Never published an ePub version of your book before?  No worries.  Here are 2 ways you can get your book into ePub and get yourself in the running:

1. Do-it-Yourself
2. Let Us Do it For You

We’ll notify the three winners by April 3, 2010 via the email associated with their Lulu user account.   Unfortunately, because this is only a US site promotion, only US residents are eligible.  But don’t worry – we have a few things up our sleeve for everyone else…so be sure to stay tuned!  To see more rules our lawyers are making abide by, check out the disclaimer section below.

Good luck everyone!

DISCLAIMER:

No purchase necessary.  Prize is a 32GB Wi-Fi enabled Apple iPad. Three (3) winners will be drawn at random, and notified via email by April 3, 2010.  Winners must provide a US address to Lulu within 10 days of notification to redeem their prize. In order to be eligible for the iPad giveaway, you must either publish an eBook in ePub format, or purchase an ePub conversion service between 3/12/10 and 3/22/10.  Upon ePub publication or ePub service purchase, you will be automatically registered for the iPad giveaway.  ePub formatted books created before or after said dates are not eligible.  Creating an ePub version of your book will not guarantee distribution on 3^rd party external e-readers.  Promotion is open to individuals who are Lulu registered users, and who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia only.  Your odds of winning depend on the number of US authors who publish ePub formats, or purchase an ePub conversion service during the contest period.   Employees, contractors, directors, and officers of Lulu, its parent, subsidiary and affiliated companies, immediate family members thereof, and those living in the same domicile therewith are not eligible. Lulu reserves the right to make all decisions on entrants’ eligibility, in its sole discretion.  Lulu reserves the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime.  Void where prohibited.

 

Lulu now offers ePub conversion services to take your book into the future.  Get your book ready for the iPad, Sony Reader and other electronic devises with our ePub conversion service.  We offer three service packs depending on the number of pages  in your manuscript.

Our ePub service includes the following:

1. Tagging and linking of the Table of Content (TOC)
2. Proofing of the illustrations to make sure they’re resized properly
3. Removal of the original page numbers and page headers (to prevent them from appearing in the middle of the page)
4. Re-flowing of the text by chapter and re-pagination of the entire book

*Proofing and correction of your manuscript file beyond the beginning of the 1st chapter is NOT included in the service.

ePub conversion takes between 4-6 week.  In some cases, conversion may take longer at which point we will provide you with a time line for your file conversion.

Our service pricing is based on your book page count:

• 250 Pages or Less $175 Buy Now

• 251-500 Pages $350 Buy Now

• 501-750 Pages $495 Buy Now

The Small Print: Only books published through Lulu are eligible for the service. There are no refunds on the ePub conversion service. In the case where the complexity of the manuscript file requires work outside the scope of our service, we reserve the right to decline to do the conversion with a minimum charge of $100 an hour.  A quote at a rate of $100 minimum will be provided to the customer if additional work and fees apply.   Creating an ePub version of your book will not guarantee distribution on 3rd party external e-readers.

 

Many new authors might make the mistake of thinking that if they have a portable document format (PDF) of their book it means that it can be read on an e-reader or other mobile device.  While in many cases the PDF can be opened, the text is far too small because it is a static or unchangeable image.  ePub makes it so your text is resized to fit the screen of any given device.  Since the text in ePub format can be changed in terms of size, font and color, reading an ePub book becomes a much more personal experience for the reader.  Sounds great right?  But how do you make an ePub book?

You really have three options:  let Lulu do the work for you with our conversion services, use a conversion program like (Adobe InDesign, eCub, Calibre, Google ePub Toolkit, etc.), or you can do-it-yourself.  If you decide to do-it-yourself, I’ve added some great directions I found over at jedisaber.com.

What You’ll Need:

* A text editor (like Text Edit or Notepad) that can edit text files, HTML, and XML.
* A program that can create .zip files (which should be built into OS X or Windows).

Alright, first you’ll need to get all of the files together that you will later put into your master .zip file (called a container).

A Closer look at ePub files (*Be aware that file names are case sensitive*):

A .epub file has at least the following files/folders in it to function:

* mimetype – Typically a plain ASCII text file that has the line “application/epub+zip” in it.  This file tells a reader/operating system what’s in the .ePub file. This file must be the first line in the zip file, and cannot be compressed.
* META-INF folder – Contains at least the container.xml file, which tells the reader software where to find the book in the container (typically in the content.opf file detailed below).
* OEBPS folder – Recommended location for the book’s actual content

* toc.ncx  file – Table of contents arranged with navpoint tags.  Make sure the UID matches whatever is in your content.opf file because some readers won’t display your book properly if it doesn’t.  The play order values found in this file must also be in order and will return an error if the order skips over a number.
* XHTML files – The book’s literal contents are listed in these files which are like HTML files with closing tags associated with each element.  It is up to you how you arrange your content but having a separate .xhtml file for each chapter tends to look better on e-readers.

Now that you have all your files in order, you can make the .epub container that houses all of them.

How to Make the Container File

* First create a new .zip file
* Copy the uncompressed mimetype file into the .zip file.
* Copy all of your other files (which should all be located in an OEBPS file) into the .zip file.

* Change the .zip file extension to .epub.

Once you are done with these steps, you should have a readable eBook in a format that works on most readers.  Now, all you should have to do is upload your work to Lulu.

Making Your eBook Available for Download

• In the Publish section, click the ‘eBooks’ button.
• Click the ‘Start your eBook‘ button.
• Enter a title and author name. Select your project’s availability.  Click the ‘Save &
• Continue’ button (any of these options can be changed at anytime).
• Upload the file you want to use by clicking the ‘browse’ button, searching your computer for the file you want to use and then clicking the ‘Upload’ button.
• If you upload multiple files to create an eBook, you will have to select a size for Lulu to create your eBook.
• Click the ‘Make Download-Ready File’ button to convert your file into an eBook.
• Download and preview your file and then click the ‘Save & Continue’ button.
• Create your cover and click the ‘Make Cover’ button. Then click the ‘Save & Continue’ button after the page reloads. Learn how to create a cover here and see What the eBook cover for.
• Fill in the Description fields and click the ‘Save & Continue’ button
• Set the price for your eBook and click the ‘Review Project’ button (eBooks with DRM cannot be offered for free).
• Review your project. Click the ‘Change’ button for any section that needs adjustment. If everything is to your liking click the ‘Save & Finish’ button.

Once you click the ‘Save & Finish’ button you should have a book that is ready to share with the world in cutting-edge fashion – something any reader on the go will appreciate.

 

Yet, I am a firm believer in the power of the eBook and digital content. After all, I work at Lulu where gadget specs get thrown around the break room like sports stats.

There is a constant debate among writers and bibliophiles who abhor the thought of giving up paging through a smelly old book. Books have a culture with which they are associated and eBooks allegedly threaten that culture; but print books and eBooks do not have to be at war with one another. Instead, eBooks are able to act as the perfect supplement to a print book. In fact, authors who offer both sell 30% more print books.

I grew up in a home with a room full of floor to ceiling, wall to wall books, fondly referred to as “The Library.” I majored in reading books (they called it an English degree), and I get to work here, where each and every day I get to see just how exciting it is to hold your literary hard work in hand.

There are few things I love more than my collection of beat-up, coffee-stained, doodled-in books. I can never see curling up in my favorite leather chair by the fireplace with an eBook reader, reading an eBook to children or taking an eBook reader to a book signing. I think print books will be around for a long while, but the digital world also is a fascinatingly beautiful thing.

Imagine the world’s biggest library, where your book sits next to the complete works of Shakespeare, where Oscar Wilde and some guy you went to college with are hanging out. Amazing, right? This is the Internet, and these are eBooks. Even the most ardent of eBook doubters have to recognize there’s something pretty neat happening.

There are so many talented writers in the world who never get the chance to be heard. So often, writers are like street musicians who deserve recognition but can’t catch a break. All it takes is for the right person at the right time to hear that street corner guitar player or be handed your work. eBooks offer the easiest way to get your book into the hands of someone who really loves it. They give you, as an author, a voice.

With the exception of shameless self-promotion, eBooks are easily the best marketing tool you’ve got. If a friend tells me about a band I might like, I’ll go online and check them out, particularly if they offer one or two free songs for download. If I like them, I will likely buy their album (probably on vinyl). I was able to experience something new, quickly and without financial commitment, and it ultimately resulted in a sale. If I’m really impressed, I will now go tell another friend about the band. Why not do the same with your book? Try offering parts of your book for free as a digital download, or the entire eBook for  sale on Lulu.

It’s a fact that breaks my heart, but some people will never set foot in a bookstore or library. They will, however, check their portable digital devices for updates. By offering an eBook edition of your book, you have the power to reach a whole new demographic of consumers.

I will probably buy an e-book reader the same day I decide to buy a car that’s less than 30 years old. In the mean time, I will continue to be a champion of any idea that empowers Lulu creators to be successful.

 

by PinkMoose

We’ve recently revealed our shiny new forums and support platform for all to see. Now, while we’re actively tweaking them and improving them to be the best based on your feedback, I’d like to highlight a few conversations you might be interested in.

Waiting Room Copies – Has Anyone tried This Yet? – This discussion is focused around a particularly creative approach to marketing your work. EelKat says “On the table along side the usual stacks of magazines was a book. On the Cover of the book was a large round sticker which read: ‘Waiting Room Copy – to Order Your Own Copy Please Go to www—–’”

Participants Wanted – Julie Dawson is requesting submissions to benefit Doctors Without Borders. Julie states, “As many of you know, each year I sponsor a charity writing contest.  I mentioned in a previous post that I was thinking about giving away an Amazon Kindle for the grand prize this year.  After reviewing everything, I have decided that we will definitely be doing this.”

So… where’s the line? – In this discussion, Elmore Hammes asks, “When do you call it “literature” – is it just when the book doesn’t fit firmly in a genre such as science fiction or romance? Or does it have to elevate to a higher level of writing to be deemed such?”

How do I make something available as a free download? – The title says it all!

So, head on over to the forums and get to know other Lulus!

 

I encourage you to check out my top Indy Art book picks of the week.

POSTMARK L.A.

by Teresa McFayden et al

Embark on an artful adventure between a group of friends! Join Rebecca Sower, Pam Garrison, Teresa McFayden, Charlotte Lyons, Carolyn Peeler and Amy Hanna as they attend a fabulous vintage art party, and tour Los Angeles with an artful eye. This book is filled with their Los Angeles inspiration! In Postmark, L.A., the friends continue on to provide several projects, some with templates just for you. Enjoy interviews, frivolity and so much more. Vintage inspiration awaits you…

Pasticcio Quartz Issue 8

by Angela Cartwright, Sarah Fishburn

The fabulous, phenomenal, oversized Winter ‘09-’10 issue of Pasticcio Quartz is finally here. It’s new; it’s NOW! Art, eats, etsy, fashion, history, holidays, pets, plaid – totally wrapped up in the prettiest package ever, and tied with a big red bow. Come to think of it, you’d better grab a few extras to give as gifts to those you love the BEST! 72 pages in brilliant color!

No Rules street photography

by Nitsa

Simple and direct view into street photography.
Tips and techniques alongside many pictures, to help you navigate your way through the streets for rules-free picture making.
Book includes topics such as: photographing at night, taking pictures in the rain, what is street photography, alternatives, accidental work and more.
The main purpose of this book is to be an inspiration for you to find your own unique style and expression while having fun photographing the streets of your town.

Yale University School of Art 2008 MFA Painting & Printmaking

by Yale University School of Art

Catalogue of the work of Ahmed Alsoudani, Bianca Beck, Sascha Barunig, Matthew Capezzuto, Lindesy Dorr-Niro, Aaron Gilbert, Jorge Gonzalez, Hilary Irons, Khalif Kely, Alexis Knowlton, Andrew Lane, Sarah Lasley, Evan Levine, I-Ling Eleen Lin, Elizabeth Livensperger, Vasken Mardikian, Patrick McElnea, Jason Mones, Mira O’Brien, Wilfredo Ortega and Rober Vanderpool.

 

We are continually creating new themes for the Studio which includes Photo Books, Cookbooks, Poetry Books and Calendars. We value your opinion and we’d like to know what you want.  I’m not talking about functionality – that’s a whole different discussion!  What I am talking about is backgrounds, colors, layouts—the basic look and feel of things.

So if you have some ideas, bring them on!  We have many new fonts and recently added 2 new themes but we want to do more and we’d like your help. Thanks for sharing.

p.s. new cookbook theme – it’s called Savory 

 

So we’re ripping up the floors and bringing out the paint … or at least the wire frames and graphics. Our goal is to make Lulu.com a better experience for both of our customer groups: content creators and buyers. We want to highlight the diverse selection of content available on Lulu.com, help our creators sell more and make sure we remain a first stop for anyone publishing or buying books.  As with any remodel, we need some ideas. So help us out!

What should we keep on the Lulu.com homepage?
What should we take away?
What should we add?

If there are sites that you think are particularly well designed, let us know that, too.

We love the creativity of our community, so give us your thoughts. And stay tuned. We expect to have an updated look this spring.

 

Beginning today, you’ll find a chat button in the upper right of the Lulu support page. Initially, we’ll offer live support in English from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. East Coast time Monday through Friday. This ensures that we will cover the period when we see the heaviest volume of support inquiries. Rest assured, we’re working on expanded language and time support.

In the coming weeks, you may see a message that says “Chat unavailable” where the chat icon should be. That’s part of the transition as we find the right allocation of agents to meet your needs. We’re working quickly to get agents trained with the new tools, but we wanted to get chat up and running as quickly as possible for you.

Above all, we want to make sure you succeed. We truly believe that your content matters and that you deserve to reach the world. We want to do all that we can to help. Chat support is one part of our effort. Integrating the community forums and help into one platform is another. We’re working on other features that will help you publish better and faster and reach more readers, so stay tuned!

We’re excited to offer this new chat feature, and we’re hoping you are to. We’re eager to hear your feedback, so let us know what you think.

We’re listening.

 

• Toronto-born photographer Nigel Brighton got some PR when he chose to publish his new book “Beauty from Within“ with Lulu.  His book is a compilation of his work with models in the beauty industry over the past 15 years.
• Cindy Bauer, a highly-rated Lulu author herself, wrote a great article for Visual Arts Junction on how to format your manuscript.  A great resource for anyone interested in writing or publishing.
• Gayle Crabtree used Lulu to make a photo book as a Valentine’s Day gift for her husband, and reveiewed her experience on her blog.  She found our process easy and simple, and was impressed with the print quality of her photo book.  Best of all, her hubby loved it!
• Sandra over at Infinite Worlds of Fantasy Authors was a fan of our President’s Day sale.  You can find one of her stories in the adventure-oriented fantasy magazine Winter’s Night.  Check it out and let us know what you think.