Author Copies Available At Print Cost + Shipping With No Publisher Mark Up
Author Copies Available At Print Cost + Shipping With No Publisher Mark Up
For many authors, publishing the book is only the beginning.
You may want copies to sell at speaking events, bring to churches, offer through your ministry, give to podcast hosts, send to potential partners, include in coaching programs, or sell directly through your own website.
The price you pay for those copies can have a major effect on what you are able to do with your book.
At REV 1211 Publishing House, authors can order copies of their books at the actual print cost plus shipping. We do not add a publisher markup to every author copy you purchase.
This means we are paid for the professional Christian book publishing services we provide. We do not continue profiting every time you order your own book.
What Are Author Copies?
Author copies are printed copies of your published book that you purchase directly through the book’s publishing or distribution account.
These are the same professionally printed books readers can purchase online, but you are not paying the retail price. Instead, you pay the cost of manufacturing the book, plus applicable shipping and taxes.
For example, imagine that your paperback sells online for $16.99 but costs approximately $4.50 to print. When ordering an author copy, you would pay the approximate $4.50 print cost rather than the $16.99 retail price, plus shipping and any applicable taxes.
That example is for illustration only. Actual printing costs depend on factors including:
Page count
Book dimensions
Paperback or hardcover binding
Black-and-white or colour printing
Paper and ink selections
Printing provider
Order destination
Quantity ordered
Shipping method
Applicable taxes and fees
The important difference is that REV 1211 does not add an additional profit margin to the manufacturing cost of your author copies.
What Does “No Publisher Markup” Mean?
Some publishing arrangements require authors to purchase their own books from the publisher at a marked-up price.
A book may cost only a few dollars to manufacture, but the author could be charged considerably more for each copy. The publisher then earns additional profit every time the author orders books.
This can become expensive very quickly.
Suppose a book costs $5 to print, but the author is charged $12 per copy before shipping. On an order of 100 books, that additional $7 per-book markup would cost the author another $700.
With REV 1211, there is no publisher markup added to that order. If the printer charges $5 per book, the author pays the printer’s cost of approximately $5 per book, plus shipping and applicable taxes or fees.
We believe authors should know where their money is going and should not have to pay an inflated price simply to obtain copies of their own work.
Why Author Copy Pricing Matters
The price of an author copy affects much more than the cost of placing books on a shelf.
It influences whether you can afford to:
Sell books profitably at events
Provide copies to churches and ministries
Offer bulk-order discounts
Supply books to local retailers
Include books in coaching or discipleship programs
Send review and promotional copies
Give books to people who need the message
Donate copies to churches, shelters, schools, prisons, or community organizations
Run book giveaways
Create bundles with courses, workbooks, or other resources
Reinvest revenue into advertising and ministry growth
A high author-copy price can quietly restrict every one of these opportunities.
If you pay $12 for a book and sell it for $16.99, there is very little left after event fees, payment processing, travel, taxes, or other expenses.
If the same book costs approximately $5 to print, you have far more flexibility. You can earn a healthier amount from direct sales, offer meaningful bulk discounts, reinvest in promotion, or give copies away without making the project financially unsustainable.
For Christian authors, that flexibility can directly affect the reach of the message.
Your Direct-Sale Margin Belongs to You
When you sell an author copy directly, there is no retailer taking a percentage of that transaction.
If your book retails for $16.99 and your author copy costs $5 to manufacture, your potential gross margin is approximately $11.99 before shipping, taxes, payment-processing fees, or other selling expenses.
REV 1211 does not take a percentage of that sale.
You purchased the copy at its print cost. You found the reader. You made the sale. The remaining revenue belongs to you.
This can be especially valuable for authors who:
Speak at churches or conferences
Lead workshops or retreats
Operate a ministry or nonprofit organization
Work as coaches, counsellors, or educators
Host podcasts or online communities
Sell books at vendor events
Maintain their own website or online store
Offer books as part of a larger program
Receive requests for church, school, or organizational bulk orders
A book can become part of a much larger ministry or business ecosystem. Affordable author copies help make that possible.
Why We Do Not Mark Up Author Copies
We believe the relationship between a publishing house and an author should be clear.
REV 1211 is compensated for the publishing services the author selects. Depending on the package, those services may include editing, formatting, cover design, theological review, Scripture review, publishing setup, market testing, promotional support, or other professional work.
Once those services have been paid for, we do not believe we need to add a hidden, ongoing profit centre to every copy the author orders.
That model can create a troubling dynamic. The author pays for publishing services and then continues paying the publisher an additional amount whenever they need inventory.
Our approach is different.
We want authors to be able to use their books freely, sustainably, and strategically after publication. Giving authors access to copies at print cost plus shipping supports that goal.
Why This Is Especially Important for Christian Authors
A Christian book is often more than a commercial product.
It may contain:
A testimony of what Jesus has done
Biblical teaching
A message of hope for people experiencing grief or trauma
Discipleship material
A resource for parents or children
Encouragement for marriages and families
A message for people struggling with addiction
Guidance for churches or small groups
A story intended to lead readers closer to God
If an author must pay an unnecessarily high price for every copy, fewer books may reach the people who need them.
Affordable author copies give Christian authors more freedom to make ministry-led decisions. You may choose to sell books at full retail price, provide a church with a bulk discount, donate copies, sponsor a giveaway, or place a book directly into someone’s hands.
Not every copy needs to produce the highest possible profit. However, you should have the ability to make that decision yourself.
A Simple Comparison
Consider a paperback with a retail price of $16.99 and an illustrative print cost of $5.
These numbers are examples, not guaranteed printing prices. The comparison shows how a per-copy publisher markup can affect an author over time.
In this example, the difference between paying $5 and $12 per copy is $700 on only 100 books. Over 500 books, the difference becomes $3,500.
That is money the author could otherwise use for advertising, events, ministry outreach, editing another book, or supporting their family.
Questions to Ask Any Christian Book Publisher
Before signing a publishing agreement, ask:
How much will I pay for author copies?
Will I pay the actual printer’s manufacturing cost?
Does the publisher add a markup to each copy?
Is the author-copy price written clearly in the agreement?
Can I see the print cost inside my publishing account?
Can I order copies directly, or must every order go through the publisher?
Are there minimum order quantities?
Can the publisher increase my author-copy price?
Can I sell author copies wherever I choose?
Does the publisher receive any portion of my direct sales?
Will I continue having access to affordable author copies if my relationship with the publisher ends?
Who controls the publishing account through which copies are ordered?
Do not look only at the initial publishing price.
A package that appears less expensive upfront may cost significantly more over time if the publisher marks up every copy, retains part of the royalties, or controls the account required to order books.
The long-term structure matters.
Print Cost Is Different From Retail Price
It is important to understand the difference between print cost and retail price.
The print cost is what the printing provider charges to manufacture one copy of the book.
The retail price is the amount a reader pays when purchasing the book through Amazon, another retailer, or directly from the author.
The difference between those two amounts is not automatically the author’s final profit when a retailer sells the book. Retailers, distributors, and printing providers may deduct manufacturing and selling fees before royalties are calculated.
Author copies work differently. The author purchases inventory at the manufacturing cost and then decides what to do with it. If the author sells those copies directly, the author controls the sale and keeps the resulting revenue after their own selling expenses.
Shipping Is Still a Real Cost
“No publisher markup” does not mean author copies are free or that shipping is included.
The printer will charge for manufacturing the books, and the order may also include:
Shipping
Applicable sales taxes
Import or customs charges where relevant
Expedited delivery fees if selected
Other charges imposed by the printing or delivery provider
Those amounts are outside REV 1211’s control and may vary by order size, destination, and delivery speed.
We want authors to understand this distinction clearly. Our promise is that REV 1211 does not add its own publisher profit margin to the cost of the books.
Bulk Orders Can Create More Opportunities
Ordering books at print cost can make bulk opportunities far more practical.
For example, a church may want 50 copies for a Bible study. A ministry may want 100 copies for an outreach event. A conference organizer may want books for attendee gift bags.
When your starting cost is low, you have more room to negotiate a price that works for both you and the organization.
You may decide to:
Sell the copies at full retail price
Provide a standard bulk discount
Offer copies near cost for a ministry you support
Sponsor part of an order
Donate the books entirely
Include the book with a speaking engagement or program
The decision remains yours because the publisher has not inflated your inventory cost.
A Publishing Decision Should Consider the Next 1,000 Copies
Many first-time authors focus entirely on what it costs to publish the book.
That number matters, but it is not the only number that matters.
Ask what happens after publication.
What will it cost to order 25 copies? What about 100, 500, or 1,000 copies over the life of the book?
A per-copy markup that seems small can eventually cost more than the original publishing package. This is why author-copy pricing should be considered before choosing a publisher, not after the book has already been released.
Your publishing agreement should support the long-term success of your book, not create an ongoing penalty when the book begins gaining momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions About Author Copies
What is an author copy?
An author copy is a copy of your published book ordered at the printer’s manufacturing cost rather than the book’s retail price. Shipping, taxes, and other printer-imposed fees may still apply.
Does REV 1211 make money when I order author copies?
REV 1211 does not add a publisher markup to the manufacturing cost of your author copies. You pay the applicable print cost, shipping, taxes, and any fees charged by the printing or delivery provider.
How much will my author copies cost?
The cost depends on your book’s format, page count, trim size, ink selection, paper, binding, printing provider, quantity, and destination. A colour hardcover will generally cost more to manufacture than a black-and-white paperback.
Can I sell my author copies?
Yes. Authors commonly sell their copies at events, through their websites, to churches and organizations, or directly to readers.
Does REV 1211 receive part of my direct book sales?
No. When you purchase author copies and sell them directly, REV 1211 does not take a portion of those sales.
Can I give my author copies away?
Yes. You can use them for review copies, ministry outreach, gifts, promotions, giveaways, or any other lawful purpose consistent with your publishing agreement.
Are shipping and taxes included in the print cost?
No. Print cost refers to the cost of manufacturing the book. Shipping, taxes, customs charges, or other provider fees may be added separately.
Why do some publishers charge more for author copies?
Publishing models vary. Some publishers add a per-copy markup as an ongoing source of revenue. Authors should ask for a clear explanation of author-copy pricing before signing an agreement.
The REV 1211 Advantage
At REV 1211 Publishing House, we believe Christian authors should be able to obtain copies of their own books without paying an additional publisher markup on every copy.
You have already invested in bringing your message to life. When you order books for a speaking event, ministry opportunity, bulk sale, or reader who needs encouragement, we do not believe your publisher should stand between you and that opportunity by unnecessarily increasing the cost.
Our commitment is simple:
Author copies are available at print cost plus shipping, with no publisher markup.
It is one more way we help Christian authors retain greater freedom, flexibility, and long-term control over the books God has entrusted to them.
Printing costs, shipping charges, taxes, and availability vary by book specifications, printing provider, quantity, and destination. Examples in this article are illustrative and do not represent guaranteed pricing.
