‘Lulu’, according to their Corporate Profile, means an “old-fashioned term for a remarkable idea, person, place or thing”. The website is certainly breaking new ground by aiming to put control of literary efforts back into the hands of those that created it and opening up the market for ‘wannabe’ authors eager to test the publishing waters.
The website allows authors to upload their manuscripts, edit them online and subsequently publish their work. Buyers can then order and pay for the books, either traditionally printed and bound, or as ‘e-books’ through Amazon, Borders or Lulu itself. The difference – and key to its unique service - is that Lulu have the technology to print off single copies as and when a buyer orders them. There are no set up fees and rights remain with the author. The author also dictates the price, design and layout.
The idea behind the online publishing website is the brainchild of Red Hat founder, Bob Young, the Canadian entrepreneur who set up the Linux software company currently posing a serious challenge to Microsoft. (The parallel drawn here is that open source software puts users in control of technology, and now Lulu puts you back in charge of your content.)
Lulu.com hope the concept of on-demand publishing will open up new possibilities. The ability to publish a second edition in an instant to register a correction or new information for instance; the opportunities for authors of niche publications to make money where previously publishing houses only catered for those selling thousands of copies. Henry Hutton, Director of Lulu, says "Our philosophy is to let the marketplace decide whether there's demand for a book or not."
The online publishing company receive 20 percent of the purchase price, so as Hutton says, “"If an author is not successful, we won't be, either."
Currently based in New York, the organisation is now looking at establishing a second print centre in the UK.
Jul 27, 2005
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