Ebook conversion services that read right on every device Print files, manuscripts and scans turned into EPUB 3 and Kindle ebooks
Ebook conversion and formatting for publishers and authors From a print file or a manuscript to a file every store accepts
How our ebook conversion works Five steps from your source files to files the stores accept
- Before the first titleAgree the specificationWe agree the formats, the fonts, the navigation and the metadata with your production team.
- Sample titleConvert one book firstWe convert one title, and you read it on the devices your readers use.
- Every batchAgents convert, people decideAgents rebuild text, headings and links, and send tables, figures and poetry to a person.
- Every batchValidate and readEach file passes EPUBCheck and store checks, then a person reads it on real ereaders.
- Every batchSign offThe batch owner checks a sample of every title, signs the batch off and answers for it.
When ebook conversion services are the right fit And when you need layout or accessibility work first
A good fit when
- Your backlist exists only in print or as print PDFs
- Store uploads fail validation or look wrong on some readers
- You publish several new titles a month in more than one format
Look elsewhere when
- The book hasn't been typeset yet: start with layout and composition
- You need an accessible PDF rather than an ebook
- It's a plain novel you can export from a writing app yourself
Our ebook conversion and formatting services in detail What each conversion covers, and the files you get back
EPUB conversion services
EPUB 3 is the format most stores and libraries accept. We convert print PDFs, Word, InDesign, FrameMaker, Quark and HTML into reflowable EPUB 3, with a working table of contents, linked footnotes and the right reading order.
We also convert PDF to EPUB and EPUB to PDF, so one title can serve readers in both formats.
Kindle and multi-store ebook formatting
Each store reads files a little differently. We build and test files for Kindle (KF8 and KPF), Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play and Barnes and Noble Nook, so a title looks the same in each one.
- Metadata set for each store
- Covers sized to each store's rules
- Files tested on the store's own previewer
Fixed-layout ebook conversion
Children's books, comics, cookbooks and textbooks depend on their page design. We build fixed-layout EPUB 3 and Kindle files that keep every spread, and a person checks each page against the print edition.
Interactive and enhanced ebooks
An ebook can do more than a printed page. We add audio, video, read-aloud narration, quizzes, cross references and links to the web, wherever your editors want them.
New ebook development
For a new title we can work from the manuscript. We build the ebook alongside the print edition, so both come out on the same day, and we also produce ejournals, ezines and ebrochures in EPUB, PDF and HTML.
How we check every ebook
Agents do the conversion, and they send anything they're unsure of to a person: a complex table, an image with text in it, a poem whose line breaks matter. The batch owner then reads a sample of every title on real devices before the batch ships.
Questions about ebook conversion services What publishers ask us before they send the first title
What are ebook conversion services?
Ebook conversion services turn a book's source files, such as a print PDF, a Word manuscript or a scanned copy, into ebook formats like EPUB 3 and Kindle. A good conversion keeps the headings, links, images and reading order, so the book reads well on any device.
What's the difference between reflowable and fixed-layout ebooks?
A reflowable ebook lets the text resize and reflow to fit the screen, which suits novels and most nonfiction. A fixed-layout ebook keeps each page exactly as designed, which suits picture books, comics and cookbooks.
Can you convert a book that only exists in print?
Yes. We scan or key the printed book, proofread it against the original, and then convert it to EPUB and Kindle like any other title.
Will my ebook pass the stores' checks?
Every file we deliver passes EPUBCheck, the standard validator, and the checks of the stores you publish to. A person also reads each title on real ereaders, because a file can pass validation and still look wrong.
How much does ebook conversion cost?
Damco prices ebook conversion per title or per page, depending on how complex the book is. A plain novel costs less than a textbook full of tables, so we quote after converting a sample title.
Send us the title you want converted first
Tell us the source files and the stores you publish to, and we'll show you how we'd convert it.