But don't blow all of your money on a cover, because then you won't have enough left to print the book at all. You may even have friends who game with you and are good artists. And those friends might be willing to contribute some art to your game for little or no money, both to help you out and to get some experience and some professional credits. DO NOT, however, let just anybody handle the editing or the layout. As with the artists and writers, you may find someone who has the skills and who likes gaming, and who is willing to work for little or nothing in return for credit.
Printing is also an area to be wary in.
Often you're better off with a printer that is known for reliability and for being reasonable and approachable, rather than being cheap. If you turn out to be wrong, or even if it takes a little time to get noticed, you'll find yourself in debt and out of business. Advertising is also an important aspect, of course. Asylum had no ads run, except for one in the GenCon booklet last year. We couldn't afford any others.