The Unwritten Cost of Being an Author.

Publishing costs money. People talk about the DIY version of publishing. In all honesty, when you DIY, unless you are exceptionally skilled, the final product often appears to be a DIY effort. You get what you pay for. Professional editing is worth every penny, but it requires a considerable investment, frequently hundreds of dollars in some cases. The right to the artwork in The Colonel's Contraband wasn't cheap, but it made the book. The goal for most writers is to find an agent and secure a traditional publishing contract. That requires numerous queries, which can take years. I queried The Ronin Affair for two years before I self-published. It was the best option given the book's subject matter. Marketing is another significant expense, including paying for ads on social media, hosting book events, and maintaining a website. It can take the joy out of writing. You often need to remind yourself why you write, to keep the passion for your craft alive.