Need incentive to help you finish up your latest book?  How about if it’s on the house?

That’s right, between June 14 and July 31, 2011, Lulu is providing all authors with a free copy of any newly published book.  To get started, just visit lulu.com/publish.

Already published a book? Well, we’ve got you covered too.  Here are some ideas we’ve come up with for you to take advantage of this offer too.

• Create a hardcover version of your book – If you haven’t done so already, it’s never too late to turn your paperback book into a hardcover or vice-versa. The process is simple, and if we don’t already offer a hardcover size of your paperback, you can always reformat it for the new version.
• Make a special version of your book. For example, you could add photos or illustrations to the book that help highlight the chapters.  Or, you could take a note from author Cory Doctorow, who recently published his book With a Little Help with four different cover illustrations.
• Challenge yourself. Who says you can’t finish a whole new book by July 31st?  I don’t know about you, but I do my best work when it’s crunch time and a deadline is fast approaching. Your reward is a free copy of your brand new book. You can do it!
• Collaborate with a friend on a book. You can either write something new together or work on finishing up a book one of you has already started. Either way you get to create something together!

Just remember, this promotion is for newly published or newly formatted books and does not apply to book revisions.  Whatever you decide, we want to help. So get started!

Terms and Conditions:
Promotion runs from 6/14 – 7/31. Creators are eligible for a free proof copy of a newly published work at www.lulu.com up to a value of $25. Photo books, calendars, and eBooks are not eligible for this offer. Shipping is not included in the offer. Creator will receive a coupon code by email once the new work is published.

Quality – Give Them Something to Work With:

A quickly diminishing stereotype of self-published books is that they are of poor quality. Lulu works to erase all of the preconceptions about self-published titles and helps authors create quality products that can sit on a shelf next to any best-seller. As long as an author takes his or her time to create a professional book that is formatted and edited well, then there is no reason a Lulu book can’t make it into a library.

It is important to note that some libraries do prefer certain bindings and can be reluctant to stock others like comb bound and saddle stitched (stapled) books. If you’re thinking about pursuing library distribution, it might be a good idea to call ahead to see what their requirements for submittal are.

Donations – You Get What You Give:

Many authors starting out find themselves donating copies of their works to gain some initial traction. Libraries are typically not-for-profit organizations and many have to pay for the books they loan out. So when it comes to donations, libraries are no different than any organization, they like free stuff. Some libraries have a system in place for self-published donations and will provide you with information on how to donate copies of your work to a specific branch if you ask.

“I was able to get my book into [the library] by providing them with five copies” says L. Jones, a Lulu author. “In these tight budgetary times, they were happy to get it.”

Most libraries do reserve the right to do whatever they want to with your work however, such as selling copies at annual book fundraisers. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing though and a lot can depend on how your work fits in with the scope of the library’s collection.

Reviews – A Few Choice Words:

An acquisition librarian is a person that purchases books for one or many branches of an acquisition library. One of the best methods for getting an acquisition librarian’s attention is to get your work reviewed in one of the pre-publication review magazines like Library Journal, CHOICE, or Booklist.

If you can’t land a review, there are also programs that will send a flyer or pamphlet about your book to various libraries, reviewers, and schools for a fee.

Requests – Ask and You Shall Receive:

One way that a lot of libraries find out about content is good old fashioned word of mouth. It’s the basic rule of supply and demand. Many libraries actually take reader requests very seriously and will pick up a book if they receive enough legitimate requests.

Try getting friends and family members to stop by their local libraries and request your book. But just like any form of marketing, don’t inundate librarians with email spam or fake requests for your book. They can tell what a legitimate request is and you risk offending them if you waste their time. Local book clubs and book organizations can help request copies of your work also.

If you have any friends that are involved in academics at a local college or university, that can be a big bonus. Some libraries will take direct requests from academic staff and won’t even bother with reviews because they consider faculty members to be the experts in their fields and trust their judgement on whatever material they’re requesting.

Speaking Engagements – Help the Library Out:

One rule of marketing your book that I cannot stress enough is to build yourself up as a reputable source. It is only when people realize that you really know what you’re talking about that they’ll seek out your book to learn more. A great way to build a reputation is the become a part of the conversations going on about your given topic or genre.

What’s even better than being a part of the conversation is starting one of your own. Some libraries will let authors hold speaking engagements or at the very least rent out a room for a panel discussion. This places you and your book at the focal point of the conversation and brings in more potential readers for the library at the same time. The more willing you are to work with the library, the more they will want to help you and your work out.

Some authors believe that libraries won’t carry or even look at a self-published book. They absolutely will. But just like any distribution channel, agent, or business, you have to market yourself and your work in a professional manner. As long as you show a library you are willing to work with them and that you can provide a quality product that you truly think people would benefit from, they are likely to be receptive. Enthusiasm and professionalism can go a long way in sharing your remarkable works with the world – even if you’re sharing for free.

Both Lulu authors old and new can set discounts for their works.

When you log into Lulu and visit your “My Lulu” page, you’ll notice the new “discount” column in your projects list. It is important to note that any discounts you make will deduct from the list price of your works. And you cannot set a discount at a price lower than it costs to manufacture your book.

Already Published?

If you already have a book published in the Lulu Marketplace, the easiest way to set a discount is to click the discount sticker next to your book’s title in your project list. In the window that pops up, enter the discount percentage you’d like to set. In this window, you can see the price for your work, the percentage of savings you’re passing on to your readers and your total revenue after the discount.  You can remove your discount at any time.

Discounting a New Work or Revision:

If you’re publishing a new work to sell on the Lulu Marketplace, or creating a revision of an old one, you can change the discount pricing during the publishing process. You’ll find discount information on your book’s “price” after the “description” page if you’re discounting a print book and after the “DRM” page if you’re discounting an eBook. Just click the “set discount” button and use the discount manager pop-up window to set your discount savings.

If you decide at the last minute to set a discount before you publish, don’t worry. You can also edit your discount pricing on the “review” page for your book by clicking the “edit” button under the “Lulu Pricing and Creator Revenues” heading. This handy table will show you your book’s discounted price on the Lulu Marketplace compared with the list price elsewhere.

At Lulu, we’re all about helping authors reach more readers. And the new Lulu Discount Manager will help you drive more awareness to your works and stand out from the competition. The Discount Manager is great for seasonal sales or for book events like an upcoming release. It all goes back to Lulu’s goal to provide authors with complete control over their works and helping them sell more books. Happy discounting.

Every year hundreds of books are threatened with removal from schools and libraries across the country. Since 1990, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom has recorded more than 11,000 book challenges, including 460 in 2009.

Even though most of these challenges are made with the best of intentions (protecting people or children from difficult ideas), banning books prevents the freedom to choose and express opinions. Challenged books range from Mother Goose stories and the Harry Potter series to classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The ALA’s annual Banned Books Week is going on this Sept. 25 – Oct. 2. Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. Since its inception in 1982, Banned Books Week has served as a reminder that while not every book is intended for every reader, each of us has the right to decide for ourselves what to read, listen to or view.

So let’s get active!

• • Read a book on the list of banned and challenged classics
  • Check out the statistics of challenged books
  • Bannedbooksweek.org has a great map of challenges in the US
  • You can also visit your local library and find out if they are holding any special events or activities to raise awareness about banned and challenged books.

Lulu is a strong supporter of literacy, with projects like “Lulu For Literacy,” and we believe that everyone has the right to publish.  Last year, in support of Banned Books Week, Lulu published five books in the public domain with a special cover, which illustrates that the work was once banned.   Take a look at these great books today.

• • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  • Frankenstein
  • Black Beauty
  • The Call of the Wild

A few months back, we announced that we’d be offering FREE Shipping for the entire summer. You may be thinking, “that’s great and all, but my shelves are packed.” Well, if you’ve recently published with Lulu, now is the perfect time to tell your readers. Create a press release and let your fans know they can get your book this summer with FREE shipping. There’s no better time.

If you need help creating your own press release, we’ve got you covered.

Much like Bigfoot and Chupacabra, ISBNs and Distribution remain a mystery to many Lulu authors. While we can’t explain Chupacabra or Bigfoot, we can help you understand Distribution and ISBNs.

What is distribution?
Distribution is a service that gets your book out to the world. We make your book available through bibliographic databases, online marketplaces and distribution catalogs. Lulu currently offers 3 distribution options: extendedREACH, globalREACH, and marketREACH. I will explain each of those in a little bit.

What is an ISBN?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a controlled, 10- or 13-digit identification number that allows publishers, libraries, and book dealers to locate books. You may get a free ISBN from Lulu or you can bring an ISBN you own and assign it to your book.

In September 2009, Lulu separated distribution and ISBNs so authors could get distribution for ISBNs that they own and bring to Lulu. We offer distribution options for ISBN and non-ISBN titles. Each Lulu project may have one distribution option and/or ISBN. Once an ISBN or distribution option has been applied to a project, you cannot change it.

Our current distribution options:

extendedREACH – Free This distribution option can be applied to books with a free Lulu ISBN that are an eligible size. When your book is approved for extendedREACH distribution, it is submitted to bibliographic databases, Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

globalREACH – $75 This option can be applied to an eligible size book with an ISBN (bring your own or Lulu ISBN). When you approve your proof copy, your book is submitted to bibliographic databases, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and other online retailers. Your book will also be listed at Ingram Book Company. Most brick and mortar bookstores can order from this listing.

marketREACH (non-ISBN distribution) -$25  This option is for non-ISBN paperback books, paperback photo books, and calendars. Hardcover books, eBooks, CDs and DVDs are not eligible. Your project will be listed in Amazon’s Marketplace and eBay.com.

You can view the eligible sizes for extendedREACH and globalREACH here.
Read more about getting distribution for your book.

Our current ISBN options:

Lulu-owned ISBN: You can get an ISBN from Lulu FREE in the Lulu Publishing Wizard. You will need to purchase a Distribution package to have your ISBN submitted to Bowker’s Books in Print and Nielsen Book Data (ISBN agencies).

Bring-your-own ISBN: Assign an ISBN you already own to your book. The imprint (publisher name and information) attached to your ISBN will remain the same and Lulu.com will not be listed as the publisher. You must be the owner of the ISBN and cannot use this ISBN with any other distributor. You will need to purchase globalREACH for Lulu to distribute your book.

yourISBN: This is a service for Lulu to obtain an ISBN for you from the US ISBN agency using your registered details as a publisher.  You must be a resident of the U.S., Guam or Puerto Rico to order this service.  After you receive your ISBN, you may assign it to a project as a Bring-your-own ISBN. You will need to purchase globalREACH for Lulu to distribute your book.

A while back, I explained why previews and reviews are crucial to sales. Seeing as more and more people are publishing every day, I thought it would be helpful to share this post again. Please enjoy this post “From the Vault.”

I tend to come across a lot of material on the site because of my job. Sometimes, it’s because I’m looking for something to buy for content to highlight. Regardless of the reason, I am often surprised by how many books lack a preview. According to Chris Anderson, author of the “Long Tail,” on average, 500 copies of a book are sold per year. For a self-published author, selling 500 copies in a year is considered a huge success, but how do you get 500 people to buy your book when most of them haven’t ever heard of you? The simple answer is to let them read it.

If I have never heard of a writer before, three things help me decide to take a chance on a book. First, does the summary grab me? If a book has a good description and it sounds interesting, I will take a closer look at it. I can’t tell you how many books I come across with descriptions that don’t tell me enough about what the book is about. So, that’s step 1 – think about your description and try to tell people what your book (or CD or whatever) is about, why they should give it a shot. Show it to people you trust to give you constructive criticism and get their advice. Remember, if you don’t draw people in, they probably won’t take a chance on your book.

The second thing I look at is who is recommending the book to me. If I see an author I recognize (and like) telling me they like the book, then I am more likely to pick it up. Since self-published authors can’t always get someone well known in their genre of choice to recommend their book, it helps to have people who are willing to give thoughtful and honest reviews of your work regardless. If it looks like your mom is the only person who reviewed your book loved it, I’m probably not going to purchase a copy (unless your mother is Haven Kimmel or another woman whose writing I enjoy).

The final thing that will convince me to purchase a copy of a book I’ve never heard of before is being able to read the book, or at least part of it. I cannot stress how important this is. Barnes & Noble will let me sit in their cafe, read a book while drinking some Starbucks and never blink. They do this because they know that A) I will buy their overpriced snacks (and I will), and B) I am more likely to buy something if I can read some of it first. They also know I am unlikely to read an entire book in the store and then put it back on the shelf. So they let me sit down, get comfortable and read, hoping I will like the book and buy it. The same thing applies to selling books, CDs, and anything else online. People are unlikely to read an entire book online, and even if they do, if they like the book, they are probably willing to pay $15 to own a copy. On the other hand, if you don’t have a preview, no one knows how good your work is and they aren’t as likely to give it a try.

This is why I advocate offering a preview. You don’t have to put the whole book or album up for people to read/listen to, just put up what you are comfortable with, and help convince strangers and loved ones that they want to read and/or listen to the whole thing. I can’t guarantee that you’ll sell 500 copies, but you’re more likely to sell copies if you let people try it first.

You will be emailed with instructions on attending this free Lulu University webinar from lulu@amarketingexpert.com a few days prior to the webinar you’ve selected. Webinars are held at 7pm EST/4pm PST and require computer access. Following each class, all webinars will be available for viewing via the link mentioned below.

Be sure to sign up a few days before the event by clicking on the link provided for each webinar. See you in class!

March 8, 2010 – Red Hot Internet Publicity 2.0
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here.

If you think you have your Internet marketing covered with just a web site, you might be missing out on a bucket of Internet gold. This class is packed with information with everything from understanding social media to monetizing sites like Facebook, Squidoo, and Twitter. We’ll also talk about what you should never do on your web site and why a blog is a must-have part of any Internet campaign. We’ll also look at some of the hottest online trends too!

· The secret to getting thousands of hits on your web site and then converting them into sales!
· Top internet promotion techniques that won’t cost you a dime!
· The Virtual Author Tour™, how you can “tour” yourself on the net
· How to use site like Facebook and Squidoo to build your customer base
· What is Twitter? We’ll talk about Twitter and how to use it to drive more sales to your web site
· How to create a web site that sells your book
· Simple steps to blogging effectively!

BONUS: We’ll even include some time-saving hints to maximize your online efforts without spending HOURS online!

March 22, 2010 – Red Hot Internet Basics
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here.

If the idea of blogging, social networking, and Twittering has your head spinning, you’ll love this class! We’ll look at easy ways to start a blog or podcast and tricks for keeping them going. Did you know that most bloggers or podcasters only keep the momentum for a month? This class will show you simple things you can do so you never have to worry about running out of ideas or ways to market yourself!

All your Internet questions answered:
· What the heck is RSS and why you should use it
· Blog, blog, blog – the best and fastest way to get a blog
· What’s “social media”? Understanding what this, and how to navigate it
· What and how to use social bookmarking

Come with ALL of your Internet questions, this class will get them answered!

April 5, 2010 – Red Hot Internet Basics: Touring Yourself Online
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here.

If you’re ready to market your book online but don’t know where to start you’ll love this class. We’ll look at creating and launching your very own Virtual Author Tour. During this class we’ll look at:

· How to find sites to pitch yourself to
· How to set up a social networking page
· How to find bloggers and contact them
· Crafting your pitch
· Networking online, how to do it and why you *must* network with bloggers
· What is social book marketing and how to use it

Come with ALL of your Internet questions, this class will get them answered!

April 19, 2010 – Red Hot Web 2.0 Tricks to Sell More Books!
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here.

You’ve heard the term “Web 2.0” but can it really help you sell more books? You bet it can and this class will show you how. Packed with tons of information and super simple things anyone can to do get themselves into the Web 2.0 marketing world, you’ll walk away with fun ideas, simple tricks, and tons of helpful advice.

Here’s what we’ll cover:
· Creating “feeder” sites that feed traffic into your web site!
· Using book videos to sell more books
· Using Wikipedia to market yourself
· Why linking to other web sites is a bad idea
· How to get more web site traffic right away!
· Got blog? The one thing you should NEVER do with your blog!

May 3, 2010 – Build a Great Web Site!
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here.

So what’s the key to a great web site? This class will teach you simple tricks and effective strategies to help you understand what a terrific site needs to look like. We’ll teach you about keywords, and how to find the right ones for you. We’ll discuss site layout and the secrets to selling books on your site! We’ll also look at how some simple steps to creating a web site or hiring someone to do it for you!

May 5, 2010 – How to Crack the New York Times Bestseller List
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be found here.

Get the scoop on how to get your book bestseller ready and get noticed!

June 14, 2010 – Book Signing Gold!
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here.

Got a book signing coming up? Want to know how to strike book signing gold, drive crowds of people to your event, sell more books AND get invited back? Then this class is for you! We’ll teach you how to plan an exceptional book signing from start to finish!

July 12, 2010 – Think Outside the Bookstore Box
*This class has passed. A recording of this class, along with slides, can be accessed here

10 Super Savvy Ways to Promote Your Book without setting foot in a bookstore!

Bookstores got you down? Take heart! There are lots of things you can do to promote your book even if your book isn’t in the bookstores! This class will cover the top 10 super savvy ways you can promote yourself without setting foot in a bookstore. Did you know that only 35% of Americans get their books in bookstores? We’ll talk about all of the other places you can sell your book AND we’ll also look at creative ways to do non-bookstore signings and events! PLUS we’ll also discuss how to promote yourself by hosting your very own virtual tour!

Don’t miss this exciting class!

August 9, 2010 – Media Training Magic!

Are you ready for your close up? If you’re not sure then this class is for you. Before you spend valuable marketing dollars to get yourself on radio and TV, you’ll want to make sure you know what you’re doing when it comes to media exposure. This class will teach you what you need to know about media training. BONUS: We’ll also share with you the media mistakes you’ll NEVER want to make!

September 13, 2010 – Getting on Radio and TV Today!

Are you ready for the big time? Then this class is for you! During our session we’ll unveil the secrets of getting on radio and TV…today! We’ll teach you how to create a “book hook” how to position yourself onto an ongoing story and how you can get your pitch noticed for immediate results!

September 27, 2010 – Marketing Bonanza

Got a burning marketing question you want to get answered? Then this class is for you! We’ll address all of your marketing questions and help you solve your difficult marketing problems or, just make sense of what you’ve learned on previous marketing calls.

BONUS: ready to share your success stories? We’d love to hear about your successes and how you did it.

October 18, 2010 – The Building Blocks of Book Marketing!

When it comes to book marketing there’s a lot you can do but what’s really the most effective way to promote? The Building Blocks of Book Marketing will show you “can’t fail” strategies along with shortcuts and insider secrets to getting your book noticed! We’ll also look at the things you must do to market your book. BONUS: We’ll share tips to getting free publicity!

November 1 – Creating a Stunning Press Kit (so the media will notice you!)

If creating a press kit has baffled you then don’t miss this class! We’ll talk about everything from crafting the perfect press release, to creating your bio, questions and tip sheets. We’ll also talk about the things no good press kit should be without and what you should never include in a kit! If you’re struggled with your own kit or just aren’t sure what they should look like, then this class is for you!

Bonus: we’ll also learn about electronic press kits, online press rooms.

Our next class on May 3rd at 7PM EST, Build a Great Web Site, covers the key elements to creating a successful web site. This class will teach you simple tricks and effective strategies to help you understand how a terrific site needs to look. You’ll also learn about keywords and how to find the right ones for your needs. Site layout and the secrets to selling books on your site will also be covered as well as some simple steps to creating a web site or hiring someone to do it for you.

On May 5th at 7PM EST be sure to attend the very special Lulu U class, How to Crack the New York Times Bestseller List. Get the scoop on how to get your book bestseller ready and get noticed!

To take advantage of these FREE classes, be sure to sign up by adding the service to your cart. You will be emailed with instructions on attending this Lulu University webinar from lulu@amarketingexpert.com a few days prior. Webinars are held at 7pm EST and require computer and phone access. All webinars will be available online afterward for viewing.