Word Count
Editing and proofreading are priced on your actual word volume, with no inflated flat minimums. A 40,000-word book costs less to edit than a 120,000-word one.
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Publishing Costs · Tasman PublishersWhat It Actually Costs To Publish A Book In Australia
A professional publishing package typically runs between $2,000 and $10,000 AUD, depending on your word count and the services your book genuinely needs. We audit the manuscript first, then quote a fixed price. No hourly billing, no royalty share, no recurring fees.
- Fixed quotes
- Only what you need
- You own everything
- Fixed estimatesQuoted up front, never billed by the hour
- Only what you needWe audit the manuscript before quoting a thing
- You own everythingISBNs in your name, all files handed over
- No recurring feesNo royalty share and no maintenance charges
Three Books, Three Very Different Quotes
Same publisher, same published range, completely different scope. These samples show what a quote covers and what moves the number, so you can see where your own book would sit.
A 75,000-word thriller
A first-time novelist with a finished draft, publishing in paperback and ebook and handling their own social media.
- 75,000Word count
- Paperback, ebookFormats
- NoneIllustration
What the quote covered
- Manuscript assessmentA full read and a written report before anything is quoted
- Copy-edit & proofreadPriced on the actual word count, not a flat minimum
- Cover designThree routes, then the full print wrap and ebook version
- Interior typesettingPrint-ready PDF plus reflowable EPUB and Kindle files
- ISBNs & metadataRegistered in the author’s own name, with barcodes
- Retail & library distributionAmazon, Ingram and library platform setup
Not in this quote
- Developmental editing (the draft did not need it)
- Audiobook production
- Paid advertising campaign
Cheaper if…the manuscript is already professionally edited, or you only need ebook
Dearer if…it needs developmental editing first, or you add audio and a launch campaign
Quoted as a single fixed price within our published $2,000–$10,000 AUD range, after a manuscript audit. We publish the range rather than a price list because the same word count can need very different work.
A 32-page illustrated book
A picture book where the art is most of the work: very few words, but every spread drawn from scratch.
- About 600Word count
- Hardcover, fixed-layout ebookFormats
- 12 spreadsIllustration
What the quote covered
- Text edit for read-aloudReading age, rhythm and word count checked
- Original illustrationCharacter design, then twelve full spreads
- Cover designHardcover case and jacket artwork
- Full-bleed layoutText placed around the art, nothing lost in the gutter
- ISBNs & metadataPrint and ebook editions registered
- Print setupHardcover specification and proof checking
Not in this quote
- Audiobook production
- School visit bookings
- Paid advertising campaign
Cheaper if…you supply your own artwork, or the book has fewer spreads
Dearer if…you want more spreads, spot art on every page, or special print finishes
Quoted as a single fixed price within our published $2,000–$10,000 AUD range, after a manuscript audit. We publish the range rather than a price list because the same word count can need very different work.
A 40,000-word non-fiction title
A speaker turning years of workshop material into a book, narrating the audiobook themselves.
- 40,000Word count
- Paperback, ebook, audiobookFormats
- Diagrams onlyIllustration
What the quote covered
- Structural & copy-editArgument and evidence first, then consistency and a style sheet
- DiagramsCharts and frameworks redrawn to match the book’s design
- Cover designPrint wrap and ebook, tested at thumbnail size
- Interior with calloutsHeadings, pull quotes, callout boxes and an index
- Author-narrated audiobookDirected recording, editing and mastering to retail spec
- DistributionPrint, ebook and audio editions set up across stores
Not in this quote
- Ghostwriting (the author wrote the draft)
- Professional narrator casting
- Bulk print run for events
Cheaper if…you skip the audiobook, or the manuscript arrives already edited
Dearer if…the book is ghostwritten from interviews, or you cast a professional narrator
Quoted as a single fixed price within our published $2,000–$10,000 AUD range, after a manuscript audit. We publish the range rather than a price list because the same word count can need very different work.
Sample scopes written for fictional projects to show how quotes are built. They are not real client quotes, and they carry no prices.
Build Your Own Scope
Tick what your book still needs. We will use it as the starting point for your quote, and you can send the list straight to us.
What Moves The Price
Four things account for most of the difference between a $2,000 project and a $10,000 one.
Design & Illustration
A standard cover and typeset interior is one fixed charge. Original illustration, a picture book or heavy diagram work is where design costs climb.
Extra Formats
Print and ebook usually come together. An audiobook adds narration, studio time and mastering, and is priced by finished hour of audio.
Marketing Scale
Distribution setup is part of publishing. A launch campaign is a separate decision, and the ad budget is yours to set.
AU & NZ authors
Prices In AUD, ISBNs Done Properly
- Quoted in AUDNZD estimates available on request
- Australian ISBNsRegistered via Thorpe-Bowker in your own legal name
- New Zealand ISBNsFree from the National Library of NZ; we handle registration at no extra charge
- Global feedsIngram, Amazon and library setup, with no recurring maintenance charges
What we never do
- Bill by the hourYou get a fixed price before work starts
- Take your royaltiesYou keep 100% of what the retailers pay
- Charge maintenance feesNo annual costs to stay listed
- Sell you stages you don't needWe would rather quote less work than more
How Quoting Works
Four steps, and the first two cost you nothing.
-
01
Tell Us About The Book
Genre, word count, the formats you want and which stages you have already done.
-
02
Manuscript Audit
We read the manuscript and work out what it genuinely needs. This costs nothing.
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03
Itemised Fixed Quote
Every stage listed separately, so you can include or drop any of it before you commit.
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04
Dated Schedule
Once the quote is agreed, you get dates for each stage and a named contact for all of it.
Costs By Service
Each service page explains exactly what that stage includes, with samples of the work.
Editing & proofreadingPriced on your actual word count
Cover designOne charge for print and ebook
Interior formattingPrint-ready PDF and ebook files
IllustrationPriced per spread or per image
AudiobookPriced by finished hour of audio
GhostwritingScoped from interviews and word count
Author websiteIncludes a year of hosting
Book trailerTrailer plus social cutdowns
MarketingCampaign fee plus your ad budget
Full publishingEvery stage in one project
Cost Questions
The money questions, answered plainly.
How much does it cost to publish a book in Australia?
Every book is different, but a professional publishing package typically runs between $2,000 and $10,000 AUD. The main drivers are your word count, how much design and illustration the book needs, whether you want an audiobook, and how big a marketing campaign you run.
Is the quote fixed, or charged by the hour?
Fixed. We audit the manuscript first and quote a fixed price for the services your book actually needs, so you are never billed by the hour and there are no surprises at the end.
Can I buy just one service?
Yes. Plenty of authors come to us for a cover, or an edit, or an audiobook only. You commission the stages your book still needs and nothing else.
Do you take a share of my royalties?
No. You keep one hundred per cent of the royalties, and there are no recurring or maintenance fees once your book is set up.
Who owns the ISBN and the files?
You do. Australian ISBNs are registered through Thorpe-Bowker in your own legal name, and you receive the print PDF, ebook files and cover artwork.
What about New Zealand authors?
Prices are quoted in AUD, with NZD estimates on request. ISBNs in New Zealand are issued free by the National Library of New Zealand, and we help NZ authors register them at no extra charge.
When do I pay?
After the manuscript audit and the fixed quote, and always before work starts on a stage. You approve each stage as it is finished.
Ready To Get A Fixed Price?
Send us the manuscript details and the formats you want. You get a manuscript audit and an itemised fixed quote, and neither costs you anything.
Work with an Adelaide-based author services team today.