Lulu Book Publishing Review

What is Lulu?

Lulu is a self-publishing platform that enables authors to publish and sell their books in print or digital format. Lulu provides authors with tools and resources to format, print, and distribute their books through online retail channels like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Lulu online store. The platform offers a wide range of formats for books including hardcover, paperback, and e-books, and allows authors to set their own prices for their books. Additionally, Lulu provides authors with a range of marketing and promotional tools, as well as access to a global network of booksellers and readers. Overall, Lulu is a popular choice for authors who want to take control of the publishing process and bring their work to a wider audience.

In this Lulu Book Publishing Post we will provide our honest review of this ebook writing software. 

Who Invented Lulu?

Lulu.com was founded by Bob Young and Mark Diekhans in 2002. Young is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in the technology industry for many years, while Diekhans is a software developer who has worked on various projects related to publishing and printing. Together, they created Lulu as a platform to empower authors and make it easier for them to publish and distribute their work. Since its founding, Lulu has grown into one of the largest self-publishing platforms in the world, serving hundreds of thousands of authors and reaching millions of readers.

What Are The Key Features of Lulu?

Lulu provides authors with tools and resources to publish and distribute their books in print or digital format. The Lulu platform offers a range of features and functions to help authors create and publish their books. Overall the key features of Lulu include:

1. Book creation tools: Lulu provides authors with an easy-to-use interface for formatting and designing their books, including templates for book covers, page layouts, and text formatting.
2. Print-on-demand: Lulu offers print-on-demand services, which allow authors to have their books printed as they are ordered, rather than having to order a large quantity of books upfront.
3. Distribution: Lulu makes it easy for authors to distribute their books through a variety of channels, including the Lulu online store, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers.
4. Marketing and promotion: Lulu provides authors with a range of marketing and promotional tools, including the ability to create book trailers, advertise on social media, and access to a network of booksellers and readers.
5. Royalties: Lulu pays authors royalties for each book sold, and provides payment processing for transactions through the Lulu store and other online retailers.
6. Formatting and design: Lulu provides authors with a range of formatting and design options for their books, including hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats.
7. Analytics and reporting: Lulu provides authors with access to analytics and reporting tools, which allow them to track sales and monitor the performance of their books.

In summary, the key features of Lulu are designed to make the self-publishing process as simple and straightforward as possible, and to provide authors with the tools and resources they need to reach a wider audience and succeed as a self-published author.

How to use Lulu to Publish Books?

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use Lulu to publish a book:

• Create an account: First, you'll need to create a free Lulu account by visiting their website and following the registration process.
• Prepare your book: Before uploading your book to Lulu, make sure it's in the correct format and meets their content guidelines. Lulu supports a variety of file formats, including Microsoft Word, PDF, and HTML.
• Choose a publishing package: Lulu offers several publishing packages that vary in terms of features and cost. Select the package that best suits your needs and budget.
• Upload your book: Once you've chosen your publishing package, you can upload your book to Lulu's platform. This is where you'll enter information about your book, including the title, author name, description, and ISBN (if desired).
• Design your book cover: Lulu provides several templates and tools for designing your book cover. You can also hire a professional designer or upload your own cover design.
• Preview and publish: After uploading your book and cover, preview it to make sure everything looks the way you want. Once you're satisfied, you can publish your book and make it available for purchase on Lulu and other retail websites.
• Promote your book: Finally, it's important to promote your book and reach your target audience. Lulu offers several marketing tools and services, such as book trailers, social media promotion, and author pages, to help you reach a wider audience.

Note: Keep in mind that Lulu Book Publishing takes a percentage of the sale price for each book sold on their platform, so be sure to factor that into your publishing budget.

Is Lulu Legit?

Yes, Lulu is a legitimate self-publishing platform. Lulu has been in business since 2002 and has helped thousands of authors publish and distribute their books. The company provides a range of publishing services, including book design, distribution, and marketing, and has a reputation for providing a user-friendly platform and accessible pricing.

That being said, as with any self-publishing platform, there can be potential drawbacks, such as lower royalties, limited control over pricing, and a lack of editorial support. It's important to research and compare self-publishing options before making a decision, and to be aware of the potential limitations and risks involved.

However, Lulu has a strong track record of helping authors self-publish their books, and many authors have had positive experiences using the platform. If you're considering self-publishing, Lulu is definitely worth considering as an option.

Lulu Alternatives?

If you're looking for alternatives to Lulu, there are several other self-publishing platforms to consider, including:

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): This platform allows authors to publish and distribute their books in digital format on Amazon.com and other Kindle-enabled devices. KDP offers a range of tools and resources for authors, and authors can set their own prices and earn up to 70% royalty on each sale.
• Draft2Digital: This platform offers a streamlined process for publishing and distributing eBooks, with distribution to multiple retailers, including Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and more. Draft2Digital also offers a variety of formatting and conversion tools, as well as book marketing services.
• IngramSpark: This platform provides a wide range of self-publishing services, including print-on-demand, eBook conversion, and global distribution. IngramSpark works with a number of retail and library distributors, making it possible for authors to reach a wide audience. Read more about IngramSpark here
• Blurb: This platform specializes in photo book publishing, but also offers tools and resources for authors to publish and sell their own books in print and digital formats. Blurb offers a variety of design templates and customization options, and authors can set their own prices and earn up to 80% royalty on each sale. Read more about Blurb here
• Sqribble: Sqribble is an Ebook Writing software that allows users to create eBooks in a fast and easy way. It has advanced automated features such as pre-designed templates, automatic content generation, and drag-and-drop editing that is user-friendly and saves time compared to traditional eBook creation methods.  Read more about Sqribble here
• Reedsy: Reedsy is a self-publishing platform that connects authors with professionals such as editors, designers, and marketers to help them create and publish their books.
• BookBaby: BookBaby is a self-publishing platform that offers a range of book production and distribution services, including print and e-book formats. It provides design tools, templates, and marketing resources to help users create and publish their books.

Lulu Price?

Lulu offers several publishing packages at different price points to meet the needs of authors with different budgets. Here's an overview of Lulu's pricing options:

• Standard Publishing: This is Lulu's free option, which allows you to publish and distribute your book in both print and digital formats. You'll earn 85% of the list price for each book sold, minus printing and shipping costs.
• Pro Publishing: This option costs $9.99 per year and includes a range of additional benefits, such as a higher royalty rate of 90% on each book sold, access to premium design templates, and more.
• Premier Publishing: This option costs $349 and includes all of the benefits of Pro Publishing, as well as more advanced marketing and promotional tools, such as custom book trailers and enhanced author pages.

Lulu also offers a range of additional services, such as book editing and design, which can add to the cost of publishing your book. However, authors have the option to purchase these services à la carte, or to work with an outside editor and designer, in order to keep costs low.

It's important to note that Lulu sets the price for books sold on their platform, and authors cannot control the final price. However, authors can set a minimum price for their books, which will be used as the starting point for determining the final price.

Overall, Lulu offers a range of affordable publishing options for authors, with the free Standard Publishing option being a good choice for those on a tight budget. However, authors who want access to additional marketing and promotional tools may want to consider the Pro or Premier Publishing options.