Create All the Book Formats You Need to Publish

Pressbooks is online software that enables authors and publishers to design and format any kind of book, including:

• PDF: for print or print on demand
• EPUB: for Apple iBooks, Nook, Kobo and most other ebook platforms
• MOBI: for Kindle
• Webbook: private or public

All book formats are produced using templates that are optimized to look great in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This includes Kindles, phones, and iPads for ebooks, as well as the printed page.

PDF, EPUB, and MOBI files can be exported and downloaded from Pressbooks to your device, then uploaded to your distribution service of choice.

The Webbook

Pressbooks webbooks are website versions of your book that are hosted on Pressbooks and can be distributed for free to the public. Many use Pressbooks webbooks to produce and distribute open educational resources (OER). Unlike PDFs and ebooks, webbooks are a live version of your book that doesn’t need to be exported or downloaded.

Pressbooks produces a web version of every book. You can view yours at any time by clicking the Visit Book link underneath the title of your book in the top menu. However, your Pressbooks webbook is Private until you change the Global Privacy Setting to Public; this setting becomes available on Pressbooks.com once you upgrade your book to any Pro Plan. For more information on how to control the privacy of your webbook, visit the Privacy Settings chapter.

Authors who are not interested in creating open resources sometimes utilize the Pressbooks catalog feature to give readers access to samples of their books.

Why You Should Use Pressbooks

Pressbooks is used by independent authors, small and medium-sized publishers, and educational institutions around the world.

The advantages of Pressbooks include:

• A simple, familiar interface
• Professionally-designed book files, without complex software
• Unlimited ability to edit, update, and (re)export books
• Ability to collaborate with other authors and editors
• Daily backups
• A variety of book formats
• Affordable access
• Complete control over your own content

About This Guide

This guide is a work in progress. We hope to have answered any questions you have about building, formatting, and exporting your book. If we haven’t answered your question, here are a few other places you can go:

Pressbooks Knowledge Base

Search our Knowledge Base for answers to frequently asked questions.