We've been working on new author Paul D. Harrington's science-fiction novel, Light Speed: Ultimate Destiny, and finally we have the project completed and ready for promotion. The sci-fi novel will be available as a Lightning Source title in a few weeks, sold through Amazon and other online retailers. It is available now as a special Lulu edition:

http://www.lulu.com/content/730883


The Lightning Source version is 5.5" x 8.5" (320 pages) with a recommended retail price of $16, but the Lulu version is 6" x 9" (282 pages) with a price of $18.84. The prices were carefully chosen so that both versions result in the same royalty figure.

So take your pick of which version you like.

Posted on Monday 03 of September, 2007 [07:48:52 UTC]

As I was setting up my LLC and considering how Lulu fits into my strategy for publishing my memoir, a major change was announced concerning acceptable pricing at Lulu storefronts. Effective immediately, a book with a Global distribution package must be priced in distribution and on the Lulu storefront exactly the same. No author pricing discounts using the convenience of the Lulu storefront, and no secondary place to purchase books outside of online retailers.

This latest change, combined with numerous other changes over the past year regarding the Lulu business model, gives me little confidence that things will remain stable enough to count on during the marketing life on my books. For now, I am focusing on a direct business relationship with Lightning Source and my own website:

http://www.savemydreams.com

I'll be watching the Lulu message boards for future changes, hopefully positive.

Posted on Monday 12 of February, 2007 [01:12:55 UTC]

After almost a year of research and writing I finally decided to form a publishing company as an LLC (Limited Liability Company). I really like what Lulu has to offer to new authors with few resources to get their creative works published. I had considered purchasing a distribution package for my memoir, All About Love: Elizabeth's Story, but the retail price simply has to be too high to make marketing the book practical, unless I lower the price and accept royalties comparable to author-only royalties while still performing most publisher functions.

Last year I was excited to hear about Jeremy Robinson's success with his first novel The Didymus Contingency. With such success I expected to see his second novel back here on Lulu. Instead, Jeremy started his own publishing company, Breakneck Books (http://www.breakneckbooks.com/), and established a relationship directly with Lightning Source, the very same printer used in Lulu distribution plans. By doing so he can make much more money than he did with Lulu, although he had to bear the up front costs of creating a business entity. Now he actually publishes other people's books. Jeremy's success has inspired me.

I also discovered Morris Rosenthal's website (http://www.fonerbooks.com/). Morris created a business entity for self-publishing his own books exclusively. He makes a strong case for working with Lightning Source directly and using their short discount program. Assuming a book can sell more than 1,000 books, a self-published author can actually make some money using Morris's business model. He has also inspired me, although he is quite skeptical that a memoir can be successfully self-published with good financial success. But he also believes that a novel has a fat chance of financial success. He believes that nonfiction, "how-to" books have the best chance of financial success in the self-publishing world of Print-On-Demand.

Maybe I can find a way to do both memoir and "how-to"...

Posted on Friday 02 of February, 2007 [07:35:35 UTC]

So far in my search for publishing options I have seriously looked at Authorhouse, Vantage Press, and Lulu. There is no question that Lulu provides the most options for an author to print and publish as an independent. Lulu's business model completely separates options that others require as part of their package. Because of that separation an author can actually print one copy of a full-sized novel for less than $10 with no upfront costs.

Of course, the caveat at Lulu is Do-It-Yourself (DIY). If you can't do it yourself (editing, layout, book design, marketing, and more) then you find third party vendors to help you for a fee. It is very possible to spend just as much money in third party vendor fees as with other self-publishing options such as Authorhouse and Vantage Press. That makes the "no upfront cost" argument less appealing. But still, Lulu has no contract for publishing so all rights remain 100% with the author, and Lulu books can be removed from Lulu by the author at anytime without notice (except that PDF downloads remain available to previous customers who purchased them).

I'm inclined to go the Lulu route for my two current writing projects.

Posted on Friday 31 of March, 2006 [06:04:34 UTC]