I write a lot. I think everyone should. I got some good stories, poems, and one novel I did back in 2003 and 2004. I checked out Lulu.com and Cafepress.com, but I wasn’t really satisfied with those two. They are all right, but I am looking for something where they provide software for creating the hard copy files and ebook files if it exists. I didn’t like Cafepress, because they seem more into the tees and coffee mugs. Lulu is okay, but not quite professional enough. I can pay a nominal fee for services, but print-on-demand should offer to pay me, not the other way around. If anyone with experience in this area could help, I would be very grateful. Thanks!
POD is only ever a good option if you want just a few copies of your book, or have a niche market that has already been established. Depending which company that you go with, the set up costs are minimal - you should only ever pay for the printing of the book. You’re not going to find a POD service who will pay you, as they make their profit with the printing of the books. Beware of any company that asks for a set up fee (some companies can charge hundreds of dollars) as you are unlikely to ever recoup this money through the sales of your book. Lulu is an honest company in that they are upfront about what they do - however be aware that if you want to bring your own ISBN there is a $99 charge. If they issue one of theirs, they are then entitled to more profit from any possible sales via their website or amazon. Lulu also offers cover design and marketing for a fee - however you probably know also this already as you have checked out their website. I used lulu for a smaller project last year and found that their service was prompt and delivery was affordable (as they have affiliates in many countries, so you’re not paying and waiting for international shipping). However, I found that the quality of the paper was not high.
Another POD company that you may consider is CreateSpace. They are owned by amazon. Like lulu they will issue an ISBN in return for a share of any profit (however, if you’re not going to sell your books commercially, this is not a huge problem). I found the paper quality was superior to lulu and the cover designer easy to use. However, if you intend to write a long blurb on the back cover, you will be disappointed.
With both lulu and createspace you’ll need to format the book for yourself, which can be done on Word and then converted to a PDF file and may also be suitable for an eBook.