worth it.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
BaltACD SFbrkmn I have no idea of the costs of production or the cost of distribution of a book or the profits, if any. Most of those I have purchased over the years have been in the $25 to $50 range.
SFbrkmn
Keep this in mind for pricing: Most book stores will expect to buy your book for 60% of the suggested price; that is, they will buy a $20 book from you for $12. A railroad book on a narrow subject would have to be damned good to get most people to spend more than $30. Your book will likely be an impulse purchase.
If you want Barnes & Noble to even consider carrying the book the title must be printed on the spine.
Local-interest books do not sell especially well outside of that area. Therefore, for a first printing don't order too many at once; you can always order more copies later.
Don't expect to get rich; settle for having the profits pay for the publishing.
SFbrkmn I hope to set a price that can be in the range for most book buyers of products like what was just described.Any number suggestions?
Have you gotten prices on the printing? For books targeted to a small market, most authors would want to get them printed on demand in very small quantities. You will get a much lower per-copy price with larger quantities, but that raises the risk of not getting them sold. There are many printing companies that will print very small quantities, so it may be cost effective for you to just print say 25 at a time.
Price depends on a lot of factors, but you can always change it. I would think $25 would be a minimum for the book you describe. Do you have a plan for marketing and sales? Would you sell on the Internet or in stores?
Book writing can generate profits, although small at that, otherwise no one would bother to become an author. My late father-in-law wrote a book about the history of SF @ Newton in 1985 a yr before he retired from SF. He did generate a small profit when it was all said and done. Hard bound, flat pages, all b&w photos @ $35.00 and this was over 30 yrs ago.
Retired and active railroaders will buy a topic book at whatever the price. History has proven that. It is the outsiders in what the cost factor should be at. Dealers are involved and thus, a higher price is required.
There is a strong market of local rr history books in any given area to be produced. Not having authors to write them is why projects never get done
I am publishing a novel (non-RR, pure fiction tear-jerker, no color but just a couple of B/W illustrations) using Amazon. It is 488 pages in paperback; 6.69 inches (W) x 9.61 inchs (H) x 1.25 inches (T). It costs $6.71 to print the book. I set my price at $14.66. Amazon gets 40% of the sale price. The cost of printing comes out of my 60%... so I get a grand total of $2.09 royalty per sale (customer pays shipping). (Kindle e-reader edition for $2.99. I get $2.02 royalty.)
I am not trying to make money in this edeavour, but fiction prices are almost always lower than non-fiction prices, so you should be able to charge considerably more for your book. Note also that color photos will increase the cost of printing by quite a bit.
What company are you publishing through/with?
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper Vaporo I am publishing a novel (non-RR, pure fiction tear-jerker, no color but just a couple of B/W illustrations) using Amazon. It is 488 pages in paperback; 6.69 inches (W) x 9.61 inchs (H) x 1.25 inches (T). It costs $6.71 to print the book. I set my price at $14.66. Amazon gets 40% of the sale price. The cost of printing comes out of my 60%... so I get a grand total of $2.09 royalty per sale (customer pays shipping). (Kindle e-reader edition for $2.99. I get $2.02 royalty.) I am not trying to make money in this edeavour, but fiction prices are almost always lower than non-fiction prices, so you should be able to charge considerably more for your book. Note also that color photos will increase the cost of printing by quite a bit. What company are you publishing through/with? I turned out a pair of books in November that cover SF history in KS. One was self published, the other done through South Platte Press. Learning expereince of doing both publishing routes.
I turned out a pair of books in November that cover SF history in KS. One was self published, the other done through South Platte Press. Learning expereince of doing both publishing routes.
You might want to cut out the color pics and see if Arcadia Press would be interested.
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