Fumbling onward...

bananamelissa · Oct 3, 2011

Hey guys, I'm navigating this whole self-publishing venture and am learning through my mistakes. I scanned through the threads, but didn't see an answer to this specific question I have.

I uploaded my book to Lulu and got the whole paperback schebang going. I liked my proof and decided it was ready to sell. I then purchased an ISBN through Lulu.

However, I discovered in here (I believe from Ken) that Lulu isn't going to be a realistic way to print and sell my book. My question is, since I purchased my ISBN through Lulu can I upload my book elsewhere, such as Createspace, and sell it through there? I tried getting info on the Lulu ISBN program but I was drowning in their forum web. I know I know, heads shaking at my lack of foresight. I'm too eager! I just don't understand if I am the publisher, and own the rights to the ISBN, or if I'm now locked into Lulu.

Any input or experience with this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping out. My initial excitement is getting overshadowed by overwhelming feelings of too many websites and publishers and fine print. I want to stay excited!

bananamelissa · Oct 3, 2011

I think I figured out what I needed to know. On the create space webpage there's an asterisk with this comment: * Your book's ISBN must not have been submitted for distribution through another service.

I haven't submitted my book for distribution through Lulu. I actually haven't even applied the ISBN yet, so I think I'm okay. If this is wrong though, please give me your input. I don't think it helps that I'm watching Lizard Lick Towing in the background. I'm getting a testosterone high just from listening to those guys. It's intense! I need to drink some tea and relax.

shaldna · Oct 4, 2011

I'm not sure why you think that lulu isn't a viable way to sell your book, many people here have had great sucess with it.

In terms of the ISBN - I know that several places have different ISBN options, for instance, you can use your own, if you have one, or you can buy one from them. Now, the different services usually have a note like the one you quoted, about teh ISBN not being used in other ways.

Createspace, should you choose to go with them, will provide you with a free ISBN if you want.

bananamelissa · Oct 4, 2011

I do think Lulu is a viable way to sell a book, but there are places where I can print it at a lower cost for distribution to bookstores or if I want to print a large amount, such as to sell at a farmer's market. I'm just expanding my options.

I did see the free Createspace ISBN. However, I've already paid for one, so I was wondering what leeway I had with taking it somewhere else.

shaldna · Oct 4, 2011

bananamelissa said:
I do think Lulu is a viable way to sell a book, but there are places where I can print it at a lower cost for distribution to bookstores or if I want to print a large amount, such as to sell at a farmer's market. I'm just expanding my options.

I did see the free Createspace ISBN. However, I've already paid for one, so I was wondering what leeway I had with taking it somewhere else.

If you want to print a lot to sell yourself then you are probably better getting in touch with a local printers, they will print the book for you and you wouldn't need an ISBN etc as you would be selling them yourself. You could still use the same cover image etc if you have copyright of it, and if you are using a standard trim size then your book should pretty much identical as the lulu or createspace versions.

Just an idea.

kaitie · Oct 4, 2011

Have you talked with bookstores and looked into what that could take? I'm sure there are people here who can give you good advice on that. The reason I ask is because most bookstores won't take a self-published book, period. Some people are able to get them into local stores on consignment, but you would be talking about very few copies.

I can't tell if what you have in mind is having a dozen copies scattered through a few local stores or having a thousand copies in various locations. The former is much more reasonable of an expectation, and even that will be difficult. If you're thinking more the latter, it would be best to talk to some of those bookstores and see what it would take in advance, I think.

When you do print self-publishing your expenses are going to skyrocket. You'll have to pay to have those books all printed, so it's best to have realistic expectations for how many you might sell. Otherwise you could end up spending thousands and never see anything back on it.

J. Tanner · Oct 4, 2011

Yep. Many who've ventured into print self-publishing ignorantly end up with boxes of books stacked in their garage they've given up on trying to do anything with. There's a big difference between the business of publishing and the art of writing--that's why it's called self-publishing not self-writering.

valeriec80 · Oct 4, 2011

I'm not sure about this, but I'm pretty sure that your lulu ISBN pretty much has to stick with your lulu book. I might be wrong, though. Perhaps if you contact Bowker, with your ISBN, you could ask them if the ISBN you have is registered to you personally or to lulu.

Look, neither createspace or lulu owns your rights. There's nothing saying you can't put a paperback out with both of them.

James D. Macdonald · Oct 4, 2011

The ISBN uniquely identifies not just the book but the publisher. If you get a Lulu ISBN it's only good with that edition, published by Lulu. If you get a Createspace ISBN it can only be used to print with Createspace. A Smashwords ISBN identifies the Smashwords edition. And all of those ISBNs will be different.

You can, however, have a Createspace version, a Lulu version, a Kindle version, and a Smashwords version of the exact same text. You own the words.

Fumbling onward...

bananamelissa

Climbing the mountain of life

bananamelissa

Climbing the mountain of life

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

bananamelissa

Climbing the mountain of life

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

kaitie

With great power comes

J. Tanner

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle