Before You Pay a Dime to Publish Your Book, Read This Guide

For many aspiring authors, choosing how to publish a book is one of the most important decisions they will make. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion and misinformation, especially around vanity presses.

Some self-published authors are warned against vanity presses, with claims that these companies exist solely to drain your bank account and disappear once your money runs out. While that may sound harsh, there are documented cases and multiple blog posts that support these warnings. It is important to note that not all vanity presses are scams, but there are certainly enough bad actors in the industry to warrant caution.

At the heart of it, the best publishing route for you depends on your goals, resources, and expectations.

Feature	Traditional Publishing	Vanity Press	Self-Publishing (Indie)
Upfront Costs	None (publisher pays)	High (you pay)	Variable (you control)
Creative Control	Limited (publisher decides)	Partial (some say, but limited flexibility)	Full (you own all decisions)
Royalties	5%–15% (after advance)	Small or none	Up to 70% (platform dependent)
Quality Assurance	Professional team handles editing, cover, marketing	Often low-quality outsourced services	Quality depends on your investment and team
Distribution	Wide (bookstores, libraries, media)	Limited (often online only)	Moderate to wide (Amazon, IngramSpark, etc.)
Rights Ownership	Publisher owns some or most	You may give up key rights	You retain full rights
Goal Fit	Career author, mass audience	Aspiring author with limited knowledge	Hobbyist or entrepreneurial author

What Is a Vanity Press, Really?

A vanity press charges you to publish your book, often thousands of dollars.

They typically:

• Charge $5,000–$20,000+ up front

• Offer low-value, cookie-cutter services

• Often take a cut of royalties or controls rights

• Use vague marketing promises like “bestseller” guarantees

• Keep you locked into their system

• Make their profit from authors, not readers or sales

  
  

These are red flags and why so many writers warn others to be cautious.

In essence, you pay premium rates without guaranteed returns, and the publishing partner may not care about your long-term success.

The Real Cost of Producing a Professional Book (2025 Estimates)

Publishing a quality book is not cheap but it’s important to know what you’re actually paying for. Whether you’re self-publishing or hiring professionals, here’s a breakdown of typical industry-standard costs:

Service	Typical Range	Industry Standard
Developmental Editing	$2,000 – $4,700	Per Reedsy data (Reedsy, mainlandprinting.com)
Cover Design	$300 – $800	Average ~$880 (mainlandprinting.com, mainlandprinting.com)
Formatting	$200 – $500	eBook + print layout (The Book Cover Designer, mainlandprinting.com)
ISBN / Copyright	$50 – $125 + ~$45	Admin fees (The Book Cover Designer, Kindlepreneur)
Total Cost	$2,000 – $5,000+	Professional-level book (mainlandprinting.com, scribecount.com, Reedsy)

Note: Vanity presses often charge $10,000–$20,000+ far exceeding the value of what they offer.

So, Which Path Should You Choose?

Choose Traditional Publishing if:

• You want wide distribution, a literary career, or a shot at bestseller lists

• You don’t want to pay upfront and are willing to face rejection and delays

• You are patient, the traditional route can take 1–2 years or more

  
  

Choose Self-Publishing if:

• You value creative control

• You treat your book like a small business or personal passion project

• You are willing to invest and manage the publishing process or hire professionals to help

  
  

Be Wary of Vanity Presses if:

• They promise guaranteed success or “bestseller” status

• They require large upfront payments with unclear deliverables

• They restrict your rights or keep a large share of royalties

• They push their own distribution and make money from you, not from actual book sales

  
  

These are red flags and why so many writers warn others to be cautious.

Why Atticus Publishing Is Not a Vanity Press

At Atticus, we are transparent about what we offer. We provide publishing services — not publishing contracts that lock you in. Here’s what we offer:

Our DFY Publishing Services Include:

• Professional editing

• Interior formatting & typesetting

• Custom cover design

• ISBN registration

• Assistance uploading to Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, etc.

  
  

We:

• Let you retain full rights

• Ensure you receive 100% of your royalties

• Charge a one-time, transparent fee

• Do not claim any exclusivity or future revenue share

• Encourage you to publish under your own name or imprint

• Help you publish under your own Amazon or IngramSpark dashboard

  
  

This is the ethical, author-first publishing model that separates us from predatory vanity presses.

Before You Sign with Any Publishing Service, Ask These Key Questions:

1. Who owns the copyright of my book?

   → You should. Always.

   
   

2. Do I receive 100% of my royalties?

   → Yes, if you’re publishing through your own account.

   
   

3. Am I locked into future services, printing, or distribution?

   → If yes, walk away. You should have freedom to choose.

   
   

4. Can I publish under my own imprint or author brand?

   → Absolutely. That’s your identity.

   
   

5. Is the pricing transparent, with clear deliverables?

   → No vague packages or hidden fees.

   
   

6. Will I be able to access and control my publishing dashboards (Amazon, Ingram, etc.)?

   → Yes. You should have full control.

Before You Decide…

At the end of the day, choosing the right publishing path comes down to your goals, budget, and how much control you want over your book.

If you are pursuing traditional publishing, you are aiming for broad recognition, long timelines, and zero upfront cost but you will need to go through agents, rejection, and limited creative control.

If you are leaning toward self-publishing, you gain full creative freedom and potentially higher royalties but you will need to invest in editing, design, and distribution yourself, either by learning the ropes or hiring professionals.

Unfortunately, many authors looking for support get misled by vanity presses that charge enormous fees, offer low-quality work, restrict your rights, and profit more from you than your actual book sales.

At Atticus Publishing, we are different. We are not a vanity press. We are a professional publishing service provider that empowers authors through:

• Transparent, one-time service pricing

• 100% rights and royalty ownership

• High-quality production support

• No long-term contracts or exclusivity traps

• Full control under your name, brand, and publishing accounts

  
  

Whether you are writing for passion, profit, or personal fulfillment, we are here to help you create a book that you are truly proud of, without the pressure, the gimmicks, or the fine print.

Your book. Your rights. Your future. We just help you bring it to life the right way.