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Kobo Writing Life vs Lulu
February 01, 2025 | Author: Laura Candler
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Do you have a story to tell? Are you an author with a bestseller just waiting to be discovered? Want to reach out to millions of readers in over 190 countries? Do you own the digital rights to your work? Then have we got the tool for you! Kobo Writing Life is the one-stop, do-it-yourself publishing portal.
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Lulu pioneered the self-publishing industry and paved the way for people around the world to publish books and bring them to market, while allowing authors to retain full control of their work. Operating a global network, Lulu provides worldwide distribution so that authors can reach readers just about anywhere via print, e-readers and tablet devices. As the leading independent self-publishing company, Lulu has enabled people in more than 225 countries and territories to self-publish nearly two million publications, including 1.5 million books.
Self-publishing, much like interstellar hitchhiking, requires a sturdy towel and a reliable platform. Both Kobo Writing Life and Lulu offer the latter (you’re on your own for the towel). They let you publish eBooks without demanding your soul—or worse, your bank details—upfront. Your literary masterpiece remains yours, they provide helpful graphs to prove that at least three people have read it and they won’t lock you into an exclusive deal unless you accidentally sign a contract with a Vogon.
Kobo Writing Life is the more minimalist cousin, laser-focused on eBooks and, unsurprisingly, Kobo store. It thrives in Canada and Europe, allowing authors to price their works in multiple currencies, which is handy if you’re an interdimensional traveler selling poetry across timelines. If you’ve ever wanted to beam your words directly into Kobo eReader ecosystem, this is your spaceship. Oh and it's owned by Rakuten, a company that probably understands the deep philosophical meaning of book royalties.
Lulu, on the other hand, is the Swiss Army knife of self-publishing—supporting not just eBooks, but also print-on-demand for those who still enjoy the smell of fresh paper (or, at the very least, need something to prop up a wobbly table). It happily flings your book into Amazon, Ingram and various bookstores while offering bulk printing for the truly ambitious. Lulu operates out of the United States, which explains its eagerness to print absolutely everything, including, presumably, an illustrated guide to self-publishing comparisons.
Kobo Writing Life is the more minimalist cousin, laser-focused on eBooks and, unsurprisingly, Kobo store. It thrives in Canada and Europe, allowing authors to price their works in multiple currencies, which is handy if you’re an interdimensional traveler selling poetry across timelines. If you’ve ever wanted to beam your words directly into Kobo eReader ecosystem, this is your spaceship. Oh and it's owned by Rakuten, a company that probably understands the deep philosophical meaning of book royalties.
Lulu, on the other hand, is the Swiss Army knife of self-publishing—supporting not just eBooks, but also print-on-demand for those who still enjoy the smell of fresh paper (or, at the very least, need something to prop up a wobbly table). It happily flings your book into Amazon, Ingram and various bookstores while offering bulk printing for the truly ambitious. Lulu operates out of the United States, which explains its eagerness to print absolutely everything, including, presumably, an illustrated guide to self-publishing comparisons.
