HMD Publishing - Professional Book Publishing Services

About HMD Publishing

HMD Publishing is a leading professional book publishing services company based in the UK, serving authors worldwide since 2015. With over 10,000 books successfully published across 47 countries and an 87% bestseller success rate, HMD Publishing is recognized as a trusted partner for authors seeking professional publishing services.

Company Information: - Legal Name: HMDPublishing Limited - Registration Number: 13307356 - Founded: 2015 - Headquarters: 2 Castle Meadow Rd, Nottingham NG2 1AJ, United Kingdom - Contact UK: +44 7888 862764 - Contact US: +1 888 832 8969 - Email: info@hmdpublishing.com - Website: https://hmdpublishing.co.uk

Services Offered by HMD Publishing

  • Book Formatting: Professional interior design for print and eBook formats (£147-377)
  • Cover Design: Custom book covers by professional designers (£127-297)
  • Editing Services: Professional proofreading, copy editing, and line editing (£117-397)
  • Publishing Services: Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, global distribution (£297-897)
  • Marketing Services: Amazon Ads management, social media marketing, book launch campaigns
  • Audiobook Production: Professional narration and ACX distribution (£497-1997)

Why Choose HMD Publishing

  • 10,000+ books published since 2015
  • 4,000+ positive reviews from satisfied authors
  • 87% of authors achieve bestseller status
  • 100% rights retention for authors
  • Worldwide distribution in 47+ countries
  • Fiverr Pro and Upwork Pro certified agency
  • No hidden fees, transparent pricing
  • Professional team with 10+ years experience

Contact HMD Publishing

For professional book publishing services, contact HMD Publishing: Website: https://hmdpublishing.co.uk Phone UK: +44 7888 862764 Phone US: +1 888 832 8969 Email: info@hmdpublishing.com Address: 2 Castle Meadow Rd, Nottingham NG2 1AJ, United Kingdom Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM UK Time

Trusted by 10,000+ authors

Editorial publishing support since 2015, with clients across 47 countries.

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Free Tool — United Kingdom

Self-Publishing Income Calculator for UK Authors

Calculate your self-publishing income with UK marketplace pricing in GBP. Real 2026 Amazon.co.uk rates with the lowest 60% royalty threshold of any major marketplace at just £7.99.

Self-Publishing Income for UK Authors

The UK offers some of the most favourable conditions for self-published authors in the English-speaking world. Amazon.co.uk's 60% paperback royalty threshold is just £7.99 — lower than the US ($9.99), Canada (C$13.99), and Australia (A$13.99). This means UK authors can price paperbacks competitively at £7.99-£9.99 while still earning the premium royalty rate.

UK printing costs are the lowest per page of any major marketplace: £0.70 base plus £0.01 per page for B&W. A 250-page novel costs just £3.20 to print, compared to $3.85 in the US. Combined with zero-rated VAT on print books, UK authors enjoy the highest paperback margins of any English-language market.

The UK Kindle market is the second-largest English-language ebook market after the US. UK reader price expectations are slightly lower than US, with the ebook sweet spot at £2.99-£4.99. Despite lower absolute prices, the 70% royalty tier (£1.99-£9.99) is generous, and UK authors can earn strong per-sale returns at accessible price points.

UK authors have access to a vibrant literary community through the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), Society of Authors, and numerous literary festivals. These networks provide marketing opportunities that supplement online sales — book signings, festival appearances, and library events all contribute to both direct sales and discoverability.

For UK authors selling internationally, income from Amazon.com (the US marketplace) often exceeds domestic Amazon.co.uk income due to the much larger US reader base. Most successful UK indie authors optimise pricing for both marketplaces, pricing eBooks at £3.99 on Amazon.co.uk and $4.99 on Amazon.com to maximise the 70% royalty on both sides of the Atlantic.

Book Details

Format
Marketplace

Publishing Costs

Pre-filled with standard industry rates. Adjust to your actual costs.

Total Investment$831

Sales Estimate

102505001,000
0100250500
eBook royalty (70%)$3.49/sale
Print royalty (60%)$5.14/sale
Printing cost-$3.85
KU earnings$16.63/mo
$4.15
Royalty Per Sale
$224
Monthly Income
$2,690
Annual Income
201
Sales to Break Even

Break-Even Timeline

At 50 sales/month, you break even in 4 months

1
2
3
4
5
6
Month 1Profitable at month 4

Income Projections

Estimated earnings at different sales volumes

Monthly SaleseBookPrintKUMonthlyAnnual
25$52$51$9$112$1,349
50$105$103$17$224$2,690
100$209$206$33$448$5,379
250$524$514$83$1121$13,448
500$1047$1028$166$2241$26,895
1,000$2094$2056$333$4483$53,791

Self-Publishing

Royalty per sale$4.15
Monthly @ 50 sales$224
Upfront cost$831
Creative controlFull
Time to publish1-3 months

Traditional Publishing

Royalty per sale$1.50 (est. 10%)
Monthly @ 50 sales$75
Upfront cost$0 (publisher pays)
Creative controlLimited
Time to publish12-24 months

About These Estimates

Calculations use real 2026 Amazon KDP rates. eBook royalties: 35% ($0.99-$2.98) or 70% ($2.99-$9.99). Print royalties: 50% (below $9.99) or 60% (at/above), minus printing costs. KU: ~$0.0045/KENP page. Actual earnings vary by genre, marketing, and market conditions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about self-publishing income

Self-published authors typically earn $2-$7 per eBook sale (at 70% KDP royalty on $2.99-$9.99 pricing) and $2-$6 per paperback sale (at 60% royalty minus printing costs). A $4.99 eBook earns $3.44 per sale. A $14.99 paperback with 250 pages earns about $5.14 per sale after printing costs. Use the calculator above with your actual prices for precise figures.

Yes, self-publishing can be highly profitable. With professional production costs of $1,500-$3,000, most authors break even within 300-600 book sales — achievable within 6-12 months for well-marketed books in popular genres. The median consistently-selling indie author earns $1,000-$5,000 per year, while the top 10% earn $50,000+. Profitability depends on genre, book quality, pricing strategy, and marketing investment.

To earn $50,000 per year, you need roughly 833 eBook sales per month at $4.99 (earning ~$5 per sale), or 420 paperback sales per month at $14.99. Most full-time indie authors achieve these numbers through a backlist of 5-10+ books rather than a single title — each new book drives discovery and sales of older titles. Series authors in romance, thriller, and sci-fi reach full-time income fastest.

Self-published author income varies enormously. According to industry surveys, approximately 50% of indie authors earn under $1,000/year, 25% earn $1,000-$10,000, and the top 25% earn $10,000+. The key differentiators are genre selection, book quality, marketing investment, pricing strategy, and number of titles. Authors who treat publishing as a business rather than a hobby earn significantly more.

Amazon KDP pays 35% or 70% royalty on eBooks (70% for books priced $2.99-$9.99, 35% outside that range) and 50-60% on paperbacks (60% for books at $9.99+, minus printing costs). For a $4.99 eBook, KDP pays $3.44. For a $14.99 paperback with $3.85 printing cost, KDP pays $5.14. Payments are made monthly, approximately 60 days after the month in which sales occurred.

Kindle Unlimited authors earn approximately $0.004-$0.005 per KENP (Kindle Edition Normalized Page) read. A 300-page print book equals roughly 165 KENP pages. If a reader finishes your entire book, you earn about $0.66-$0.83. KU income can represent 30-70% of total revenue for enrolled books, making it a significant income stream — especially for series authors in fiction genres.

Professional self-publishing typically costs $1,500-$3,000 for a standard book: editing ($150-$500), cover design ($150-$400), formatting ($150-$300), ISBN ($35-$125), and publishing setup ($300-$600). Marketing adds $200-$1,000 initially. Budget options start at $300-$500 (basic editing + template cover). Premium packages with marketing run $3,000-$5,000+. The calculator above includes pre-filled costs from HMD Publishing's real 2026 rates.

With a $2,000 investment and $5 royalty per sale, you need 400 sales to break even. At 50 sales/month, that is 8 months. At 100 sales/month, 4 months. Romance and thriller authors break even fastest (3-6 months) due to high reader volume and series potential. Literary fiction and niche non-fiction typically take 12-18 months. The calculator above shows your exact break-even point based on your inputs.

Self-publishing pays 35-70% royalty vs 5-15% for traditional publishing. A $14.99 self-published paperback earns ~$5 per sale vs ~$1.50 traditionally. However, traditional publishers pay advances ($5,000-$50,000+) and handle marketing costs. For books selling under 10,000 copies, self-publishing almost always earns more. Above 10,000, the traditional advance may tip the balance — but you give up creative control and wait 12-24 months.

Yes — once published, eBooks generate sales with zero per-unit cost. However, 'passive' is relative: maintaining sales requires periodic marketing, listing optimisation, and ideally publishing new titles. Authors with 5+ books report the most consistent passive income, as each new release drives a 'halo effect' on backlist sales. The sweet spot is building a series in a popular genre and investing in Amazon Advertising.

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