Frequently Asked Questions about Free Self Publishing on Ourboox

Is it really free?

Yes, it is. You can create and self publish as many online books for free as you like. Each unpublished book has an alpha-numeric URL that you can share (or keep to yourself). This is also a free service.

There may be a small premium charge in future for promoting your book by publishing it to the public international Ourboox library which is read by search engines and the readers around the world.

Ourboox has two formats. What’s the difference?

The original Ourboox picture book creator is perfect for books that incorporate text, pictures, and embedded material. The pages flip on laptops and tablets. The books are beautiful and easy to read. You can also use it for text alone (even just copy an entire Word document into the first page, it’s that easy).

The second format is perfect for textbooks, or books that have already been formatted for pdf. Simply drag and drop your pdf file in order to create and self-publish your content. You can then add a cover and more information. This additional information is in HTML5 format, which is highly visible to search.

What format is Ourboox based on and which formats and files does it accept?

The picture format is based on HTML5, which means that it is perfect for SEO and search engines. Content in Word can simply be copied and pasted into the picture book editor.

The pdf format accepts content in pdf but the cover and background information is the same as with the picture book format.

Artwork (picture book format) and covers (both formats) can be uploaded as jpeg, png or gif.

Can I import my Word document to create a book?

On Ourboox, you can just copy and paste the text from any of your word documents into the picture book creator. You can choose to separate the pages manually (it works automatically on mobiles). Otherwise readers using laptops can scroll down and read your text. In both cases, the search engines will read every word of your book.

Is Ourboox a good platform for books with pictures, photo albums, books with artwork and illustrations?

It’s an excellent platform for creating picture books online in minutes that are easy to make, easy to share and easy to promote. Just drag and drop the artwork or photos and they become individual pages. You can add hyperlinks that connect your readers to sites where they can buy your physical products, books etc.

What about my Copyright?

Your copyright is your copyright! On Ourboox basically all we ask is the right to display your content for as long as you agree (please see Terms and Conditions for the details). We don’t own your content. We don’t sell your content. We don’t prohibit you from publishing the content elsewhere and you can delete or remove the content (or make it private) whenever you like.

If the books are free to create and read, how can I make money self publishing on Ourboox?

Premium members will be able to receive donations directly to their PayPal account and will be able to include live links to sites where they sell books and other merchandise.

Can I self publish anything I like on Ourboox?

Practically anything. We have over 100 genres, including children’s books, poetry, school books, travel cooking, helpful tips, satire and much more.

We have the editorial ability to remove content for any reason including material that is pornographic or hateful. We ask that writers upload only material that they are allowed to.

How will People find my Books?

If your books are in the public international Ourboox library, then most of your readers will probably find your content through search engines (which is an exciting aspect of the Ourboox platform). We also recommend that you share the URL of your book on social media, embed it in your blogs, etc.

If your books are in the private Ourboox library, then you can still share the URL. However they will not be visible on the public pages of the Ourboox website.

Who is behind Ourboox?

Two authors (Mel Rosenberg and his wife Shuli Sapir Rosenberg-Nevo) who want to help writers make a name for themselves and Ran Shternin (on the right of the picture), a web genius.  They all are sensitive to the needs of the writing community worldwide and want to provide a great service that the world (and forests) need so badly – beautiful online books that are free to create and share.

How does Ourboox Help Me Make a Name for Myself as a Writer

In addition to what we’ve described above, you have your own personal homepage on Ourboox which takes seconds to create. You can share the URL with the whole world, and save all the time and effort it takes to create your own website.