Curious about Lulu's children's book quality? Watch my unboxing video here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/qaCBj7x-f7Cfns4.html

I prefer the thicker paper that Lulu uses. To me it signifies better quality. The thicker paper has more longevity (shelf life/permanence) and doesn't yellow at the edges like so many of the commercial/traditional printing companies these days.

I print without a barcode for my sample books. And when I am ready to sell I add my barcode. Their printing is amazing!!

After years of promising myself that I would publish something I wrote, I'm finally getting to a point where I'm ready to take that plunge. I'm leaning towards KDP, but I have been briefly considering Lulu. I actually like the concept of thicker paper, though the pricing is a little intimidating for me. Then again, writing is mostly a hobby for me, and I'm not sure how "famous" I really want to be (sometimes fame can be a curse as much as a blessing . . . I had an uncle in the country music business, and he attested to that). Not sure if you'll see this comment, but your videos have been a wealth of information for me. Thank you for your efforts.

I think is a cool option if you want to make a book for a personal project that you dont want to publish!

This is a great alternative for graduate students who need to turn in a book of their work to a university. I only needed one and other alternatives where way to expensive. Lulu's options put my book (200+ pgs., it's an architecture thesis so most of the pages are drafts and drawings, and renders) at around $50-60. Other alternatives put my book around $100-150.

Thank you so much for doing this video. I'm learning about self publishing novels and have heard Lulu, but never that it's so expensive to print! I'm looking forward to watching your other video with all the comparisons side by side. Cost is such a huge factor. Thank you for doing this video.

The quality of the spiral bound books from lulu is not very good. I ordered one for a planner once, and never again. Lol. Thanks for this awesome Lulu overview and novel printing review!

I prefer the feel of Lulu paperbacks for sure. My KDP paperbacks feel warped and cheap. Glad to see I’m not alone in thinking this! Think for my next book I’m going to try them for both the paperback and hardcover editions.

Really appreciate how objective and detailed you were with this. You did such a great job Mandi. Thank you!

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Good review. I just got my first copy from Lulu for my first book "Queens Of Real Estate Chicago". I actually love the quality of the full color images. I took stills from my Red Dragon 6k camera and I used the normal cropped headers, seeing this video I'm glad I thought better than to trust a any printer with my edges

I love Lulu! I use them mainly to print books that I write. I just like writing for fun and just put them on bookstore for my friends to purchase.

I also published my first book through Lulu and I am quite perplexed with their pricing if you choose the global distribution option

Thank you for this concise review. I like KDP I just wanted a spiral journal

This is SO helpful, thank you so much!

From the video the quality looks great. I would have no problems with a thicker page. Its a matter of preference.

Good video, subbed. I've been considering Lulu as they are the only POD that does coated paper. My first proof copy for a non-fiction (120pgs, std color, coated, paperback) was excellent and print cost is

This was helpful. Thanks, Mandi Lynn.

I published with Lulu a year ago and am very happy with how my book turned out. The print quality was great, though the bar code they supplied did not come out as crisply printed but as a later-generation image (fuzzy). My only real issue with them, which is probably typical of ALL such publishers, is the lethargy of communicating with them. Their slow turn around for communications, measured in days not hours, was unacceptable in my opinion. Should I publish again I'm likely to go with another source.

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

Good to know about their customer service! Thanks for sharing :)

@writersblockink8288

Жыл бұрын

Does it cost money to register?

I published an autobiography via Lulu in 2009, and found the whole process difficult. In all fairness, that may have just been my inexperience, as it was my first time using a POD service. You do not have to have a barcode if you're not using their distribution system. My book does not have an ISBN or a barcode. Thanks for the price comparison info. I'm planning on switching to KDP for both a revised edition and for future books.

Thankyou for an honest review. I am wanting to publish coloring books with spiral binding and perforated pages. I thought Lulu looked good for that as regards quality.

Thanks for making this informative video!

Thank u. I now know that I really don't want to use lulu💯🤦🏽‍♂️ great vid👌🏼😊

Very informative video, Mandi. Thank you for your time and effort in sharing this. I am still considering the option of using Lulu to print my first novella. So far I have come across mixed reviews for Lulu. Their web site seems good and informative.

The book looks so crisp! The price is so high!!!! Is there an option on print on demand companies to choose the weight of the paper? Do you know where Lulu does the printing? US, China, etc.? Great info!

You're young so you may not know but traditional publishers have gone "cheap" just like everyone else. So the book pages you think feel normal based on the fact that it's what traditional publishers are using is well... a silly way to view that (I'm a traditional publisher btw). Books used to be printed on heavy quality paper which is why you still have books around that are 100+ years old. It's only recently (since like the 90s) that traditional printers are really wanting to use cheap paper in books. The heavier paper is superior.

Thanks for sharing! Do you perhaps know if they removed the option of choosing a release date? And the option for pre-orders? I am waiting for the proof copy and I can't see this option anywhere.

Those extra costs for global distribution are from the outside distributors (Amazon, Barnes and Noble). If they seem too high, it's because those outside distributors are greedy.

The biggest thing I was getting out of Lulu was global reach- getting books into all kinds of online stores (Amazon, Ebay, B&N) but the last time I tried five of my books were immediately rejected. It's their policy for you to first buy and review your book. I was cheating for so long, approving them for global reach an hour after I bought them. I guess you can't do that anymore?

Lulu is fairly good for just printing… I need to build my own website

I have used lulu to just print one book for myself, and it doesn't come with the kdp banner "not for sale" before publishing it. It's decent but they don't understand your "mate" order.

like yr down to earth style 😅

I've never heard of them. I don't think Id use them to publish my book, but I may use them for their other services as that sounds cool. Would you be covering Creatspace in your beginners guide videos?

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

Createspace no longer exists. It had been bought out/replaced by Kindle Direct Publishing. I have a KDP video here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/kY5ot6Weks-ooMo.html

Hi Mandi, I'm thinking of publishing an Art Instructional Book through Lulu. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do? It has a lot of photos and I'm thinking of self publishing a hard cover with full color pages. Also, would creating an e-book be significantly cheaper? Also, would I own the rights to an ebook? Lot's of questions as a first time publisher.

I looking to print a family genealogy history book to distribute to family members (about 25 copies), not for resale. To me, LuLu's price per book is very reasonable. Are there any hidden costs if you don't plan to do marketing through them?

I have a question, if a page image or words run into the margins on Lulu then with that page be cut off at the margin when printed? I'm finalizing a children's workbook and 6 out of the 105 pages barely cross into the margins. Do I take the time to adjust the 6 pages to fit in the margins or will it still print the full page?

Hello! I am wanting to add full colored illustrations(not like the ones you'd see throughout the book) in the very front and back of my book, is lulu or any on demand publishing companies good for this or should I just go with an actual publishing company as the on demand publishing companies don't have options for this? thank you

I have a notebook that is just an extra for one of my book series, that I have through Lulu. It’s spiral bound and only available through my website, or in person at events. Every time I order, the color (and sometimes the matte feel) on the cover is different than the last. I added a generic barcode that I generated for free online to the back, but it is only for me to scan during checkout, or when entering inventory. My price for each notebook is $5.00 and I am able to sell them for $8.00 to my customers. I think Lulu is good for small add on items, but I wouldn’t use them for my books.

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing about the notebooks! I was defiantly wondering how the pricing was for the other items they offer, but I think you're right about Lulu being good for add on items.

@Dode108

Жыл бұрын

Good lord .... verbal diarrhea....I mean this is time wasting to the max ... With whining nasal problems

Ordered 2 small books (40 odd pages), it’s been about a week, not sure if it’s been shipped or they’re still printing it, first time printing the book and I’m located in Europe. I believe they have printers in UK France and Poland though so it shouldn’t take long to receive, UK and France are very close to me.

@nika8620

Жыл бұрын

They take a while. About 3 weeks

@SevenTailedWolf72

2 ай бұрын

Takes about 15 days.

Thank u so much for the detailed info. I was thinking of publishing with lulu after printing thru kdp. But now i won't have second thoughts on this bcoz i find it just a waste of money!

The book looks absolutely flawless and I totally love the cover image, however, I was wondering which size you chose for the book, searched up on Amazon and it says the book is 5.5 x 8.5 which on Lulu these dimensions are the size of Digest. But I wanted to confirm the size with you before jumping into conclusions !! :D

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

I don't actually use LuLu to distribute my book. I was just testing it out. My book is distributed through Kindle Direct Publishing and the size is 5.5 x 8.5

please. how to setup my payees as a not us resident publisher

Please I just created my Lulu account but I don't know how to add my bank account details to receive payment, I need your help please, I don't know if you can make a video of it

Can we have a tutorial on how you published it from a google docs PDF...? Ive been trying to but something isn't lining up.

@MandiLynnWrites

Жыл бұрын

I format my books manually using Adobe InDesign. I have a course where I teach you how to do it here: bit.ly/formattingcourse

Can I publish on lulu from Nigeria 🇳🇬

I'm curious to know what software you use to format your manuscript before uploading to Lulu.

@MandiLynnWrites

Жыл бұрын

Adobe InDesign, which I use to format books for all platforms. You can learn more about it here: bit.ly/formattingcourse

Don't do Magazines through Lulu if you can avoid it. The quality is less than stellar. I publish a quarterly magazine called The Cloven Hoof, and I've had so much bad quality control from Lulu that it is ridiculous. I've also been publishing through them for years and am now planning to go to a new set of publishing platforms to lower the outrageous costs of my books. Honestly I wish I had found your channel before I ever began using Lulu 10 years ago. Now because I'm trying to get off the platform I have to republish everything from scratch to make it all affordable because I used the lulu ISBN, and not ones I bought myself. Lesson learned. My advice with Lulu is use the platform with extreme caution and care, or you could find yourself in a bit of a pickle.

I am fairly happy with lulu so far. Also, Amazon KDP refused to publish my book whereas lulu had no issues.

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

Why did KDP refuse the publish the book?

@0-by-1_Publishing_LLC

2 жыл бұрын

@@MandiLynnWrites Because the author's name is "1" (the number 1). In their emails they stated, "The author's name (1) might be too confusing to their customers." ... Automated bots are stifling our creativity!

@kasiakuzma430

Жыл бұрын

Amazon KDP is crazy

@0-by-1_Publishing_LLC

Жыл бұрын

@@kasiakuzma430 *"Amazon KDP is crazy"* ... The automation is the problem. You can't have an automated "bot" deciding what types of creativity is best suited for humanity.

@guillaumericher2830

Ай бұрын

​@@0-by-1_Publishing_LLCidk if you solved it it's been a year but i've heard that writing "please have a human read this" in emails makes the bot redirect to employees

T y 👍

Wow lulu gets expensive!

@MandiLynnWrites

2 жыл бұрын

yeah 😅

Amazon is a strategic partner of the WEF...

Options ?? Limitless?? Limitless costs. Limitless marginal return

you made breathtaking ! talk you later!buddy-👏

Nooooooioooooooooooooo🤐

I am the author of dozens of English test books. I do not recommend publishing with lulu. It would be wise to be away from this company.

@Dobetter.blessed

Жыл бұрын

So what do you recommend

@fevzikarsili7713

Жыл бұрын

@@Dobetter.blessed Other publishers.

@Dobetter.blessed

Жыл бұрын

@@fevzikarsili7713 can you give names ???

@fevzikarsili7713

Жыл бұрын

@@Dobetter.blessed yes sure. Amazon is a highly respected company and is respectful to publishers

I took.pisn lessobs from one digitagw as a xhild up.until A college freshnan ,and taught piano for 10 years. I m still learning.

I used Lulu back in 2014 to publish a hardcover book of a novella I wrote. They continued to sell the book after I pulled it from the site.

@autumnhomer9786

Жыл бұрын

🎀Did you still get paid even after they sold it?🎀