How to Turn a Physical Book into a Digital eBook

You don’t need a lab to digitize a book. You need a clean rights check, a reliable scan-and-OCR pipeline, smart editing for reflowable text, and a tidy delivery plan. This guide gives you a soup-to-nuts workflow to convert a physical book into a high-quality eBook, price and sell it in INR, accept UPI/Razorpay + cards if you go direct, and launch in 7 days with low support.

Jump to: Who this is for · Core transformation · Step-by-step implementation · Structure & templates · Formats & compatibility · Packaging & delivery · Pricing & tiers inr · Marketing plan · SEO checklist · Legal, licensing, and refunds · Metrics that matter · Common mistakes & fast fixes · 7-day production & launch plan · FAQs · Internal resources · CTA

Who this is for & the promised outcome

This is for authors, small publishers, educators, historians, and creators who have a printed book and want a clean, accessible, store-ready eBook without bouncing between agencies. By the end of this guide you will have a rights-safe digital master, an EPUB you can upload to major stores, a print-friendly PDF, and a direct-sale package with clear support and refunds.

Core transformation (audience, outcome, timeframe)

You will move from a shelf-only book to a distribution-ready digital edition: dewarped scans, accurate OCR, semantic structure, reflowable EPUB, accessible front/back matter, and a support-light delivery flow. In one week you can digitize a standard 150–250-page text-first book, run a basic proof, and publish.

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For rights-holders who struggle with messy scans and broken formatting, this workflow helps you create a clean EPUB and print-ready PDF in 7 days without expensive software or a long vendor chain.

Step-by-step implementation (tools, setup, workflow)

Start with rights. Confirm you own digital rights or have a written license that allows digitization and distribution. If you’re only archiving for personal use, label the files accordingly and do not sell or share.

Decide destructive vs non-destructive capture. A guillotine cut plus sheet-feed scan is fast and uniform but destroys the spine. A non-destructive path uses a flatbed or V-cradle camera rig; it preserves the book but takes longer.

Prepare the book. Remove dust. If scanning flatbed, use a clean glass, a black backing sheet to reduce bleed-through, and light pressure near the gutter. If photographing, use even lighting, a V-cradle at 110–120°, and a remote shutter to avoid blur.

Scan specifications. Text-first books scan well at 300 dpi in grayscale; go 400 dpi for small type or complex diacritics. Save a lossless master (TIFF) or high-quality PNGs per page. Keep spreads separated; one file per page makes OCR easier.

Post-process the images. Deskew and crop uniformly. Dewarp gutter curvature if you photographed pages. Remove background cast and dust. Normalize contrast so text is dark and backgrounds are clean but not blown out.

Run OCR. Choose a mature OCR engine (e.g., ABBYY FineReader, Tesseract-based tools, or Adobe’s OCR). Enable language packs you actually need. Output searchable PDF for archival and plain text/HTML for editing. Preserve italics, small caps, and em-dashes; avoid auto-hyphen insertion at this stage.

Edit the text in a word processor first. Paste the OCR’d text into Google Docs or Word. Fix split words from line-end hyphens. Reconstruct paragraphs and scene breaks. Apply semantic styles: Title, Heading 1/2/3, Normal, Quote, Footnote text. Use find-replace for straight-to-curly quotes and double spaces. Resolve ligatures (fi → fi). Standardize dashes (– for ranges, — for breaks).

Reinsert figures and tables. For text-first books with occasional images, capture images at sufficient resolution and compress to sane sizes later. Add alt text that describes the function, not just appearance. For complex tables, consider turning them into HTML tables or append as images with a text summary for accessibility.

Build the EPUB. Use an editor such as Sigil, Calibre’s editor, or Pandoc to convert your styled document to EPUB 3. Confirm semantic tags: h1–h6, p, blockquote, figure/figcaption, ol/ul where applicable. Generate a navigation document (NCX is legacy; include the HTML nav). Embed fonts only if licenses permit redistribution; otherwise use system-safe stacks.

Create front and back matter properly. Front: title page, copyright, dedication, epigraph if any, table of contents. Back: acknowledgments, bibliography, about the author, calls to action, and a clean unsubscribe/permissions note if you link to mailing lists. Use live internal links for TOC and cross-refs.

Do an accessibility pass. Verify reading order matches logical order. Ensure headings are hierarchical. Provide alt text for meaningful images. Set document language and page list landmarks. Avoid using color alone to convey meaning. Ensure sufficient color contrast on any embedded graphics.

Produce a print-friendly PDF too. For buyers who prefer printing, export a clean, single-column PDF with wide margins and page numbers. Keep file sizes reasonable and avoid heavy background tints that waste ink.

Quality control on devices. Test on Kindle apps, Apple Books, and Google Play Books. Toggle fonts and font sizes to check reflow. Confirm the TOC works. Inspect scene breaks, footnotes, and poetry line wraps. Open the PDF on phone and desktop; print two sample pages on an A4 home printer.

Add cover and metadata. Design a cover that reads at thumbnail size. For eBooks, a common working dimension is a 1.6:1 ratio (for example, 2,560 × 1,600 px). Set title, subtitle, series, author, contributors, description, keywords, language, and subject codes. Use consistent, ASCII-safe filenames with version and date.

Decide distribution. If you want the widest reach, upload the EPUB to major stores (Amazon KDP, Kobo Writing Life, Apple Books, Google Play Books). If you want to sell direct, host the ZIP on your site and take UPI/Razorpay + cards; you keep customer emails and can bundle editions.

Structure & templates (repeatable outline and file ops)

Create a predictable folder tree so nothing gets lost. Use a top-level /Source for scans and DOCX, /EPUB for the working ePub structure, /PDF for print-friendly exports, /Covers for images, /Legal for rights and licenses, and /Delivery for the final buyer ZIP. Add a Changelog.txt with dates and one-line notes so you can answer “what changed since v1.0”.

Adopt a style map before you edit. Map Book Title to Title style, Part and Chapter titles to Heading levels, body to Normal, quotes to Quote, footnotes to Footnote Text, and scene breaks to a consistent ornament or three-asterisk line. This style map becomes the backbone of your EPUB and keeps your nav clean.

Write short micro-templates for recurring pages. A two-line copyright page with year, rights holder, and license. A one-paragraph “About the author” with a single, non-spammy link. A one-page “Notes on this edition” explaining scanning and minor updates where relevant.

Formats & compatibility (what to ship and why)

EPUB 3 reflowable is the default for text-first books because readers can resize fonts and reflow text. Fixed-layout EPUB is only for highly designed pages where reflow would break meaning (children’s picture books, complex art, fixed math notation). PDF is excellent as a print companion and for archival but is not a substitute for EPUB on e-readers. MOBI is deprecated; do not target it. Kindle accepts EPUB and will convert internally; you can also use Kindle Create for specialized KPF workflows if needed.

Keep file sizes sane. Target individual eBook images around 150–300 ppi at display size. Avoid embedding source-size photos directly from a camera. Keep the EPUB under a few dozen megabytes for fast downloads. Keep individual PDFs ideally under 15 MB for phone friendliness.

Mind fonts and licensing. Only embed fonts you’re allowed to redistribute. When in doubt, use platform-safe fonts and let reading systems substitute.

Packaging & delivery (ZIP • access • support)

If you sell direct, ship a single ZIP that includes the EPUB, a screen-optimized PDF, a ReadMe_Start-Here.pdf with basic device instructions, a License.pdf, and your Changelog.txt. Put the download link on the thank-you page and in the receipt email. Promise re-downloads on request so buyers feel safe. State support hours clearly and keep scope narrow: access and device how-to; no content rewrites unless contracted.

Quick Start (3 steps)

1. Download and unzip. Open the EPUB in Apple Books/Google Play Books/Kindle app or load via “Send to Kindle”.

2. If you prefer printing, open the Print-Friendly PDF and test one page.

3. Bookmark the table of contents; it’s your fastest navigation on phones.

Feature → Benefit → So-that (paste-ready)
EPUB 3 reflowable → font resizing and night mode → so reading is comfortable on any screen.
Print-friendly PDF → wide margins and low-ink pages → so home prints look clean.
Accessible nav and alt text → predictable reading order → so more readers can finish your book.
Changelog + versioned files → clear update history → so libraries and reviewers stay in sync.

Pricing & tiers (INR) — what to budget and when pricing doesn’t apply

If you are DIY-ing, your costs are time and a few tools. Expect a modest outlay for a good scanning app or OCR license if you want premium accuracy. If you’re offering digitization as a service, anchor your quotes to page count and complexity. A practical range for text-first books in India is ₹10–₹25 per page for non-destructive capture and cleanup, plus add-ons for complex figures, tables, or heavy footnotes. If you’re digitizing your own book to sell, eBook retail pricing depends on genre and length; many Indies land between ₹99 and ₹399 for text-first titles. If you’re not selling and only archiving for private use, skip pricing and focus on quality and metadata.

Marketing plan (organic • partnerships • simple paid tests)

Lead with the reader’s win. Announce the digital edition with a single promise: the same beloved book, now portable and searchable. Share a 15–30 second flip-through of the EPUB on a phone showing font resize and TOC jumps. Offer a short launch price or a bundle with the print PDF for early buyers.

Partner where the audience already is. Coordinate with book clubs, librarians, educators, or niche communities your title serves. Offer a discussion guide or teacher notes as a bonus for the first week. If the book has historical or regional value, pitch local media with a “from shelf to screens” angle and a few archival photos.

Run tiny paid tests rather than big campaigns. A short YouTube/Instagram clip demonstrating instant search in the eBook and a one-tap “Go to Chapter” can outperform generic ads. Retarget product-page visitors with a single line of copy and a device shot.

Sequence three simple posts. Teaser with the portability and searchability promise. Mid-week use-case showing night mode on a phone during a commute. Final reminder that the early-bird price ends and exactly who benefits most from the digital edition.

SEO checklist (for your product page or release notes)

Use an outcome-first title that includes “digital edition” or “eBook EPUB + PDF”. Keep your meta description under 165 characters and mention reflowable EPUB and print-friendly PDF. Use a short slug with the book name plus “ebook”. Describe device screenshots literally so alt text helps both accessibility and search. Compress images and lazy-load previews. Add one meaningful internal link. Keep body text at 16–18 px with 1.4–1.6 line height and adequate contrast.

Legal, licensing, and refunds (India-friendly, ethical)

Only digitize and sell what you have the rights to. If the author or publisher is different from you, get written permission that explicitly covers digital formats and territories. Assign or confirm ISBNs if you’re distributing widely; many stores provide their own IDs, but your ISBN keeps cataloging consistent. Avoid bundling fonts or images you cannot legally redistribute; embed only licensed assets. If you sell direct, accept UPI/Razorpay + cards on a secure page, show GST handling if applicable, and offer 7-day refunds for “not as described / file won’t open”. Keep privacy simple: collect only what you need for delivery and support.

Metrics that matter (weekly)

Product page views to purchase conversion, aiming for a 1–3% early baseline. Download success rate and first-open rate of the ReadMe_Start-Here file; these predict support load. Device mix (Kindle vs Apple vs Google) to guide future testing. Refund rate and top reasons; keep it under 5% with honest previews. Support time per 100 buyers; aim under two hours weekly by turning repeat questions into short help snippets. Percentage of print-PDF downloads; if high, keep that edition polished.

Common mistakes & fast fixes

Scanning at too low a resolution. Go 300 dpi grayscale for text; 400 dpi if the type is small or the print is weak.
Leaving line-end hyphens in place. Strip OCR hyphens and rebuild paragraphs before EPUB conversion.
Building a PDF and calling it an eBook. Produce a proper EPUB 3 reflowable edition; PDF is the companion, not the primary.
Losing semantic structure. Use Heading styles consistently; they become your navigation and accessibility backbone.
Forgetting alt text. Add concise descriptions for meaningful images; mark decorative images accordingly.
Oversized files. Compress images at display size and avoid embedding originals; keep PDFs light for phones.
Unlicensed fonts. Embed only what you can redistribute; otherwise let reading systems substitute.
Weak QA. Always test nav, reflow, and footnotes on at least two reading apps and one phone.

7-day production & launch plan

Day 1 — Rights and plan. Confirm digital rights. Choose destructive vs non-destructive capture. Set your folder tree and style map.
Day 2 — Capture. Scan or photograph the entire book at 300–400 dpi. Save lossless masters.
Day 3 — Post-process. Deskew, crop, dewarp, clean backgrounds. Run OCR to text and searchable PDF.
Day 4 — Edit and structure. Rebuild paragraphs, fix punctuation and hyphens, apply Heading styles, insert figures with alt text.
Day 5 — Build formats. Convert to EPUB 3, generate nav, test on devices. Export a print-friendly PDF. Create cover and metadata.
Day 6 — Package and page. Assemble the ZIP with EPUB, PDF, ReadMe, License, Changelog. Wire UPI/Razorpay + cards if selling direct. Publish an outcome-led page with clean previews.
Day 7 — Launch and measure. Announce with a clear promise. Run the three-post sequence. Log conversion, downloads, and support tickets. Ship a v1.0.1 fix if needed.

FAQs

Can I keep the book intact and still get good scans?
Yes. Use a V-cradle or careful flatbed work with even lighting and light pressure. Dewarp during post.

Do I need MOBI for Kindle?
No. Create a clean EPUB 3; Kindle converts it. PDF is only a companion format.

What if my book has lots of images or poetry?
Consider fixed-layout EPUB only if reflow breaks meaning. Otherwise keep reflowable and add careful line-break management; always test on multiple apps.

Do I need an ISBN to sell?
Stores can assign their own IDs, but an ISBN you control helps with cataloging across retailers and libraries.

How do I stop pirates?
You can’t fully. Watermark only previews. Keep purchased files clean. Promise re-downloads. If leaks appear, rotate links and keep supporting paying readers.

Internal resources

Plan your digitization sprints and release calendar once: Free Planner Templates — https://www.sankulahub.com/free-planner-templates

Need a trustworthy eBook cover or series branding for your digital editions? Logo Design Services — https://www.sankulahub.com/logo-design-services

Clear CTA: take the next step today

Pick one book, confirm rights, and scan at 300–400 dpi. Fix OCR, style with headings, export EPUB + print-friendly PDF, package the ZIP, wire UPI/Razorpay + cards, and publish this week. The market rewards the digital edition you ship.

Meta description
Turn a physical book into a clean EPUB and print-friendly PDF. Rights check, scan-to-OCR workflow, accessibility, packaging, INR pricing, UPI/Razorpay, and a 7-day launch plan.

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