Kindle Direct Publishing vs Lulu for 2024 | Self Publishing Services

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Kindle Direct Publishing vs Lulu

Thursday, May 30th

2024 Self Publishing Service Reviews

Kindle Direct Publishing Review 3.5 Star Rating

Kindle Direct Publishing

3.5 Star Rating
  • FREE to self-publish eBooks and paperbacks
  • 30-70% charged on each sale
  • Sells strictly on Amazon
  • Options for unique genres of books like comics
  • "A-" rating from the BBB

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) has the advantage of being owned by Amazon, and offers you the ability to self-publish your book for free. You'll still pay royalties on any sales, and distribution here is much more limited than with other platforms. There are some benefits to using KDP, but we encourage you to look at rival options before committing to publishing your work with this service.

Lulu Review 2 Star Rating

Lulu

2 Star Rating
  • Starting at $5.03 for a single standard paperback
  • Full range of distribution options
  • "A+" rating and accreditation by the BBB
  • 10-20% charged on most sales, plus any applicable retailer fees/markups

Lulu is a self-publishing company that has been in the industry since 2002. While they offer services in six languages, it can be difficult to find pricing and the site has received some poor reviews regarding customer service. However, Lulu does take lower percentages than some competitors, and their distribution channels are competitive. It may be worth a look, but only after you've given a thorough look to Lulu's higher-ranked rivals in the self-publishing industry.

What's the Best Place to Self Publish?

Congratulations! You're an author, and now you want to share your writing genius with the world. But working with a traditional publisher can be hard. With the extra step of finding an agent and the back-and-forth with editors, there's a lot going on in the publishing industry just to get your book on the publisher's desk. Lucky for you, there's a host of self-publishing options out there to support brand-new and established authors.

Self-publishing has become an increasingly popular option for writers who want to get their work out into the world without the assistance of traditional publishing companies. One of the biggest advantages of self-publishing is the control it gives the author over their work. Instead of having to conform to the demands of a publisher, authors can use self-publishing to retain complete creative control over their work.

The Best Self Publishing Services Compare Self Publishing Services Compare Self Publishing Service Reviews What are the best Self Publishing Services Best Self Publishing Service Reviews

Self Publishing Service FAQ

Absolutely! There's no need to wait for an acceptance letter from a big publishing house to get your work out into the world.
You can do either one. There are lots of self-publishing services that can help you with the entire process, including illustrations, editing, and even marketing, regardless of whether you're trying to get your book printed or made available as an eBook.
You definitely can take the steps to get your book published without using a service, but you may waste a lot of time (and money!) making mistakes that could easily be avoided. Self-publishing services already know all of the ins and outs of the process and can help you focus just on what you need to accomplish your particular goals.
That depends. The more bells and whistles you want, the more you'll usually spend. There are platforms that let you print out a single standard paperback for under $2, and comprehensive service packages upwards of $15,000! There are also options that are free for the publishing side, but you'll pay a certain percentage of any royalties your book sales generate. That's a great choice if you've got a shoestring budget and just want to get started right away.
Most self-publishing in the print world is print-on-demand, so no! In other words, when someone orders your book, the publishing service you're using will print off a copy and send it directly to your customer.
The sky's the limit! Some popular add-ons include cover design, author ads on social media platforms, internal images and graphics, and online distribution.
Some self-publishing platforms offer more "hand-holding" than others. If you think you might want a provider that has more of a team feel, choose a service that offers email and phone support with a designated representative, so that you'll always be working with the same individual.
While it's true that there are fly-by-night, "Get Published Fast!" companies out there, it's easy to find services that have a long history of providing reputable service to aspiring and experienced authors alike. Be sure to see what other clients say about the service you're considering, before you make a commitment. You can also look up the company's listing with the Better Business Bureau for more reassurance that you've picked a good one.
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Continued from above...

There are several advantages to self-publishing a book. For example, an author can make decisions about everything from the book cover to the formatting of the text. This control can lead to a more authentic representation of the author's vision, which can be appealing to readers.

Another advantage of self-publishing is that it allows authors to reach a broader audience. Traditional publishers are often selective about the types of books they choose to publish, and many authors may struggle to find a publisher who is willing to take a chance on their work. Self-publishing, on the other hand, allows authors to bypass the traditional gatekeepers and get their work in front of readers who may be interested in their particular niche.

And the best part? Self-publishing can be more lucrative for authors than traditional publishing. Traditional publishing deals often involve the publisher taking a significant percentage of the book's profits, leaving the author with a smaller cut. With self-publishing, authors keep a larger share of their book's profits, which can add up over time. Additionally, self-publishing often allows authors to set their own prices, which can help them maximize their revenue.

Writing is a lot of work, but publishing doesn't have to be. To make sure you have the easiest path to getting your bestseller out to the public, we've researched the most popular self-publishing options so you don't have to.

If you're not sure where to start, here are several factors to keep in mind to find the best fit for you and your writing:

  • Cost. What is the cost to work with this publisher and how much will you make as the author? Costs include fees and royalties, so it's important to check both.
  • Specialty. Are you a poet or a playwright? Or maybe you prefer to write short stories or long sci-fi trilogies? You want to make sure the publisher you choose specializes in the kind of writing that's important to you. You want to be able to reach your ideal audience.
  • User-friendly tools. Are you looking for complete control over the final publication, or do you want a publisher that helps you along the way with technology tools?
  • Sales. Where does this self-publishing platform promote your work? Are sales integrated into the process or do you have to do all of the marketing yourself?

To help you make the jump from writer to published author smoother than ever, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked the best self-publishing companies out there today. We hope this information helps you get the book of your dreams in print and in the reader's hands ASAP!

Compare Self Publishing Services

Select any 2 Self Publishing Services to compare them head to head

best-self-publishing-services
  • Outskirts Press
  • Book Baby
  • Publish Drive
  • Barnes & Noble Press
  • Draft 2 Digital
  • Virtual Bookworm
  • Smashwords
  • Kindle Direct Publishing
  • IngramSpark
  • Lulu
  • Xlibris
  • iUniverse
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