Frequently Asked Questions
Read the FAQs to learn how BookBildr works and find solutions to common problems. If you can’t find an answer to your question here, feel free to contact us. For step-by-step tutorials and tips, check out our Blog’s Tutorials category.
Q: What is BookBildr?
BookBildr is an online-based tool that makes it possible for you to create your own illustrated book from scratch. You don’t need any design experience because BookBildr has everything in stock. You can choose different backgrounds, shapes, frames and illustrations, and add them to your book. The number of combinations is endless and no story will be alike. All images on BookBildr are in public domain, which means they are OK for both personal and commercial use. Once your book is finished, you have two options: to download a PDF or to order printed copies that will be delivered to your address. We ship worldwide.
Q: What can I do with BookBildr?
With BookBildr, you can easily create illustrated books in four different formats: medium square, large square, landscape, and portrait. You can download the books you create as PDFs or order hard copies.
You can use BookBildr to create:
– picture books for children
– personalized gifts
– learning materials for school, church, or any other organization
– photobooks with your own images or a combination of our illustrations and your images
– and much more!
Q: Who is BookBildr for?
The short answer is, it’s for anyone with Internet access who wants to make an illustrated book or a PDF. More specifically, it’s for:
– parents and grandparents who want to put their stories to life and make personalized children’s picture books
– independent writers who want to try their hand at writing and illustrating their own stories
– children who want to write books like grownups
– schools, kindergartens and other educational organizations
– the list is endless, really!
Q: Do you offer volume discounts?
Yes, we do. You get:
– 10% off when you order 5-14 copies
– 15% off when you order 15-49 copies
– 20% off when you order 50-99 copies
– 25% off when you order 100-249 copies
– 30% off when you order 250 or more copies
This offer is not applicable to Mohawk and layflat hardcovers.
Q: Can you proofread my book?
Yes, you can order proofreading and/or editing from the Services page.
Q: The book thumbnail looks different in the checkout. What to do?
Please clear your cache and try again. If the problem persists, contact us.
Feeling stuck using the BookBildr Editor tool? You’ll find all the answers here (and don’t forget to check out the Using BookBildr category on our Blog to read step-by-step instructions).
Q: Can I use the BookBildr Editor on a mobile device?
Currently, the editing tool is for desktops only. We’ll release a mobile version in the near future.
Q: Which browser works best?
BookBildr works with all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) but Google Chrome is your best bet. If you’re experiencing any problems, try it on Chrome.
Q: Can I change the order of the pages?
Yes, you can. Use the arrow icons to move your pages around.
Q: Does BookBildr save my book project automatically?
No, it doesn’t. Make sure you press the “Save” icon often to avoid losing your work.
Q: Can I paste the text from a program like Word instead of typing it?
Yes, you can. However, you should make sure none of the hidden rich formatting gets transferred and “break” your book. For best result, paste your text from a simple text editor like Notepad and press Ctrl+Shift+V (Cmd+Shift+V on a Mac) when pasting.
Q: I want to make my book look beautiful. Do you have any tips?
Making a beautiful book is easier than you think – just take these tips into account and follow our formatting guidelines from the next FAQ.
– Avoid placing text too close to the edge of each page. Technically, at least 1 cm is required to make sure the page doesn’t look strange or your text or picture doesn’t get cut off. For large books, leave a bit more of blank space for best results. Our “Margins” checkbox will help you to make sure no elements are place too close to the edge.
– Add a little extra space near the expected fold, especially if your book has more than 20 pages (not applicable to layflat books). Again, the “Margins” function will help.
– Use a photo, an image or a solid color as the background or keep it white. You can use patterns but they usually make your text hard to read and make the page look too busy. We particularly recommend avoiding stripes near the edge of the pages.
Q: Are there any specific formatting requirements for my book?
With BookBildr, you don’t really need to format your book in any special way. However, keep in mind the following:
– A digital publication (PDF) can have as many or as few pages as you like
– The minimum number of pages for a softcover is 16, and the minimum number of pages for a hardcover is 24 including the covers
– The first and last pages are the front and back book covers
– The second page of your book design will always be the first left available content page (see below for differences between softcovers, hardcovers, and layflats)
– Please make sure you have an even number of pages because otherwise the back cover will be white (we’ll notify you of that before you purchase the book).
– Don’t place any elements too close to the page edges. Use the “Toggle” checkbox for guidelines and place your content within the frame
There are some distinctions between how softcover and hardcover books are made.
Softcover books:
– The first page of the book is the front cover
– The second page of the book will be printed on the inside of the front cover
– The last page is the back book cover
– The page before last will be printed on the inside of the back cover
Click here to download a printable softcover formatting checklist.
Hardcover books:
– The first page of the book is the front cover
– The inside of the front cover will be white
– The second page of the book will be on the first left page inside the book
– The inside of the back cover will be white
Click here to download a printable hardcover formatting checklist.
Layflat hardcover books:
– The first page of the book will be your front cover
– The second page of the book will be printed on the inside of the front cover
– The page before last will be printed on the inside of the back cover
– The last page will be your back cover
Q: Do you add any content to my book?
No, we don’t unless it’s a blank page for formatting purposes. If any other changes need to be made to your content, we’ll contact you and ask you to make the changes.
However, some of our suppliers add an order identification code or number to the final page of the book (so make sure you don’t put your important content there to avoid it getting partially covered). This code is needed to be able to see the order through all the production stages and match the cover with the inner pages. Because the ID code is such an important feature, it can’t be removed, resized or put anywhere else. It is a very important feature and therefore, it cannot be removed, re-sized or placed anywhere else. This order reference is also used for re-ordering and customer service purposes, appreciated by many of our customers.
Q: I’ve ordered my book in PDF. How can I download it?
The download link for your book will be sent to you in an email to the email address you provided in the order form. Usually, your file will be ready within approximately 30 minutes after the payment is done. Please make sure you check the spam folder if the email is taking longer to arrive. If there is still no email after 2 hours, contact us and we’ll generate the PDF for you.
Q: Do you accept returns and exchanges?
If there is a print quality issue, please send an email to our printing partner at support@peecho.com, describe the problem, and include some photos. They will happily reprint the product for you free of charge if it’s the printer’s fault. However, please note that we can’t accept returns or issue refunds. We cannot refund or replace items if you simply changed your mind, made typos, used the wrong photo, or ordered the wrong size or shape.
We aren’t being nasty here – we simply can’t accept returns because there is no way for us to sell your custom-made product and cover the manufacturing and shipping costs. Ordinary store-bought products can only be returned because they can be resold to other customers.
Q: I’ve ordered a PDF download and then realized there was a typo. Do I need to order again?
No, simply edit your PDF, click on the Save button and let us know – we’ll generate the new PDF for you. After all, we all make typos!
Q: Can you refund me my purchase of a PDF? I don’t want it anymore.
No, sorry. It’s a digital download, which you can’t give back or complain about the quality – it was you who made the book, after all. PDF downloads are strictly non-refundable. However, if there’s an obvious problem with the file, like broken images, damaged text or even typos, we’ll help you to fix it.
Q: I’m really unhappy with my order. What to do?
If, for any reason, you’re not satisfied with our product, please let us know. We strive to provide top-quality products, so it’s important for us to know how we could improve. You can contact us via the contact form on the website.
Q: What if my order gets lost or damaged in the post?
We know how frustrating it is when something doesn’t arrive when expected. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! As long as you entered your shipping address correctly, we’ll be happy to send you a complimentary replacement. Just contact our printing partner’s customer support at support@peecho.com and they’ll take it from there. Don’t forget to include your order number. If the product arrives damaged, send us some photos and your order reference number, and we’ll happily replace it.
Q: I still haven’t received my order. What to do?
The estimated delivery times shown on our website are only estimates based on our experience in shipping products to various countries. So please allow a bit more time for your order to get delivered, especially if you ordered during the holiday rush.
Factors which could delay delivery times include:
– Mistyped or incorrectly formatted address
– Customs and import restrictions
– Failed delivery attempts (i.e. no one was home to receive the order)
– Postal strikes
– Other adverse conditions such as natural disasters
For all concerns regarding shipping, contact support@peecho.com with your order number.
Q: How long does shipping take?
Our manufacturers attempt to dispatch orders within 2-4 business days. Then everything is up to the local postal service or courier.
Once your order is shipped, please allow (as a very general rule):
UK: 1-5 working days
Europe & US: 4-10 working days
Rest of World: 7-45 working days
Q: Who will own the copyright to my book?
You and only you. BookBildr is just a tool to help you make your book. All the illustrations we offer are public domain, so you don’t have to worry about that either.
Q: What are BookBildr’s content policies?
All illustrations provided by BookBildr come from free stock websites or from our partner illustrators. The illustrations are public domain and are free for commercial use. If you think that an illustration breaches copyright laws, please contact us via the contact form and report your concern.
BookBildr aims to be a platform for creativity and freedom of expression. However, there are legal and ethical restrictions we expect you to respect when you upload your own content. That’s why we advise you to double check our Terms of Use before uploading images and texts.
Q: Can I sell books made with BookBildr?
Yes, you can. However, it’s your responsibility to ensure that you have the necessary rights for all the content in your book or PDF.
Here’s an overview of how you can use BookBildr content.
What’s allowed:
- Commercial and noncommercial use across print and digital, except in the cases mentioned in “What’s not allowed”.
- Attribution is not required but very much appreciated. Something like “This book was made with BookBildr.com” would mean a lot to us.
What’s NOT allowed:
- Don’t sell unaltered copies of an image (e.g. don’t create a sheet with a single image from us and sell it as your own). This also applies to creating photo albums using the photos we provide and crediting yourself as the photographer. That’s not only dishonest, but also illegal.
- Don’t use our content to portray identifiable people or brands in a bad light.
- Don’t use our content to create misleading associations with identifiable brands, products, and/or services.