Start a New Project
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Enter a title, author name and select your project's availability.
Click the 'Save & Continue' button.
Any of these options can be changed at anytime.
What do the choices mean?
Keep it accessible only to me: Only you are able to see this project and Lulu users will not be able to purchase or download.
Sell on Lulu.com: Lulu users will be able to search for, purchase, and download this project.
Sell on Lulu, the iBookstore, Barnes and Nobles, and more: Lulu will distribute your eBook to other eBook retailers usersas well as lising it on Lulu.
Get an ISBN
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Select if, and what kind of ISBN you want to add to your eBook
What do the choices mean?
Get a free ISBN from Lulu.com: This unique ISBN lists Lulu as the publisher letting Lulu act on your behalf. You still retain the rights to your work. Lulu will work with ebook retailers for them to sell your eBook.
Add an ISBN you already own: You can add an ISBN that you have previously purchased for this version of your eBook. You can not reuse an ISBN that is for another version of your book. You retain the rights to your work and You are listed as the publisher. You will need to fill out all the information you used when registering your ISBN. Lulu will work with ebook retailers for them to sell your eBook.
Do not add an ISBN to this book: No ISBN will be added to your book and your eBook will not be distributed to eBook retailers.
Your ISBN
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Your unique ISBN will be listed as well as a downloadable barcode image.
What do I do with the ISBN and Barcode?
Add the ISBN to your eBook on the page after the title page. If an ISBN is not present in the epub you upload, Lulu will add one for you.
Add Files
There are a couple different options available to you at this point. If you want to create an eBook that is going to go to retail channels, you will need an EPUB. The Lulu EPUB Converter can create one for you or you can upload your own. Find out how to create a file for the Lulu EPUB Converter here.
- Select 'Make an EPUB' or 'Make a PDF'.
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Click the 'browse' button, search your computer for the file you want to use and then click the 'Upload' button
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Click the 'Save & Contine' button to convert your file into an eBook.
Other uploading information
PDF - If you upload a DOC, DOCX, RTF, images, or multiple files, you will have to select a size for Lulu to convert your eBook into. Make sure to choose the size of the original files or your eBook will not look the way you intended.
EPUB - To create an EPUB, you will need to upload a DOC, DOCX, RTF, or ODT file. Only eBooks that are made with an ePub file will be sent to eBook retailers. If you are uploading an ePub file you can only upload one ePub file.
Converting to EPUB
When you upload your file in the eBook Wizard, the Lulu EPUB Converter will attempt to convert it into EPUB format. As part of the process, we automatically find and fix most of the common formatting mistakes. Sometimes, however, we find errors that require you to make changes and re-upload. The EPUB Converter will display a message detailing exactly what you need to do next. There are three (3) potential outcomes:
- Success, no issues found!
A publish-ready EPUB was created, no formatting issues were found. Download and review your EPUB to ensure you are happy with the result. Proceed to the next step in the eBook Wizard. - Success, but we fixed some issues for you.
We were able to create an EPUB, but you should download and review to ensure you are comfortable with the changes we had to make. Take note of the messages detailing what was fixed before navigating away from this screen. - Failure, we couldn’t convert your file.
We found some problems in your source file that we couldn’t automatically correct. Take note of the errors we found, fix them, and upload again. We also list any issues we automatically fixed for you so you can review these changes while reformatting. Compare the list against the possible error messages listed in this guide for further instructions.
If you get an error, take a deep breath, and then go see our Troubleshooting Guide for help. If you are successful, makesure to download your EPUB and look it over carefully. If you like what you see click the Savew & Continue button. If not, adjust your original document and re-upload.
Verifying Files(Uploaded EPUBs)
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Download and preview your file and then click the 'Save & Continue' button
Marketing Image
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Upload or Design your Marketing Image and click the 'Make Image' button. Then click the 'Save & Continue' button after the page reloads. Learn how to create a Marketing Image/cover here.
What is the eBook cover for?
The Product page that will display your eBook, needs a thumbnail image for your book. If you already have a print version of your book, you could use the same image you used to create it. Lulu will add the cover image to your EPUB at the end of the publishing process. If you would like to have a cover of sorts with your PDF ebook, just add it in as the first page of your file.
Describe Your Project
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Fill in the description fields and click the 'Save & Continue' button
Digital Rights Management
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Select your digital rights (DRM) option and click the 'Save & Continue' button.
What else should I know about DRM?
By choosing to apply DRM, your eBook cannot be offered for free.
If you elect to "Sell Everywhere," individual retail channels may ignore this setting, and add or substitute their own branded DRM or copy-protection solution, as dictated by their marketplace policies.
Set Your Project Price
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Set the price for your eBook and click the 'Review Project' button.
Your commission from retail sales is 80% after the retailer takes their share (30%). So, you get 80% of 70% of the Price of your book. The image above shows a breakdown of the price and who gets what.
Many retail channels have rules governing acceptable and maximum list prices (i.e., “price must end in .99,” “price cannot exceed X”). In this case, a particular channel may round your desired list price up or down to the nearest valid amount, which may affect the exact amount of the sale and therefore your revenue. Your price and revenue on Lulu will not change from the amounts specified here.
eBooks priced $0.99 or less will not receive creator revenue.
Review Your Project
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Review your project. Click the 'Change' button for any section that needs adjustment. If everything is to your liking click the 'Save & Finish' button.
Applying Digital Rights Management
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If you added DRM to your project it will be applied now. Once DRM is applied the congratulations page will appear and your eBook is published.
Your eBook is now available on Lulu and if you have selected "Sell Everywhere", it is in the queue to be reviewed for upload to retail distribution channels.
