Help

Overview

Things you'll need to make your book:

You'll need your manuscript for the inside of your book (we recommend a PDF or Word document), and images or a PDF for the cover.

Steps you'll go through:

1. Give your project a working title and tell us whether it's public or private
2. Choose the "look" of your book
3. Upload your manuscript for the inside of your book
4. Lulu converts your manuscript into the interior pages of your book
5. Make your cover in our cover-creator or upload the one-piece cover you've made yourself
6. Add a description, license, copyright, language, etc. to inform customers about your book
7. Review what you have put together
8. If you don't have a Lulu.com account, you'll have to create one to finish publishing your book

How to learn more or get help:

You can get more help on most steps of the wizard by clicking the "Get more information about this step" link above the blue box or by clicking the "Help" button. Most steps will have step-by-step instructions and some have other information.

Start a New Project

What you are doing in this step:

In this step you'll give your project a working title and decide whether it's just for you or if you want to sell it to the world. All of these options can be changed at any time.

What do the choices mean?

• Keep it private and accessible only to me
  You can change this later if you decide to sell
• Make it public to sell in the Lulu Marketplace
• Make it public and assign an ISBN to your title to sell your book in online bookstores like Amazon as well as the Lulu Marketplace.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:49:33 | Back to top

Hardcovers are available in 6 x 9" and 8.25 x 10.75" (8.5 x 11") sizes. To get started making a hardcover book Go to our Publishing Portal and click the "Start Publishing" button and then choose hardcover.

If you have a 6 x 9" or 8.5 x 11" book, our publishing wizard will ask you if you want to convert that book into a hardcover. If you choose to convert one of these existing paperbacks into a hardcover you will need to make sure you don't change the size in the publishing wizard. If you do, the wizard will convert the file you uploaded and ruin the formatting you did on your manuscript.

If you have a paperback book that is not one of those two sizes you will need to reformat your manuscript to 6 x 9" or 8.25 x 10.75". If you do not resize your manuscript, our publishing wizard will resize and ruin all your hard work. Learn more about formatting your manuscript here.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:46:52 | Back to top

In order to use a pen name, stage name, pseudonym, alias, etc., enter it into the Author fields when you create the project. You can also revise the project after you publish your work and change the author name. See How to revise a published book? for more information.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:48:36 | Back to top

What you are doing in this step:

Tell us what you want your book to look like. The Paper, Size, Binding, and Color options you selected for your book will be highlighted in yellow. Some options will not be available due to selections made during this and previous steps.

1. Choose your paper by clicking on the paper type you want to use.
   
2. Browse sizes by switching between the "Popular", "Tall", "Square", and "All" tabs. Choose your size by clicking on the size you want to use.
   
3. Choose your binding by clicking on the binding you want to use.
   
4. Choose Black & White or Color printing by clicking on the color you want to use.
   

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:47:43 | Back to top

What you are doing in this step:

In this step you'll be adding the file(s) that make up the inside of your book to your project. Don't forget Lulu Services are only a click away if you feel you need help with formatting)! If you are planning on purchasing a Distribution Service check the Mandatory Requirements for Distribution. If you are just looking around to learn more about the Lulu Publishing Wizard, download (right click and save) our test PDF and upload it to proceed to the next step.

How to add files from your computer:

1. Locate the file(s) on your computer by clicking the 'Browse' button.
   
2. Select a file and the file name will appear in the box.
   
3. Click the 'Upload' button. A progress bar will display how much of the file has uploaded. The progress bar will disappear and the file will appear in the list under 'My Project Files'.
   
4. Repeat steps 1-3 to upload multiple files for your book. See the 'Multiple Files' section below for a warning on using multiple files.
   
5. Files in the 'My Project Files' list can be rearranged by clicking the up and down arrows and dragging to the order you want them to be in.
   
6. Click the 'Make Print-Ready File' button.
   

How to add files from 'My Lulu Files':

1. If you used FTP to get your file onto Lulu or uploaded your interior file to 'My Files', click the 'Choose From My Lulu Files' tab.
   
2. Your files will appear below the tab. Select the file(s) you want to add by clicking the box to the left of the file name you want to use.
   
3. Click the 'Add Files To Project' button. The page will reload and the files you selected will appear in your 'My Project Files' list.
   
4. Files in the 'My Project Files' list can be rearranged by clicking the up and down arrows and dragging to the order you want them to be in.
   
5. Click the 'Make Print-Ready File' button.
   

Common problems (and solutions)

• Multiple files - When we get multiple files for the interior pages of a book, our software opens them up and converts them into a single document (without bleed) of the size you chose in the previous step. This process sometimes causes issues with fonts. If creating a book with a bunch of photos, you might prefer to use our Photo Book Studio; it provides better support when using multiple images in your book.
• Files don't match your trim size - It is very important that you format your manuscript file(s) to be the same size as the book you are creating before you upload your file to Lulu. If you are creating a 6 x 9" book on Lulu and upload a file sized to 8.5 x 11", we will resize your file, the resizing will do horrible things to your files and your book will look terrible. Read the formatting tips for more information on how to properly format your file.
• Uploading non-interior files - Any file you upload here will be put inside your book. You'll upload any files for your cover later.
• Files are too big - The upload step only allows files up to 300 megabytes. If you need to upload a file larger than that, or want to upload outside of the Publishing Wizard, you can use FTP to get your file onto Lulu and them add it to your project via 'My Lulu Files'. Learn more about FTP on Lulu.
• Files without embedded fonts - For Lulu to print the book as you designed it you need to give us the fonts you want us to use. You can do that by embedding fonts in your document. Learn more about embedding fonts.
• Password protected files - Lulu can't get into password-protected files. Make sure all of the files you upload are not password.
• Invalid file types - Make sure to upload the correct file for your project. What types of files can I upload?
• Incorrect fonts in Word Documents - Lulu will substitute the font you used in your Word Document if it is not one of these.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:49:10 | Back to top

What's going on in this step?

We're turning your file(s) into a print-ready file (PDF) that will be used to print your book. We'll only make changes if the size of the file you uploaded is different than the book size you chose on the options page.

How long will it take?

It usually takes a few minutes, but may take longer. Click the 'Email Me' button and you can go off to other parts of Lulu while you wait.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:47:59 | Back to top

What are you doing in this step?

On this step you describe your book so that readers can find and buy it.

Instructions

1. Select the category your book falls in or pick the best match.
   
2. Enter all of the keywords that describe your book. These keywords will make it easier for customers to find your book. Use terms that are distinct and specific to your book and avoid general keywords that could describe any book.
   
3. Write a description of your book. This description will appear on the item page for your book and customers will use it to decide if they're interested in your book.
   
4. Tell us what language your book is written in.
   
5. Set your copyright.
   
6. Select the type of license you'd like to use.
   
7. Tell us which edition of the book this is.
   
8. Enter the name of the publisher of the book. This could be your name or your imprint.
   
9. If you have an ISBN already, enter it into the ISBN field.
   
10. Click the 'Save & Continue' button to finish and go to the next step.
    

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:49:35 | Back to top

The information contained in this FAQ has been moved to "How to create a book cover using the "old" Lulu Cover Wizard" or 'How to create a book cover using the "new" Lulu Cover Wizard".

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:47:22 | Back to top

What you are doing in this step:

In this step you'll create your book cover. If you feel more comfortable with the old cover creator click the 'use the old cover designer' link at the top of the page. If you want some help with your cover check out the Lulu services! Click here if you need help with our "old" Lulu Cover Designer.

Changing Background Color

1. Click the 'Background' tab, coloring options will appear.
   
2. To the left of the color boxes are thumbnails of the front, spine, and back cover. Click the thumbnail for the cover part you wish to edit.
   
3. Change the background by clicking a color box, using the color eyedropper to pull a color from an image or choose from the color themes.
   

Choosing a Theme

1. Click the 'Themes' tab, available themes will be displayed.
   
2. Choose a theme by clicking on its thumbnail. Your cover will automatically update and the thumbnail will be highlighted in orange.
   

Choosing a Layout

1. Click the 'Layouts' Tab, available themes will be displayed.
   
2. Click the front or back cover and layouts for that cover part will display.
   
3. Click the layout thumbnail you want to use and your cover will update.
   

Adding Pictures to your Project Images

1. Click the 'Add Images' button, options for adding images will appear.
   
2. Upload images from your computer by clicking the 'Upload' button. A window will appear to select images from your computer.
   
3. Choose the image you would like to use and click 'Select', image(s) will appear in the project images box.
   
4. Upload images from one of the available photo sites by clicking on the logo for that site.
   
5. Click the 'Authorize' button on the popup and sign into your account for that site.
   
6. Allow Lulu access to your images and close that window.
   
7. Click the finish button, available images will be displayed in sets/albums.
   
8. A set can be added by drag and dropping the set thumbnail into the 'Project Images' box.
   
9. Click on a set's thumbnail to view all the images in that set.
   
10. To view an image click on the thumbnail for that image.
    
11. Click the 'Add to Project Images' button to add an image.
    
12. Click 'Back to Images' to return to the other images.
    
13. Click the 'Close Image Browser' button to return to your cover.
    

Adding Pictures to Your Cover

1. An image can be added to any part of the cover with a gray camera.
   
2. An image can also be added to the background by dragging and dropping it onto the background.
   
3. Clicking on an image will allow you to rotate, mirror, zoom, or reposition the image.
   
4. Remove an image fromyour cover by draggin and dropping it off of the cover.
   

Adding and Editing Text

1. Editable text areas highlight when you move your cursor over them.
   
2. Click in the highlighted area and the cover creator will zoom in on the text and a toolbar will appear.
   
3. Select the text you want to edit and change the font, font size, font color, bold, italics, underline and whether it is centered, right, or left justified.
   

Other Tools and Options

1. Save your progress at any time by clicking the 'Save' button.
   
2. Undo and redo actions by clicking the 'Undo' and 'Redo' buttons.
   
3. Zoom in or out, by clicking the zoom button and clicking the plus or minus magnifying glass. Fit the cover back to the original size by clicking fit.
   
4. The part of the cover that will be trimmed in the printing process has a transparent white layer over it. To remove this click the 'Hide Crop' button.
   
5. Click the 'Preview' button to view your cover before making a print-ready file.
   
6. When you are happy with the way your cover looks and are ready to move on to other steps in the publishing process click the 'Make Print-Ready Cover' button.
   
7. Lulu will make your print-ready file. You can navigate away from this page at any time and the cover will continue to convert.
   
8. Download your cover to review it by clicking the page with the green arrow on it.
   
9. Click 'Save & Continue' to move on to the next step.
   

Upload Your One-Piece Cover

1. Click the 'One-piece cover (advanced)' button.
   
2. Create your cover to the specifications listed above the upload form.
   
3. Select your file from your computer or select a file from 'My Lulu Files'.
   
4. When the file has been added to your project, an image of your cover will appear above the file specifications.
   
5. Click the 'Save & Continue' button to finish and go to the next step.
   

Advice

We've found that the more customized a cover is the better the book sells. We recommend customizing your cover in a way that reflects your book and distinguishes it from other books.

Barcodes

Lulu adds barcodes to some covers. Click here for more info.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:50:38 | Back to top

What are you doing in this step?

In this step you'll set up the cover of your book. This step is broken into three tabs, Themes, Backgrounds & Pictures, and Text. For full control of your cover click the 'One-Piece Cover (advanced)' button to create and upload a PDF to the specifications found on that page. If you want some help your cover check out the Lulu services! Click here if you need help with our "new" Lulu Cover Wizard.

Selecting a Theme

1. Click the 'Themes' tab, available themes will be displayed.
   
2. Choose a theme by clicking on its thumbnail. A pop-up will appear confirming that you want to apply the theme. Click 'Accept' to apply the theme to your cover.
   

Changing your background color

1. In the 'Backgrounds & Pictures' tab click on the square next to 'Color:' at the top of the tab. A color picker will pop up.
   
2. Choose a color by selecting a hue (color) from the ring and a brightness from the square. Then click 'Accept'.
   
3. To independently change the color of the front, back, and spine of your cover, uncheck 'Use a Single Color' on the left side of the color box.
   
4. The box will then split into individual color boxes for the front, back and spine of your cover. Coil and saddle books do not have spines.
   

Changing your background pictures

Background images will cover up background color.

Upload an image

1. Click the 'Edit Picture' icon corresponding to the part of the cover you want to change.
   
2. Add an image from your computer by clicking the 'Upload A File' button.
   
3. Click 'Browse' to select a file from your computer, then click 'Upload'.
   
4. To use the image click 'Accept.
   
5. To upload a different image click the 'Use A Different File' button.
   

Use a stock image

1. Click 'Browse the Lulu Gallery' and the Lulu Image Gallery will appear. (By default you see covers that are an appropriate size and shape (tall, square, or wide) for your project.)
   
2. Choose an image by clicking on the thumbnail. A larger thumbnail and details about the image will replace the gallery.
   
3. To use the image click 'Accept.
   
4. To select a different image click the 'Use A Different File' button.
   

Changing Text

1. Click the 'text' tab to edit how the Title, Author name, and Description appear on the cover.
   
2. Click the tab for the part of the cover (Front Cover, Back Cover and Spine (if Perfect Bound) you want to edit.
   
3. Click in the box with the text you want to edit. Type. Click outside of that box and the cover will update.
   
4. Select a font from the drop-down menu at the top of the tab and your cover automatically updates.
   
5. Click on the color box next to the font drop-down. Choose a color by selecting a hue (color) on the wheel and a brightness on the square.
   
6. Change the font and font color for each block of text on your cover by clicking the 'Use a Single Font & Text Color' checkbox.
   
7. Select a font or font color from beneath each text area.
   
8. When you've gotten your cover looking the way you want,click the 'Make Print-Ready Cover' button.
   
9. Click the 'Save & Continue' button to finish and go to the next step.
   

Upload Your One-Piece Cover

1. Click the 'One-piece cover (advanced)' button.
   
2. Create your cover to the specifications listed above the upload form.
   
3. Select your file from your computer or select a file from 'My Lulu Files'.
   
4. When the file has been added to your project, an image of your cover will appear above the file specifications.
   
5. Click the 'Save & Continue' button to finish and go to the next step.
   

If you are using Publisher Grade paper, Lulu will add a barcode to your book (do not add your own).

Advice

We've found that the more customized a cover is the better the book sells. We recommend customizing your cover in a way that reflects your book and distinguishes it from other books.

Common problems

• Images must be 300dpi (dots per inch) to print well. If the image you upload does not have a high enough resolution we'll let you know.
• Full Bleed/Trimming - Make sure that you provide enough Margin/Safety area so that something important doesn't get cut off because covers are trimmed after they are printed. We recommend .25 inches from the edges of the cover and spine.
• Files without embedded fonts or images - For Lulu to print the cover as you designed it you need to give us the fonts and images you want us to use. You can do that by embedding fonts in your document. See embedding fonts help for more details.
• Files with transparencies - Transparencies in PDFs cause washed out colors or white blocks. Flatten all layers before converting to a PDF or set compatibility mode to Acrobat 4 when converting to PDF.
• Barcode - Lulu adds barcodes to some covers. Click here for more info.

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:48:11 | Back to top

What are you doing in this step?

In this step you'll set the price of your book by inputting your creator revenue or the sale price. Your book's price is the total of the manufacturing cost (dependent on the number of pages and the options you choose), your creator revenue (the amount you get each time someone buys a copy), and Lulu's commission (20% of your revenue). If you're going to sell your book on online bookstores your price will also include a retail markup

1. Click in the field on the "My Revenue" line.
   
2. Enter the amount you'd like to receive each time a copy is sold. The Lulu commission and total price will update automatically.
   

Or

1. Click in the field on the "Price" line.
   
2. Enter the total price you would like to charge for your book. Your revenue and the Lulu commission will update automatically.
   
3. Click the 'Save & Continue' button to finish and go to the next step.
   

Retail pricing?

If you are planning to sell your book in online bookstores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, we'll have to add a retail markup to your book. Booksellers like Amazon only buy books at a discount so that they can sell them at a discount and still make money. The creator markup makes up 50% of your total book's cost and is equal to the some of the manufacturing price, your revenue, and the Lulu commission

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:47:15 | Back to top

What are you doing in this step?

This step allows you to review the choices you've made in the wizard and change them if desired.

Instructions

1. Review the information in each section and make sure it is correct.
   
2. Click the 'Change' button in the section you need to make adjustments in. Clicking the 'Change' button will take you to the step where you set that choice.
   
3. Click the 'Save & Finish >>' button to publish your book.
   

Last updated: 2009-11-18 09:48:55 | Back to top