Lulu Publishing Services for Print on Demand and Global Distribution

Lulu is a print-on-demand and self-publishing platform that prints and ships books one at a time and can distribute them to online retailers. Our Lulu publishing services set up your account, prepare print-ready files, choose the right format and pricing and publish your book, with your rights and your account kept in your name.

Lulu is known for its range of formats, from standard paperbacks and hardcovers to spiral-bound and saddle-stitched books, and for letting authors sell through their own store link. This service is part of our book distribution services and fits books that need an unusual format or a second print channel.

What our Lulu publishing service includes

• Account and project setup. We guide you through opening a Lulu account and creating a project, with payment and tax details completed.
• Print-ready files. An interior PDF and cover file built to Lulu’s size, bleed and margin rules, with a cover wrap for the right spine width.
• Format advice. Help choosing between paperback, hardcover, coil, saddle stitch and other bindings that suit your book.
• Pricing and distribution. A price that covers print cost and leaves a royalty, with global distribution options checked.
• Proofing. A printed proof reviewed with you before the book goes on sale.

Who this service is for

• Authors who want a hardcover or a special binding for a workbook, journal or photo book
• Authors who want to order author copies at printing cost for events
• Authors who want a second print-on-demand channel beside KDP
• Authors who want to sell through a direct link or their own website

How this service works

1. Choose the format. We discuss your book and recommend the binding, trim size and paper.
2. Prepare the files. We build or check the interior and cover for Lulu’s requirements.
3. Order a proof. We review a printed proof for layout, colour and quality.
4. Publish and distribute. We set the price, choose distribution and publish the book.

What is Lulu and who is it for?

Lulu is a self-publishing platform that prints on demand, so there is no stock to buy. It suits authors who want control over the finished product, for example a workbook that needs a coil binding or a cookbook with colour pages. It also lets you order copies at printing cost for events and gifts. Many authors use it as a second print channel alongside KDP and IngramSpark.

What formats does Lulu offer?

Lulu offers a range of bindings, including paperback, hardcover, coil and saddle stitch, in a variety of sizes and paper types. Not every size or binding is available in every country, so we check the current options. The right choice depends on page count, content and use. A guided journal, for example, benefits from a lay-flat binding, while a novel is best as a standard paperback.

How does Lulu pricing and royalty work?

You set the list price, Lulu deducts the printing cost and any retailer share, and you receive the rest. Costs change with page count, size, paper and colour, and shipping is paid by the buyer. Colour interiors are much more expensive to print than black and white. We run the numbers on a few formats before you decide, so you do not discover a thin margin after you publish.

Can Lulu distribute my book to retailers?

Lulu offers distribution options that can place your print book with online retailers, and the details change over time. Distribution does not guarantee shelf space, because stores decide what to stock. If you also use IngramSpark or KDP, we check that you do not set up the same edition twice on conflicting terms. Our IngramSpark consultancy can plan wide print reach.

What should I check before I order a proof?

• Trim size and bleed match the Lulu template for your binding
• Images are high resolution and in the correct colour mode
• The spine and cover wrap match your final page count
• Fonts are embedded and the margins suit the binding
• The ISBN, barcode and copyright page are correct

How long does it take and what does it cost?

Most projects take one to three weeks from final files, depending on the format and the number of proof rounds. We do not publish a price list. Every project receives a free quote with a fixed price in writing before work starts. Lulu’s own printing costs are separate and are deducted from your royalty or paid when you order copies.

When is Lulu a better choice than KDP?

Lulu is often the better choice when your book needs something KDP does not offer, such as a coil binding, a saddle-stitched booklet or a particular hardcover size, or when you want to sell from your own website with orders printed and shipped by Lulu. KDP is usually simpler and cheaper for a standard paperback sold on Amazon. We compare the printing cost, the royalty and the reach of each platform for your book and tell you plainly when one is enough.

Related services

• Book distribution services
• IngramSpark consultancy
• Amazon paperback and hardcover publishing
• Book formatting and typesetting
• Book printing services