I spent $3,000 self-publishing my first book...which was way too much.

Ready to get my first book in front of readers, I paid Amazon's self-publishing services $3,000 to do so. I was a first-time writer, with high hopes and little knowledge of the self-publishing business.

When I only earned $115, I felt defeated.

You can self-publish for nearly free, with the right tools

If you are thinking of publishing for the first time like me, I suggest you try some of these tools to help cut your costs.

Let's be honest, self-publishing is going to cost you something. How much, however, is dependent upon your skills. Many authors shell out tons of money for cover creation, editing, formatting, and even publicists.

If you take the advice here, you can save yourself a pretty penny.

#1. What can you do yourself?

Assessing what you can do yourself is key in determining what services you need.

Can you create your own cover using a service such as Canva? Have you used Reedsy to format your book for free?

#2. Paying for editing is a must.

Editing is not something you skimp on.

We all have that person who's 'great at grammar and editing' but they won't catch everything. You can find quality freelancer for cheaper. (But, check their reviews and ask for a sample edit.)

#3. Publish it yourself

Post your book on Amazon, or Ingram Spark yourself. Don't pay someone to do it.

Don't be like me and spend tons of money. The same goal can be accomplished with a much smaller budget.