Lulu introduced do-it-yourself, online publishing in 2002. Since then over one million authors have self-published their books using Lulu’s free tools to print and distribute their work around the world. That makes it sound easy, but when I think of do-it-yourself (or DIY), memories of weekend home improvement projects come to mind. In concept (and on YouTube) they all seemed like simple projects, easily completed in an afternoon.
But, after returning from the home improvement store, I would often discover I didn’t have the right tool. Or, even worse, well into the project I would find I didn’t have enough paint or lumber to finish the job. A few more trips to the store, a few more cuts and bruises and I began to wish I had left well enough alone – or hired a professional.
DIY Publishing is like plumbing…
Publishing a book can sometimes feel the same way, but if it’s your first time publishing with Lulu, there is no need to worry. All the resources you need to create, publish, and distribute your book are freely available in our knowledge base. Our community of self-published authors is always available in the Lulu forums to share their expertise. We also have a dedicated team of US-based support specialists who can guide you through any difficulties you experience while publishing, distributing, selling, and ordering books.
Author Support Resources:
- Lulu Resources Page: links to tutorials, partners, and user guides.
- Knowledge Base: searchable help articles and videos organized by action and product type.
- Lulu Support: choose the topic and email us. Our support team will investigate and respond with a solution.
- Order Support: having a problem placing an order? Give us a call, toll-free in the USA 1.844.212.0689.
- Bulk Orders: Need more than 100 books? Give us a call for custom discounts 1.919.447.3244.
When you’re ready to publish, all the tools and assistance you need for success are just a click or phone call away. At Lulu, we are here for you.
- Archived Author -
Writer extraordinaire and generally amazing guy, Glenn makes sure that every day is the best day ever.
Hello MaryEllen –
The templates and style guide can be downloaded from the book creation page. Choose the size book you will be creating, then click on the “Download Template” link. No account creation required. Here’s a link: http://www.lulu.com/create/books
I’m already getting regular e-mails from Lulu but every one of your site pages that I visit
requests that I sign up again in order to get the information I’m looking for.
Reading your current e-mail message, it mentions getting a template but I can’t find where to get it. I’m putting together a small genealogy that will only be of interest to one or 5 people at the most. I’m working on a bigger family history that part of that will be in. I plan to use Lulu for the big project so want to know how to set it up as I work. Thank you.
Perhaps, or maybe an agent, but the process of being interviewed (and even doing an interview) is something that I can understand in a more straightforward way. It involves a finite amount of time, though a good interviewer is going to want some extra (paid) time for preparation. A skilled interviewer seems to create structure.
Not saying that it’s an easy thing, but there are some books that consist primarily of interviews. Studs Terkel should leap to mind, though I just read a book of that type based on the 2011 tsunami in Japan.
I actually have interests in several books, though I doubt I could write most of them. The most straightforward is a kind of alternative economics, so I would prefer to work with an interviewer with relevant experience.
Hi Shannon,
I think a book coach may be what you really need. They have a lot of experience working with authors and have contacts across many fields of expertise.
Well, well, well… Let me describe the tool I’m looking for because it doesn’t seem to be here yet, though in many ways the website seems impressive.
I’d like to search a database of skilled interviewers to help me flesh out my ideas, possibly even into the form of a book. I’d search based on such factors as areas of expertise, track record in producing good books, location, and hourly rates. Then the website would help me schedule one or more interviews.
The recorded interviews would be converted to text and sent back to me as rough drafts for the next round of editorial work. At that point I might be interested in some of your other supporting services (notwithstanding my own background as a professional technical editor).
P.S. I would have used email to contact you with this querulous suggestion, but couldn’t find such an option within the blog. Returning to your main webpage, there was a “Contact Us”, but it led into a maze of twisty webforms, all different, and my interest got lost. (Why not a ‘celebrity email system’? Another potentially useful service, too, assuming any of the books are successful enough to generate any celebrity.)