The Real Math of Self-Publishing (and the Calculator That Does It For You)

When I started pricing out my first book, every answer I found was either a sales pitch or a forum thread from 2019. Nobody would just show me the math.

So I built the thing I couldn't find: a calculator that runs the real numbers — current KDP printing costs, royalty rates, trim sizes, page counts — and shows you exactly what you'd make per copy before you commit to anything.

What it actually tells you

Print-on-demand versus a print run is the first fork in the road for every self-publisher, and most people pick blind. The calculator puts the two side by side: POD's zero-inventory economics against the lower unit costs (and real upfront risk) of a print run. You type in your page count, trim size, and list price. It shows your printing cost, your royalty per copy, and your break-even point.

No email required, no upsell waiting at the end. It's the tool I needed a year ago, running the same math I used to plan the books I'm publishing this month.

Why I'm giving it away

This calculator was built with the exact process I teach in Creating with Claude — describe the problem, build the tool, test it against reality. It's proof that the book's method produces real, useful things. If the calculator saves you from an expensive mistake, the book will save you a hundred hours more.