Hi Riaz,
I seem to recall the CEO of Lulu once commenting (and I'm paraphrasing) that Lulu had the 'largest collection of terrible poetry in the world'
Sometimes people write because they have to say 'something', rather than because they have something to say. This will always be a reality of self publishing, whether it's on Lulu, or Kindle or any of the other self-publishing formats.
We do have to remember that poetry is a hugely subjective form of writing, and what is crap to one reader may be the most beautiful, insightful piece to another.
Keep checking out new authors on Lulu, one day you may find the gem that you're looking for.
Well of course Rizla is disillusioned when he says "If I can go on to Amazon and buy a 304 page book of the selected poems of Christina Roseetti for £3.69 *including* postage, then I am very unlikely to buy a 96 page book for £17 *plus* postage costs.".
Disillusioned with himself for trying to compare the cost of a book printed in very high volume with offset litho with one printed a single copy at a time on a POD machines
You just can't educate some folks!
Ken Anderson - The Lulu'ers Professor
To authors of poetry -
If I can go on to Amazon and buy a 304 page book of the selected poems of Christina Roseetti for £3.69 *including* postage, then I am very unlikely to buy a 96 page book for £17 *plus* postage costs.
Indeed, but why on earth should a book with just 96 pages, even via POD/BOD, be selling at £17? Unless it is full colour of course. But we can never compete with mass-printing, however, that does not apply to e-books.
This morning, I spent an hour browsing poetry books on Lulu. I had a bit of spare cash and was willing to take a gamble on something (paperback of course - I don't do ebooks).
Not e-books? Oh OK. I cannot disagree with you!
What a wasted hour. The books I randomly chose had poorly organised previews - some previews were blank pages follwed by the authors introduction, followed by the back page!
Ermm, well, yes we know. We do try advise the people who actually show us their wares in the forums, but not many actually bother to do that, and even if they do, 80% of them appear to get angry at the advice!
When I did reach a preview, more often than not the poetry inside was dire. I'm not looking for the next Carol Ann Duffy, W.B.Yeats, Roger McGough or Tennyson. I'm just looking for something readable - that I can connect to - that *moves* me in some way.
Ah, the beuty of self-publishing, and for free too!
Then, on those instances that I saw a glimmer of hope, the pricing put me off.
Some have no idea about pricing and to try to keep it low. It makes you wonder if they even buy books.
So then I switched to Amazon and bought myself the book I mentioned in my first paragraph.
Unfortunately, with the free Lulu ISBNs, you will find the same stuff on there too!
I guess I am getting disillusioned - the pros of Lulu to those with genuine talent are immense, but sifting through the heaps and heaps of abysmal, self-indulgent dross is wearying.
I never bother to look. People often wonder why their 'great works' are not taken up by 'real' publishers. Usually it's because they are not that great, but there is nothing between them and the outside world to look over their 'great works' when it's pushed through Lulu's system. Some just get on with it and publish here without being rejected a 100 times first, because what they have written is the "greatest thing since Dickens".
I wonder - to all the self-publishers out there - how much stuff have you actually *read* ??? I have always been a firm believer in that you do NOT have to go to creative writing classes to know how to write.
Having been to school helps. I am sure some never have.
All you need to do is READ. Read a wide variety of literature in all genres. Then, with patience, practice and perserverance, you will slowly find your own voice and be able to write engagingly and well.
I think most are influenced by the latest thing on TV and film. Remember when Twilight first came out? Lulu became knee-deep in Vampire stories. I assume they try to write because making a film is a tad dear. Perhaps they even hope it will be made in to a film.
Anyway, can't wait for my Christina Rosetti book to come through the post.
But it could have been one of *yours*.
How about this >> http://www.kevinlomas.net/Just-A-Couch---SF.html 
I myself try to use the cheapest size and format I think I can get away with, and that is Pocketbook. Then I add very little to the cost (you cannot get away from the cost), and often then even discount it on Lulu itself.
As an example I have just combined 2 of a series in to one 6x9 hardback (and paperbacked A5) just for any collectors, and with the discount is it on Lulu at £16.77 and Amazon at £23.96. I Perhaps make £1 from that and will have to sell a lot just to pay for Lulu's un-free ISBN!
Not every book created at Lulu has a high price either, and there's no way you can have looked at them all. I am not Marcel Proust or Alain De Botton, but have you bought my books yet Riz? :-) They can be found via my banner below.
