I've been diving into the world of creating and selling books online, and for my first project, I decided to make a Christmas Planner available on both Lulu and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). The goal was to get a feel for the entire process before moving on to writing a whole book (hopefully next year!). The creative process using Canva was the part I enjoyed the most, especially seeing all the design elements come together. I opted for hardback editions first, as I find them more durable and visually appealing.

The upload process on both platforms was relatively smooth, but I did have a bit of a challenge with the cover dimensions—I'm sure many newbies can relate! Ultimately, I managed to make it work and learned a lot in the process.

My Lulu experience:

Pros:

• The hardback cover is high quality—beautiful and sturdy.

• Quality printing; it exceeded my expectations.

• The project setup process is very user-friendly, and I liked that you can create multiple types of projects.

• You can sell on Lulu Bookstore and other platforms, including KDP.

• The packaging is custom-fitted to your book, which keeps it from moving around during shipping.

• I love that there are options for spiral-bound books, although mine didn’t meet the requirements.

• No "sample" watermark on the front cover of the proof, which feels a lot more professional.

Cons:

• Selling on other platforms is more expensive. Unfortunately, this means I won’t be able to sell the Lulu version on KDP and still be price-competitive.

• Shipping time is much longer than Amazon—my copy took about three weeks to arrive.

My KDP experience:

Pros:

• If you plan to sell primarily on KDP, their platform helps protect your profit margins when you sell directly through them.

• It’s convenient to connect your hardback and paperback versions in one place.

• Amazon’s shipping speed is a huge bonus. My proof arrived in just a few days!

• The quality of the hardcover book was also really good—impressive, given the fast turnaround.

Cons:

• I found KDP less intuitive to set up compared to Lulu.

• I experienced an issue with my author page—some glitch requiring me to get Customer Service involved. It took a few weeks, which was frustrating.

• The sample copy I received had "sample" printed across the front cover, which takes away from that initial sense of excitement when you receive your proof.

• Packaging wasn’t as secure, and there was some movement during transit.

Key Takeaways: I learned that each platform has unique strengths and weaknesses in this first experiment. Lulu is fantastic for high-quality hardcovers, but the shipping time is long. KDP’s integration with Amazon is ideal for quick delivery and maximizing reach, but it has a few drawbacks regarding setup and packaging.

If you're considering publishing your first book, consider what matters most to you—quality versus ease of access versus shipping speed—and choose accordingly. Unless you already have a solid online presence, I think KDP is the way to go.

See it for Yourself!
Here’s a video showing both planners and their packaging as they arrived—check it out to see how they compare!

After watching the video, you’ll see how the quality of both planners compares, and the differences in packaging stand out. Lulu's packaging keeps the planner snug, while KDP's had more room to move, which impacted the condition slightly. The video captures all these details so you can decide if you're considering self-publishing on either platform.

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you want to create your own planner or book! Are you leaning towards Lulu for that professional feel or KDP for the Amazon advantage? Feel free to share your questions or experiences in the comments below. Let's learn from each other as we dive into this publishing adventure together!

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