Introducing our partner, Wattpad

Read what you like. Share what you write.™

What is Wattpad?
Wattpad is the world’s largest eBook community, and a platform for remarkable writers, just like you, to connect with readers, collaborate with fellow authors, and expand your fan base.

How many authors & readers use Wattpad?
Over 10 million authors and readers visit Wattpad every month, including the active author message board as well as Facebook and Twitter (@wattpad) communities. Through these channels, your stories will be “liked” on Facebook, “tweeted” on Twitter, and voted for on Wattpad.com by the community, expanding your promotional reach.

How can sharing my work with Wattpad help me?

Research
Allowing your stories to be read for free on Wattpad will give you 24/7 access to your reader’s imagination. Your new fans will give you impressions, suggestions, comments and insights into which story lines are resonating, and which characters are most compelling. Trying out a new genre? Ask your new fans for feedback. Think of it as a marketing research focus group just for your project.

Network
Your newest fans will want to give back. They want to be a part of your life, just as your words have become a part of theirs. Authors on Wattpad have found artists to create original artwork for their books, editors offering complimentary services in appreciation for remarkable storytelling, and promoters willing to sing there praises, simply because they’ve become such big fans.

What are authors saying about Wattpad?
“I just wanted to say what a brilliant idea you had with Wattpad. I really love the site! It gives me immediate feedback and the encouragement needed to keep pushing through 100K+ words over long periods of time. I have never had a negative experience with any of the users, and there seems to be a level of respect established all around. It is wonderful!” – Jolyn Palliata, author of Impending Reprisals

How do I get started on Wattpad?

Registration
Signing up for Wattpad is free and takes just a few seconds. Start your Wattpad experience by clicking here.

Featured Story
Wattpad is also looking for new stories from Lulu authors to include in theFeatured Works section. To be considered, simply sign up for a Wattpad account and email contact@wattpad.com.

Marketing on Wattpad
Checkout this great link, dedicated to how best to optimize you Wattpad experience. From blogging to making connection, Wattpad’s got you covered.

Here at Lulu, our goal is to help you sell more books.  One of the ways we do this is by providing you with a variety of service options to help you out during the publishing process – from start to finish.

When you buy services from Lulu, you’ll be assigned a project coordinator who will help guide you along the way and answer any questions you may have about your service.

The following are some of what I believe are the best services for getting your book looking its best from the inside out.

Editorial Analysis

Your book is the product of your passion and creativity brought to life by many sleepless nights and empty coffee mugs. You’ve read and re-read it at least two thousand times and there’s no telling how many friends and family members you’ve passed it onto to proofread it too. Why not give someone else a chance to see your book?

Do you know when to use the “em” dash versus an “en” dash? No? Well, I don’t either, but our editors do. They can quote Chicago Manual of Style the way I quote my favorite movies. Our Editorial Analysis service lets one of our experienced editors review your manuscript for inconsistencies in plot and character development, common typos and readability.

The constructive criticism you receive from someone who has never met you is priceless.  You’ll receive a document outlining, in detail, any areas where your manuscript could use some improvements, a sample edit, and a quote for a full copy edit.

Though we always recommend you purchase a full edit, you have our promise that we will in no way pressure you to go forward with the full edit if you choose not to.

Premium Cover design

I’m going to let you in on a little Lulu Services secret.  We are in love with the Premium Cover design service. When we get your files back from our fantastic design team, we ooh and ahh and show each other how wonderful the covers that will soon be gracing your book are.  We each do this at least five times a day.

We see a lot of book covers, and we are still amazed. Imagine what your readers will think.

We love book covers because each and everyone is beautiful and unique.   A good design says you’ve also worked hard on the inside. It’s the entry point to your book, the thing that says “Come read me! I am amazing!”  It’s the exclamation point on a sentence with perfect grammar and the perfect pair of shoes for your favorite dress.

The service allows a high level of customization. Your project coordinator will work with the designers and you to get the best cover you can.  After working with your coordinator to determine your needs, you’ll get two initial designs and then two rounds of changes to your design.

The hardest part will be picking which design is your favorite.

globalReach Distribution

It finally happened. Your book is done. Now what?

It’s time to unleash your book upon the world with GlobalReach distribution. If you have an eligible size, an ISBN and your meets our mandatory distribution requirements, you’re just a few clicks from distribution.

We know you worked hard to get to this point, which is why we’ll distribute the book for you –  all over the world.

Though you earn more when your book is sold directly from Lulu, GlobalReach distribution will allow your book to appear on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and in the Ingram’s database.

Books that go through our distribution channels are able to reach thousands of people, and we do all the work for you.

Wapsi Square

By Paul Taylor

NERVOUS BREAKDOWNS: The Art of LeSean Thomas Vol.1

By LeSean Thomas

At one time or another we all have to learn to distance ourselves from our work. Here’s a little piece of knowledge that you probably already know but are afraid to mutter aloud: all creative folks will be criticized. Let’s face it, you’re going to get it whether you like it or not, so you might as well embrace it and use it to your advantage, right?

You should seek out somebody whose opinion you trust, like a fellow writer whose work you admire. Ask for specific details and take notes. The first draft is never the final draft – we all have to start somewhere. Be honest with yourself, and be humble. Even the best of the best get criticism. Heck, Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn books were even banned. The key is to make it constructive.

Of all the things I can tell you, the most important is to not take criticism personally. It is not you that is being picked apart and dissected (though it can sometimes feel that way). The worst thing you could do is to take criticism personally and miss the opportunity to improve your work. It is only when we accept that something isn’t perfect that we can move on and make it better. That is the goal.

Several books in the Lulu catalog chronicle Steinbrenner’s life and team. There’s Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball written by award-winning sportswriter Bill Madden. It “traces Steinbrenner from his early days in Cleveland and through his years as a shipping magnate, a Nixon fundraiser, and a champion horse breeder to the fateful moment when he bought the Yankees, even though his father disparaged Steinbrenner’s desire to own a professional sports team as a ‘hobby.’ ”

The Pride and the Pressure, by New York Post writer Michael Morrissey, goes behind the scenes of the 2006 season, which the Yankees began with baseball’s highest payroll and huge expectations. The book shows “what really goes on behind the hype, the media glare and the roar of fans,” starting at the top with Steinbrenner.

The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty: The Game, the Team, and the Cost of Greatness tracks the Yankees through six years around the turn of the millennium, when the club seemed an almost unstoppable force. But during that time “baseball Yankee-style was also an almost unbearable pressure cooker of anxiety, expectation and infighting” for the players and coaches.

Grasping the Ring: Nine Unique Winners in Life and Sports offers biographical sketches of leaders including Steinbrenner, media magnate Al Neuharth and politician Bob Dole. 101 Reasons to Love the Yankees explores the history of the franchise through photos, baseball cards, trivia, sports lore and memorabilia.

If you’re a Red Sox fan you probably can’t find one reason to love the Yankees, much less 101. So if you’re interested in other reads about baseball, check out our full collection of baseball books.

In a recent post, I wrote about how treating yourself as a business can positively impact the way you market your DIY book.  While changing your perspective, researching what works with other companies, and coming up with a plan that you can follow through with are all huge steps towards reaching more readers and selling more books – that’s only part of coming up with a successful marketing strategy.

By completing your book, you’ve done something remarkable.  You’ve put so much hard work and energy into, it can be difficult not to be emotionally attached to your work.  But the key now, is to take a step back and start setting realistic expectations to go along with each of above steps. Otherwise, you may become frustrated or disappointed if you don’t think your book is gaining a large enough readership as quickly as you’d like.

Build a Genre, Build a Brand

All successful writers had to start somewhere.  Authors like Stephen King and Dan Brown are continually at the top of The New York Times Bestseller list because after years of work, they have figured out the formula for attracting their readers.  Part of their formula is knowing what their genre is and sticking to it.  In that way, these authors have created a brand for themselves.  Everyone knows you read a Stephen King book if you want to be scared, you read Dan Brown if you want to figure out a mystery.  Obviously, some genres are going to sell better than others based on how reader-friendly they are.  It isn’t realistic to expect a niche-oriented book about nanotechnology to sell as much as a young adult title about sexy vampires, no matter how cutting edge and revolutionary it is.  You must determine what genre you’re trying to fit into and go after the readers that are interested in that genre.  Creating a solid personal brand will greatly help you gain momentum as you build your readership.

Find the Right Audience

Many of the books on Lulu are written with a very specific audience in mind.  And are great because they offer knowledge on topics that can’t be found anywhere else.  In fact, some of our bestsellers are books from these niche genres.  What makes these books bestsellers is that the authors took the time to zero-in on the right audience – the readers that their content matters to.  As much as you want your book to sell millions of copies, you must realize that you’re not writing for everyone – not yet at least.  At first, you’re writing for a very specific and small group of readers – maybe just family, friends, and colleagues. Building a loyal following is something that comes with a lot of time, patience, and research.  You must constantly be in the habit of self-promoting your work.  The good news is that with the internet, it is easier than ever to find your audience and promote your work. For example, if you write a book on photography, start spending time on all of the top photography blogs. Network and become a part of the conversations and prove to those communities that you are a reputable and reliable source of information, then begin to introduce you work.  Be sure to play by the rules too, no one likes a spammer that sends a link of their book out hundreds of time a day.

Publicize with Passion

If a bookstore sells a biology book that is a bestseller, but you have written a biology book that you want them to sell instead, even if you know its better, you’re going to find it pretty hard to convince them to stop selling that bestseller if you can’t stand by your product.  Who else understands the topic of your book better than you, the person that wrote it?  Even if you have an army of publicists, no one can represent and promote your content better than you can. When you’re starting out, your name and your book’s title should always be mentioned in the same sentence. You are the authority and you must show conviction in your work.  Do not expect to sell anything if you’re not willing to put in the effort, time, and energy required to convince readers that your book is the only one they need in their hands.  Your personality and passion play a large role in this, but you should always make sure to list your credentials, experience, or qualifications whenever you’re publicizing your work.  You must also be willing to attend book fairs, trade shows, signings, lectures, and publicity events.  Once you have determined how much time and money you are willing to invest the publicity of your book, you can begin to set realistic expectations for how successful your book will be.  The most important part however, is to always give it your best.

Born on the Fourth of July

By Ron Kovic

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This classic, New York Times Bestseller details the author’s life story (portrayed by Tom Cruise in the Oliver Stone film of the same name) from a patriotic soldier in Vietnam, to his severe battlefield injury, to his role as the country’s most outspoken anti-Vietnam War advocate, spreading his message from his wheelchair. Ron Kovic served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. He was paralyzed from his chest down in combat in 1968 and has been in a wheelchair ever since. Kovic’s powerful and moving new introduction sets this classic antiwar story in a contemporary context.

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100 American Flags

By Kit Hinrichs

This vibrant collection of 100 Stars and Stripes artifacts ranges from Civil War-era banners and Native American braided moccasins to an early 20th-century “friendship” kimono and original flag art by several of the world’s leading designers. Destined to captivate folk-art aficionados, history buffs, and collectors, this book provides a stunning visual history of America’s most treasured symbol. A timely, patriotic full-color book presenting 100 American flag artifacts from one of the world’s most eminent collectors, designer Kit Hinrichs.

Here at Lulu, our goal is to get our authors’ works in front of as many readers as possible. And it sure is nice to have partners helping us out with that goal.

In case you haven’t heard, Apple has expanded the availability of its iBookstore. This is the bookstore application it released in April along with the iPad tablet, which the company has sold 3 million of in the past 80 days. The iBookstore is now available on newer iPhones — the 3G, 3GS, 4 — and the iPod touch with the release of the new ios 4 operating system that runs the devices.

What does this mean for you, the Lulu author?

You can reach more buyers.

Lulu is one of a handful of aggregators selected by Apple to get books directly into the iBookstore. In recent posts, we’ve shown you how to get your Lulu published eBook into the iBookstore and onto the iPad. Now that the iBookstore is available on other Apple devices, you have the potential to reach millions of additional readers. For free. We don’t charge anything to submit properly formatted files to Apple for inclusion in the iBookstore.

Keep in mind, too, that the iBookstore is just one channel that we can help you reach. We offer distribution to our own, expanded marketplace, to Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com and other retailers as well.

What does this mean for you, the Lulu reader?

You have more ways to read books from Lulu authors.

Lulu adds to the iBookstore catalog every day — new titles just waiting for you to digitally crack open on whichever “idevice” you prefer.  What’s more, you can now share your iBooks between devices.  If you bookmark a page or save a passage on your iPad, for instance, you can pick up right where you left off on your iPhone. That could come in handy this summer when you’re in the middle of a great beach read.

Through Tiger’s Eyes

Written by Judy Kamilhor with Illustrations by Edward B. Snyder

Available in both hardcover and paperback, this  is hands down one of the most beautifully crafted I have ever come across on Lulu.

What does Tiger see as he walks through the forest? In this delightful blend of dazzling color and gentle poetry, children learn how to observe the world around them. Artist Edward B. Snyder and poet Judy Kamilhor have created a captivating book filled with color, personality, and love.

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Zombies Hate Stuff

By Greg Stones

I keep a copy of this book on my coffee table because it is funny, cute, original, and illustrated very well.

The product description for this book says it all:  “An illustrated list of things that zombies hate.”  Artist Greg Stones takes us on a page by page guide through all the things zombies apparently don’t care for.  Each page is accompanied by a humorous illustration that  will surprise and delight you as you think to yourself:  “yeah, I could see why they’d hate that.”  And just for the record, my favorite is “balloons.

Peter & Company

By Jon Ponikvar

A collection of strips and pages from the online comic strip by Jon Ponikvar. The book includes 75 strips in their original grayscale tones, 25 comic pages in full color, and a book-exclusive color comic detailing the events leading up to the online comic.

This collection is very well put together and is available in hardback, paperback, or as a download.  The illustrations are clean and sharp, and I particularly enjoy the illustrated introduction of the characters.  The strips follow the misadventures of Peter, a 12-year-old boy that faces daily issues, we can all relate to.

Many authors came with a sample of their book or had a handout with a little blurb and a photo of themselves. It was interesting to see how different each author’s photo was and how much some stood out in my mind – even after talking with so many people. I realized that many people new to the writing profession might not know how important a good photo of themselves is or how much it can help further their career.

An author should have a good photo on hand because it makes you look more professional. The people at BEA with great photos seemed better composed and more prepared. I understand that many authors have spent so much time working on their book and making it pristine, that when they’re done, the photo can be an after thought. You want to be measured by your skill of the written word and not what you look like. But think about the last time you went to the bookstore. Can you recall picking up a title with a blurry, washed-out photo of the author on the back cover or inside flap? Do you think you’d be as likely to spend your hard-earned cash on a book that had a photo like that on it? In the same way a bad cover can make you second guess the quality of a book, a bad photo can make you rethink the reliability of the author. It helps to think of your book as a business card, and a bad photo is like handing someone a card written in crayon.

A good author photo really helps with marketability. Almost always, when the media wants to highlight an author in a piece, they will ask for a hi-resolution image of the author and book cover. I have heard of instances where some reporters found a book that is perfect for a piece, but have to go with someone else because the photo they receive from the author is not very good and they can’t use it. It pays to have a quality headshot or even just a clear, straight-on picture of yourself in front of a nice background. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it just shouldn’t be a picture from a bachelor party of the author hanging out on the couch.

For many readers, your photo is their first impression of you and it needs to be a good, memorable one. Your readers are investing time and money into your work and a great photo will give them a glimpse of who you are. Props can tell them a little bit about yourself – I remember reading a Stephen King book when I was 13 that had a picture of him and his dog on it. That was over a decade ago and it still stands out in my mind and gives King an aspect I could relate to. As an author, you are putting yourself and your work out there. Don’t be afraid to let people know who you are. You’ve done the hard part and have your thoughts on the page. Now all you have to do is smile and say “cheese.”