Lulu Publishing Review: READ THIS Before You Use Them!

Something I have seen quite a lot lately in the self-publishing world: trying to do everything by yourself. Thinking that you just need Photoshop to make a cover, spell-checking software to edit, a dictionary and a bit of knowledge to translate. Never underestimate the value of a human professional who has spent years studying and then honing their skills. There is more to translation than substituting one word with another, just as there is more to a cover than a bunch of drawings and a title.

Find the right professional for you and your project, and work closely with them; you won't regret the expense, I promise. Also, yes, some types of stories and tropes are very popular right now, and those seem like a safe bet, as far as marketing and selling go - but likely there are a lot of similar books out already. In traditional publishing, variety is sorely lacking, because a tried and tested product seems safer; let's avoid repeating that mistake. Write the story that's in your heart and then strategically find your niche audience. You'll find them starved for exactly your flavour of creativity.

One of the most common mistakes I see with self-published authors is setting unrealistic timelines for their publishing journey. Many writers plan their schedule far too tightly and only reach out to professionals—whether editors, designers, or marketers—at the very last minute.

This creates unnecessary stress on both sides: the author feels rushed and overwhelmed, while the professionals either have to decline the project or take it on under less-than-ideal conditions. In the worst case, authors struggle to even find available professionals because their preferred timeline doesn’t allow for the necessary lead time. Many professionals book out months in advance, so it’s wise to plan at least four months ahead—and in many cases, even that may not be enough time.

It’s also important to remember: as self-publishers, you are free to set your own pace. Unlike in traditional publishing, there is usually no external deadline or audience impatiently waiting for the book—especially when it’s a debut. That pressure often comes only from a self-imposed timeline. Instead of rushing, it’s far wiser to take the time to do everything properly, work with professionals without stress, and then launch the book when it’s truly ready.

Publishing a professional-quality book requires space for collaboration, revisions, and creative breathing room. When timelines are compressed, the process becomes about “getting it done” rather than “getting it right,” which can ultimately compromise the quality of the finished book. A thoughtful, realistic schedule not only reduces stress but also ensures that every stage of the process—from editing to design—has the attention it deserves.

One of the biggest traps authors fall into when self-publishing is thinking that the hard part ends once the book is written.

In reality, self-publishing is as much about production as it is about creativity, and overlooking that side can leave even the best manuscript looking unprofessional.

I’ve seen too many writers skip professional editing, try to design their own cover, or leave marketing as an afterthought, and the results are usually disappointing. But just as important, and often less discussed, are the mistakes around the actual printing and publishing process. Authors frequently go with the first printer they find rather than getting at least three quotes, which is a sure way to overpay.

Others don’t ask whether VAT will be added on top of the quoted price, only to discover the true cost later.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking mistake is not asking to see samples of the paper and materials being used; the author waits excitedly for their book to arrive, only to be handed a flimsy volume on cheap stock that feels nothing like the work they poured their heart into.

The truth is, self-publishing is about producing a product as much as sharing a story. Taking the time to ask questions, compare options, and insist on seeing exactly what you’ll be paying for can mean the difference between a book that looks like an amateur project and one you’re genuinely proud to hold in your hands and which reflects the hard work you have put in as well as the hopes, naturally enough, of your client to hold a book in their hands which is a quality item.

I've read a fair number of self-published books, and one thing I have noticed is that an unprofessional interior book design does impact my reading experience.

Interior book design is about all that invisible work that makes a book visually pleasant to read. If the lines break poorly, if the font is too big or too small, if the line spacing is too tight or too loose, if the font selection is one that's difficult on the eyes, especially after reading for a long time--all of this will subtly make your reader tired while reading, and, perhaps subconsciously, less likely to enjoy reading your book. They might not even know why! And by the end, they may be left with this feeling that they didn't want to pick up the book to read it as much as they have other books, which is not a feeling you want your readers to have, especially for something so easily fixable.

A well typeset book is unnoticeable. That's the point! Your reader doesn't notice the words on the page. Instead, they glide over them, immersed in the story. But a poorly typeset book stands out. Your reader's attention is pulled from the story again and again because the words are too squished together to read easily, or because there was one dangling line all by itself on the last page of a chapter and that looked odd, or because the font for the text messages was inconsistently applied.

Interior book design is an important part of the publishing process that I think a lot of self-publishing authors overlook.

Two mistakes I've encountered through my work with self-publishing authors are definitely common, but perhaps not super obvious at first thought.

Mistake #1: Hoping to ultimately publish with a traditional publisher, but self-publishing first as a means to “test things out.”

Self-publishing should be a conscious and very intentional choice that you make because the process appeals to you, not something you do as a test drive. Once it’s published, it’s published. In fact, as a former slush pile evaluator, I quickly learned that a previously-self-published submitted manuscript was often a no-go for the publisher I worked with. Why? Well, any self-published copies of the book that had been already sold are sales the publisher might have otherwise been able to count on — chances are, if you’ve self-published your book, you’ve already gotten all your friends and family to purchase a copy. Those are all opportunities for sales no longer open to the publisher. So, if you want to self-publish, that's great! But make sure that, whatever you decide on, you're making an intentional and conscious choice.

Mistake #2: Consider your use of copyrighted works and get permission!

This applies to nonfiction and fiction works alike: If you are including previously published content in your book, do your research and understand what may require permission to use. If you're including lengthy quotations or extracts from books, short quotations to open your book chapters (i.e., epigraphs), song lyrics (yes, even just one line of a song), poetry, or photographs/artwork, you will need to seek permission clearance from the copyright holder to legally include that content in nearly all cases. I can tell you, based on several years of experience in permissions editing, that the process of figuring out who the copyright holder is, applying for clearance, hearing back, and finalizing the clearance can take MONTHS. And you may not even be granted permission, after all that effort! It can also be very expensive — publishing companies and record labels especially will charge you per usage and based on the amount you've used. So, do your research, know the risks, and decide accordingly.

The most common mistakes authors make when self-publishing are: 1) Not focus-group testing yout title and subtitle, Check with Amazon for duplicate titles, and ask friends/colleagues 2) Not obtaining at least 2 endorsements, for front and back cover. 3) Not creating a publisher name for themselves Amazon. If you publish under your personal Amazon account, the "publisher" will be listed as "independently published," which can erode credibility. Instead, set up your KDP account in the name of a publisher you invent. There are many more, like poorly-designed covers and interiors, but these are of the most overlooked.

Common mistakes:

Unrealistic or distorted view of public interest (Harsh, I know.)

Family and friends aren't fans--neither are paid reviews. It is important to be as objective as possible when assessing your book's popularity. I say this because many indie and early-stage authors believe they need what NY Times BEst Selling authors need, and that can lead to a lot of wasted time and money.

Acting as your own publishing company

It may seem like creating a separate name as your "publishing company" but the reality is, you don't yet have a company. This can be misleading to actual publishers that may be interested or contribute to the mistake mentioned above. These days, authentically doing everything on your own is more appealing to readers and publishers than the "fake it 'til you make it" strategy.

Starting a blog

If you aren't ready to commit to a regular schedule or writing blogs in batches, you don't need a blog on your website. Focus more on a simple and clear website and point of sale, then drive traffic to it. A blog isn't going to get you traffic unless you treat the blog itself as a business of its own.

The most common mistake authors make when pricing their self-publishing books is not pricing it so that they are covering all of their outlaid costs. Some authors only look at comparative titles in the marketplace and how they are priced. Indeed, this is an important step in figuring out what to price a book, but if you are not making a return on investment to at least to recoup your spend, not to mention a profit, then your list price is failing you.

My answer, as usual, is based solely on Amazon, where 80-100% of sales happen for most authors.

1. Missing KDP's thresholds for Kindle

Amazon pays you 70% of the retail Kindle price - if the price is in the range $2.99 - $9.99.

If the price is lower than $2.99 or $10 and higher - you will receive only 35% in royalties.

Kindle book which is more expensive than $10 and below $29 has no economic justification from the self-publishing point of view.

2. The same price for the paperback and Kindle

Those are two distinct products. Kindle should be cheaper than paperback. There are no production or distribution costs involved for an eBook.

Plus, Amazon customers are trained to expect cheap and discounted stuff, especially for such a flagship category like Kindle books.

3. Pricing too low

This happens more with hard copies. In 2025, Amazon introduced new royalty structure: 50% royalties for books cheaper than $9.99, and 60% for $9.99+ books.

The trick is in fine print, as usual. Those percentages are counted after deducting the printing (and distribution) fee. So, when the same book costs $8 or $12, your royalties will be dramatically different. Let's say the printing cost is $3: in the $8 scenario you will get half of the five dollars; in the $12 scenario, you will receive 60% of nine dollars ($2.5 vs. $6).

Avoid the less-than-$9.99 price range, unless you have particularly good reason to price your book so low.

With Kindle there is a dramatic difference between $2.99 book and $2.49 book because of the thresholds mentioned in point #1 (about $2 vs. 87 cents).

Personally, I find only one price point below $2.99 worth trying: 99 cents. It is good for entry point of a series or for promotional purposes.

4. Pricing too high

It applies especially to Kindle format. First, because the royalties’ thresholds penalize higher prices. Second, because Kindle readers are cheap.

First-time authors think: "It's just $5, a price of the coffee, surely people will be willing to buy my book." They forget that they don't sell coffee, but eBooks. Amazon customers have millions of other titles free or priced incredibly low to choose from.

In case of paperbacks, it is more about the subject matter and length of the book. If you try to sell your 70-page novella for $20, good luck. Non-fiction books solving specific problems are more "justified" to cost more.

In the fiction genres the competition is fiercer. Readers have plenty of alternatives, so if you overdo your price, they may skip your book and pick your competitor’s book.

5. Pricing out of market

If you aren't a household name, you'd better accommodate to market's expectations. Don't price your debut novel, or poetry book, or children book $50 - it is just too expensive.

Don't price your business manual $0.99 - people will think it's so cheap because it's trash.

Take advantage of every single opportunity that comes your way in the beginning. Don't be too picky. If the front door is locked, go in the side door. Or find a window. I had great luck with blind queries in the beginning and that was before email, kids. I built many relationships that way, and most of all, keep believing in your talent, be agile, be diligent, and above all LEARN HOW TO SELL YOURSELF.

If you are a non-fiction author you can use your book as a platform to get speaking engagements even before your book is published. Once it is published, ask the business you are speaking for to purchase books for each of the conference attendees and then include this purchase in your speaking "package."

If by "best," we mean "fastest," then self-publishing is the way to go, since there're no gatekeepers, meaning no wait time. As soon as your book's done, you can get it up for sale. But if we mean best as in "long-term for your career," that becomes a fuzzier proposition because you need to weight the wait time, rejection, potential rewrites/edits, and possibility of never having something accepted inherent in traditional publishing against the prestige that still comes with making it into that world. It also depends what level of control you want for your work. You obviously get much more with self-publishing, but perhaps you'd benefit from the edit you might get from an editor at a legacy press. Lots of variables here, but my advice is always to be honest with yourself regarding your goals.

Legacy prestige is great and all—and, if it goes well, can be much more lucrative—but there's a lot to be said for having full control of your product.

I think we need to first distinguish between vanity presses and hybrid/independent publishers. There are legitimate publishers with a business model that includes an upfront payment from authors. This payment funds the production of the book, and then includes a royalty split in favor of the author, such as 70/30 or even 80/20.

Those are hybrid presses, which help keep much of the decision-making surrounding the book in the author's hands and provide a means for authors to benefit the most if the book sells well. They don't accept every book they are pitched, have quality standards that rival traditional publishers, and make money when more books are sold.

The hybrid model is different from a vanity press, which earns the bulk of its money from the pre-production and printing costs. Vanity presses rarely turn any author down who can pay for its services. Printing and design quality varies but you can still get a good-looking book from a vanity press, it will just be very expensive.

To know if you're dealing with a vanity press or a hybrid/independent press look for:

1. Writers guidelines. Do they have any guidelines or will they publish anything?
2. A sense of urgency. Vanity presses want to get you to commit and pay them money. This may lead to frequent emails, texts, and phone calls to inquire about the hold-up.
3. Distribution details. Once your book is printed, how will the publisher get it into bookstores and, ultimately, readers? They should have a distribution partner, such as Simon & Schuster.

In addition to vanity presses, there are many, many scam operations that have cropped up offering to ghostwrite and publish your book for a couple thousand dollars. Be aware that you will likely get nothing, or next to nothing. Avoid these at all costs.

Scammers may have a legit-sounding company name but will lack any information about the founders and the team members who will be doing the work. They will feature gorgeous cover photos of books they never had anything do with producing, but which look impressive. They will feature "testimonials" and A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) and TrustPilot ratings that are fake - type in the BBB and TrustPilot URLs yourself to check for the real reviews. And they, too, will hound you to sign on the dotted line and send them money.

If the deal being offered sounds too good to be true, it very likely is. Protect yourself.

But the reality is that few first-time authors will qualify for a traditional publishing deal that doesn't involve paying for production. This is because the Big 5 publishers are risk averse and want book deals from people who have huge platforms and social media follower counts. That is, they want to be almost assured that your book will be a bestseller, and few authors can guarantee that. Which is why hybrid publishing is a terrific alternative.

Unrealistic expectations. All vanity publishers can do is produce the physical book and get it onto sites like Amazon. They cannot guarantee any income from sales.

The easiest way to distinguish a scam publisher from a reputable hybrid publisher or self-publisher is PRICE. If a publishing firm quotes a fee of just a few thousand dollars for a service package that includes everything from copy editing, cover design, and layout to marketing and publicity—or even ghostwriting and developmental editing—you’re probably dealing with scammers. I know this from experience and from the fact that any single one of those services, when delivered by skilled and experienced professionals, usually costs more than a few thousand dollars. By contrast, the fees charged by the reputable hybrid publishers I know—companies with a track record of obtaining meaningful results for their authors—start in the $15,000 range. Several of my past clients made the mistake of opting for cut-rate vanity presses, and all of them came to regret it. When you hire a publisher that charges cut rates, you get cut-rate services in return.

The fact that they're a vanity press is the only red flag you need. 😉 Seriously, though, I'd aim for either traditional publishing or full-on self-publishing. These companies who want you to go in on the costs are generally more trouble than they're worth. Caveat emptor.

It's simple. If a "publisher" approaches you about "publishing" your work, and doesn't offer to write you a check, run away. Okay, that's a bit dramatic. But understand that a true publisher buys intellectual property from creators, Some authors choose to pay to have their book developed (cover, interior, ebook) for convenience. But be aware that you can find all those skills here on Reedsy for much less, and with more personal service.

Generally, a red flag is when anyone approaches you and asks for funds upfront. This can be an agent or publisher. In general, legitimate agents and publishers have enough people approaching them without them having to pound the pavement to look for authors.

Attending writing conferences is one of the best ways to interact with legitimate agents and publishers. This is where they try to connect with authors directly and will not ask for money from the author.

I have worked with many indie authors in the past and it really depends on their level of knowledge about the editing process. But typically I would explain in detail what developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading, or an editorial assessment entails. I encourage any author to contact me with questions or comments. I also give advice on how many rounds of editing I think will be necessary to bring the manuscript up to publishing standards so that it can either be self-published or sent to agents and publishers.

Some writers find it useful to arrange a call either before or after the first round of editing. Others like to get some publishing advice or help with the query letter after the editing process is complete.

I really just try to adapt the whole process as much as possible to their personal situation (mostly budget and writing time) without compromising the quality of the result.

Great question! I'll refer to the guidance I've given a few recent first-time indie authors.

My super objective in guidance for first-time authors is to convey broad revision tools--the big picture of story construction--and to illuminate practical scene work techniques. On the macro level, I focus on structure and character arcs, and on the granular level, I focus on scene design and narrative point of view.

By structure, I mean not just story plot but story parts and how they progress. To do this, I encourage various outlines before rewriting. Here are two outline examples:

1. A quadrant breakdown that spells out the progressive phases of the story problem.
2. A chart that follows the lead character's pursuit of an initial goal to the realization of her ultimate need.

So in the structure outline that I recommend, I might ask the author to break the larger story problem into four pieces, each one mounting from its emergence in the first quarter (1Q) to a much bigger problem in the fourth (4Q). Charting a worsening problem this way can help the author pin down key story beats or turning points. Same with the character's story goal: If the author can distinguish between what the protagonist is pursing in 1Q and later in 3Q, a natural arc forms, and it's easier to identify what revelations need to happen, and where.

For guidance on scene design, I refer to my in-line feedback on the ms and point the author to four concepts:

1. Intention: the focal character's goal in that scene, and how it is projected, ideally through action, early on.
2. Complication: carefully chosen moments where a particular pursuit might best be interrupted by an obstacle.
3. Decision: where desire (intention) meets obstacle (complication); often the key to redesigning the whole scene.
4. Expectation-Reversal: the outcome of the desire-obstacle-decision sequence that is usually an action and, ideally, helps the author know how to rewrite the scene in a way that sets up an expectation for a different outcome, leading to a sense of reversal or surprise when the intended outcome arrives.

For narrative point of view, lately I've been leaning into the language of the fictional camera, as opposed to a film or "objective" camera. My guidance for first-time authors is scene-specific and goes like this:

1. The lead has a camera on her shoulder that is wired to her brain; she is the only focal character for this scene.
2. This camera moves with the lead's head and sees (with the reader) only what she sees.
3. The camera details external events but zooms in at key moments to relate the lead's internal sensory reactions and thoughts. (I show this process with examples.)
4. The goal of external-internal camera zooming is to connect the reader to the lead by using the lead as a visual, mental, and emotional guide.

My aim in all my guidance is to get authors thinking about the experience they want to create for the reader in the next draft--and to keep my ideas practical and actionable.

This is a big question. I like to advise all potential clients about the whole editing process in a simple, non-intimidating, and open way because it's important that authors understand how an editor can help them improve their manuscripts. So, first, I try to get a good idea of the level of work each manuscript will need.

First-time authors often need the gamut of editorial input, beginning with an editorial assessment or a story critique. This will give authors a bird's-eye view of their story to see if it is structurally and narratively sound. I want to make sure authors are happy with their plotting, their character development, and story arcs before we get into the nitty-gritty of craft and grammar, etc.

Once that big-picture stuff is out of the way, I take a look at the prose from a mechanical perspective and make sure their sentences--the storyTELLING itself--is as effective as it can be. This includes line editing, which is a paragraph- and sentence-level tune-up to make the action, the dialogue, and the scene-craft proceed and flow logically and with the maximum emotional payoff (so that things like suspense, surprise, reveals, etc. are all addressed optimally). Authors are usually really pleased when they realize how much an editor can help here.

Finally, we get to the polishing phase of the draft, which includes copyediting (looking for punctuation and grammar goofs) and proofreading (looking for typos and last-minute copy edits). This is when the author and editor have both gone over the whole draft and gotten it into solid narrative shape.

First-time author should never fear or be intimidated by the editing process if the editor is transparent in demystifying the whole process, bringing the writer into the process so that he/she doesn't feel like they've lost ownership of their story. All that said, editing is as important a part of the publishing path as the writing itself, and it can be as creatively stimulating as the writing that first draft.