DIY

When it comes to publishing, there are really only two things you should have to worry about not being able to do yourself - editing and cover art. Editing is the tough one, but I think even if you've gotten really good at revising your own work, it still helps to get an outside perspective. Ideally, you know of someone in your circle (friends, schoolmates, what have you) who can do a somewhat informed job. I haven't worked with any editing services, and I would be reluctant to plunk down the kind of money they want. The other option is to find someone to trade work with, either in real life or on a message board. But the bottom line is that you want to find someone knowledgeable and trustworthy.

The cover is a little easier. There are plenty of services available for reasonable prices, and this is the only thing for which I would consider spending any significant money. It's worth it for something eye-catching that really fits your book. If you do choose a service or someone who specializes in covers, you're going to get something that looks comparable to the current popular designs. Alternately, I would suggest searching for some artists whose work you like and contacting them to see if they will work with you and to get their rates. A lot of artists work on commissions and will be eager to try something they haven't done before.

Everything else, you can learn to do yourself. A website is probably the next most difficult thing that you should have. But you can build a simple author website through a service (I use Weebly) that costs less than $100 a year. That's not nothing, but it's worth it if you're taking writing seriously. I think it turned out pretty decent, especially compared to most author sites, and really all I had to work with was my book cover. Everything costs either time or money, but if you're determined, you can get things done well at a minimal cost while greatly improving your skills along the way.