Free download option while offering hard copy for sale?

[mhausam]

Hello,

I am wanting to make my book, which I have just finished putting on lulu as a hard copy, available both for free download or to purchase the hard copy, but I am not seeing how to do this.  Can it be done?  If so, how?  Thanks!!

[kevinlomas]

You also have to create it as a PDF ebook via the ebook Wizard.
Note that PDF ebooks here cannot have an ISBN.

[AdventureWriter]

You can make your hard copy available for [free] download via the eBook format. Simply follow the guidelines provided, specify 0.00 as your price, and your book will be made available on Lulu, the iBookstore, and the NOOK for free.

Update: if you simply copy the text from your hard copy into a Word Doc file, with proper headings and formatting, you will have better distribution coverage. Otherwise, if a PDF file is uploaded, it will only be distributed on Lulu.

[mhausam]

Thanks.  To clarify, since the book already has an ISBN, can I still publish it as an ebook, while keeping the hard copy option?  Can I merely leave the ISBN off the ebook edition, or do I need to delete the ISBN entirely?  Thank you!  You can probably tell I am entirely new to this process...

[AdventureWriter]

An ISBN is not required persay, however, without one you will be unable to distribute through the NOOK and iBookstore. Moreover, the eBook must be created as a seperate project from the hard copy, they cannot be "merged" into a single published entity, both digital and hard copy.

[mhausam]

And there are no copyright/distribution type issues with having the exact same book published as the two separate entities?

[kevinlomas · Accepted solution]

PDFs cannot have an ISBN, as I did say, but you can upload the PR PDF file created for your hardcopy in to the PDF section of the ebook Wizard. But remove the ISBN from the copyright page first (if you are able to edit PDFs that is, if not you can edit and use the file your used to create the PR PDF for the hardcopy).
Epubs will not get on to Apple or B&N without an ISBN, and the file needed to create one of those is very different from one for a hardcopy or PDF. The ISBN will also be different from your hardcopy one.
At one time when you created a hardcopy Project you also had the option to create a PDF at the same time that would appear on your Spotlight also, for some reason Lulu removed that option.

At Lulu you can create the same book in any form you wish, and any shape and size.

[mhausam]

Okay. Earlier I thought you meant that the ebook could not have an ISBN...now I see that you said a PDF could not have one. Thank you both very much, you have been extraordinarily helpful!