Lulu and Barnes & Noble Press file errors

Lulu and Barnes & Noble Press get fewer headlines than KDP and IngramSpark, but they check files just as carefully. Their rules sit between the two.

Quick answer

Lulu and Barnes & Noble Press both want 0.125" bleed, about 0.5" safety margins (B&N asks 0.75" on the inside), fonts embedded, 300 DPI pictures, and a 2" x 1.2" barcode area. Use each one's own cover template, because their spine widths differ from KDP's and IngramSpark's.

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The rules side by side

Rule	Lulu	Barnes & Noble Press
Cover bleed	0.125"	0.125"
Interior safety margin	0.5"; inside grows with page count	0.5" (0.75" inside)
Barcode area	2" x 1.2"	2" x 1.2"
Page count range	32 to 800 (varies by format)	48 to 800 (varies by format)
Spine width	From Lulu's own template	From B&N's own template

From each printer's own guides; formats and limits change, so check before uploading.

Common problems

"Your file has errors" on Lulu

Lulu checks files on upload and lists problems such as wrong page size, fonts not embedded and pictures under resolution. The fixes are the same as everywhere: page size, fonts, pictures.

Cover doesn't fit on Barnes & Noble Press

B&N Press works out its own cover size from your trim, paper and page count. A KDP or IngramSpark cover will usually be the wrong width. Use B&N's template and re-fit the spine.

Inside margin too small

B&N Press asks for more room on the inside (0.75") than many KDP books use. If you came from KDP with a 0.375" or 0.5" gutter, widen it.

Before you upload to Lulu or B&N Press

Interior PDF is exactly your trim size (plus bleed only if art touches the page edge).
Inside margin is at least 0.75" for B&N Press, and grows with page count on Lulu.
Every font says "Embedded" in Acrobat's File → Properties → Fonts.
Pictures are 300 DPI at their printed size.
The cover was built from this printer's template, for your final page count and paper.
The lower right of the back cover is clear for the 2" x 1.2" barcode.
If your page count is near the minimum (32 on Lulu, 48 on B&N for most formats), check spine text is still allowed.

Publishing to several printers at once?

Build the interior to the strictest numbers (0.5" outside, the biggest inside margin any of your printers asks for, grayscale or CMYK under 240%). Then make one cover per printer from its own template. SparkPrep checks against KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu, each with its own numbers, never another printer's.

Find out what's wrong with your files before the printer does

SparkPrep checks your cover and every interior page against the exact rules Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu use, tells you each problem in plain English, and can fix it for you.

Scan my book free See how SparkPrep works

The scan is free and shows how many problems your files have. To see every problem and where it is, the audit is $1.99 ($3.99 after January 1). The Advanced Audit checks every page, up to 300, for $9.99.

Questions people ask

Can I use my KDP cover on Lulu?

Usually not as is. Lulu's spine width comes from its own paper, so re-fit the cover to Lulu's template.

What margins does Barnes & Noble Press need?

At least 0.5 inch on the outside, top and bottom, and 0.75 inch on the inside.

More on this site

Book rejection messages decodedGot a rejection from KDP or IngramSpark? Look up the message, see what it really means in plain English, the most likely cause, and exactly what to do next.IngramSpark rejection messagesBleed, bookblock safety area, 240% ink, jacket layout, spine, template and ISBN messages.Amazon KDP file errorsMargins, bleed, page size, fonts, image resolution and spine text errors on KDP.Passed KDP, failed IngramSparkThe five rules that differ, and how to make one set of files pass both printers.What to do after a rejectionA calm, step-by-step plan so the next upload is the last one.

Free help from SparkPrep

Book Preflight, ExplainedWhat book preflight is, who needs it and what gets checked before KDP or IngramSpark prints your book.Print File FixesStep-by-step fixes for bleed, margins, fonts, transparency, picture quality, color and spine problems.Print Cover SizesFull cover size charts, spine widths, barcode space and hardcover rules for KDP and IngramSpark.First Book GuideYour first print book, step by step: costs, timeline, words to know and the mistakes to skip.Free book toolsCover calculator, spine width, margins, DPI checker and page count, on sparkprep.legenddary.com.

Last updated 2026-11-01. Written by Joshua Davis, founder of SparkPrep. Numbers come from each printer's own published guides; always double-check your printer's current rules before you upload.