Lulu.com
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| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Genre | Self-publishing |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Bob Young |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Kathy Hensgen (CEO) |
| Products | Books, e-books, photo-books, calendars |
| Services | Print on demand and e-book publishing |
| Website | Official website  |
Lulu Press, Inc., doing business under trade name Lulu, is an online print-on-demand, self-publishing, and distribution platform. By 2014, it had issued approximately two million titles.[1]
The company's founder is Red Hat co-founder Bob Young; he also was CEO for many years.[2] As of 2022[update], the company’s 20th anniversary, Young had handed CEO duties to Kathy Hensgen.[3] The company's headquarters are in Morrisville, North Carolina.
Products
[edit]In 2009, Lulu began publishing and distributing ebooks. Lulu also prints and publishes calendars and photo books. In 2017, Lulu introduced an Open Access print-on-demand service.[4]
Process
[edit]The author of a title receives an 80% royalty for print books and a 90% royalty for eBooks when sold.[5]
Replay Photos
[edit]In January 2014, Lulu announced that it had acquired Durham (NC)-based sports photography company Replay Photos.[6] Replay Photos sells licensed images of collegiate and professional sports teams as photographic prints, custom framed photos, photos on canvas, and original wall art.[7]
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
[edit]Lulu's final phase for their Digital Rights Management (DRM) Retirement project was released July 2, 2013. Prior to January 15, 2013, a Lulu author could choose to apply Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection to their PDF or EPUB.[citation needed]
Lulu Jr.
[edit]In 2014, Lulu launched Lulu Jr., which enables children to become published authors.[8] Lulu Jr. products include My Comic Book and IlluStory.[9]
Lulu Blooker Prize
[edit]The Lulu Blooker Prize was a literary award for "blooks" (books based on blogs).[10] It was awarded in 2006 and 2007 and sponsored by Lulu. An overall prize was awarded, based on the winners of three subsidiary categories: non-fiction, fiction, and comics. The Lulu Blooker Prize was open to any "blook" that had been published "to date" (i.e., by the entry deadline) by any publisher.[10]
2006
[edit]The first competition saw 89 entries from over a dozen countries. A panel of three judges decided the winners: Cory Doctorow, Chair of Judges; Paul Jones; and Robin "Roblimo" Miller.[11]
Winners
[edit]- Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell (main prize, non-fiction)
- Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest (fiction)
- Totally Boned: A Joe and Monkey Collection by Zach Miller (comics, self-published through Lulu)
Runners-up
[edit]- Biodiesel Power by Lyle Estill (runner up, non-fiction, see biodiesel)
- Hackoff.com: An Historic Murder Mystery Set in the Internet Bubble and Rubble by Tom Evslin (runner up, fiction)
- Dinosaur Comics: Huge Eyes, Beaks, Intelligence, and Ambition by Ryan North (runner up, comics)
2007
[edit]The 2007 competition had 110 entries from 15 countries. The number of judges was increased to five: Paul Jones (chair), Arianna Huffington, Julie Powell (2006 overall winner), Rohit Gupta, and Nick Cohen.[12]
Winners
[edit]- My War: Killing Time in Iraq by Colby Buzzell (Overall Winner and Non-Fiction Winner)
- The Doorbells of Florence by Andrew Losowsky (Fiction Winner)
- Mom's Cancer by Brian Fies (Comics Winner)
Runners-up
[edit]- My Secret: A PostSecret Book by Frank Warren (Non-Fiction)
- Island: A Zombie Novel by David Wellington (Fiction)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Lulu Enters Exclusive Licensing and Distribution Agreement With Easy Student Publishing for Kids' Creativity and Book-Making Products" (Press release).
- ^ "Red Hat's co-founder was unemployed and working in a closet when he started the company IBM just bought for $34 billion". CNBC. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ Allam, Chantal (April 8, 2022). "As Lulu.com celebrates 20 years, founder Bob Young reflects on its staying power". WRAL TechWire. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ Carpenter, Caroline (February 3, 2017). "Lulu launches academic alternative". thebookseller.com.
- ^ Tilton, Kate (January 25, 2013). "Royalty Rates Comparison". BiblioCrunch. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ "Lulu acquires Durham-based Replay Photos". newsobserver. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ "Replay Photos: Help / FAQs". ReplayPhotos.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ "Lulu Launch Lulu Junior Website and Introduce Children's Book-Making Kits". Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ "Lulu Jr". Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ a b Moyer, Edward (October 13, 2005). "'Blooker Prize' rewards books based on blogs". cnet.com.
- ^ Gibson, Owen (April 3, 2006). "From blog to book: first awards for online writers who became mainstream successes". The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
- ^ "War book wins Blooker blog prize". BBC News. May 14, 2007. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 2002 establishments in North Carolina
- American companies established in 2002
- Publishing companies established in 2002
- Publishing companies of the United States
- Digital press
- Self-publishing online stores
- Online bookstores
- Self-publishing companies
- Book publishing companies based in North Carolina
- Privately held companies based in North Carolina