An Introduction to IngramSpark’s Book-Building Tool

IngramSpark’s Book-Building Tool was created to allow you to build your book from start to finish.

BOOK INFORMATION

Select the trim size and book type you want to use to create your book.

Then, proceed to the tool’s Book Information screen where you can enter information like your
book’s title and author name. 

1. Once you’ve provided a title, it will appear at the top of the screen along with the trim size
   you selected.
2. As you scroll down, you can see that the tool has selected a common book type based
   on the trim size and bind type you selected to start. You can update any of these settings to
   change the type of book you want to create.

INTERIOR BUILDER

Use the left-hand navigation to get to the tool’s interior screens or scroll to the bottom of the Book
Information screen and select, “Proceed to Interior.”

1. The first thing you’ll want to do is choose a layout for your book’s interior. There are many
   different layouts to choose from, and you can see an example of each one in both print and
   ebook form by clicking on the icons below each layout.
2. The book-building tool allows you to completely create your book within the builder or upload
   a Word document to get started. If you select “Upload Document,” you’ll find some useful
   information about preparing your Word document for upload under “File Prep.” Under “File
   Upload,” you can drag and drop, or browse for your file.
3. If you will be using images within the interior of your book, you will want to select “Add Images”
   and upload your image by clicking “Upload Image” and browsing for your file.

THE EDIT TOOL

Our Edit tool allows you to add to or edit the file you uploaded, or even create your book from
scratch. Once uploaded, your book will be divided into three sections:

• Front Text
• Body Text
• Rear Text

Uploaded files will appear within the “Body Text” section and can be edited by clicking the “pencil/
edit” icon or deleted by clicking the “delete” icon.

Inside the editor, you will be able to revise your text in a number of different ways. Make sure to
look at the options on the toolbar, as many customization options are available to you there.

• Click into the preview box to see a preview of your work.
• At the top of the editor, you can update the Chapter name and select if you want to include it
  in the Table of Contents. This is turned on by default, but you can remove this section from the
  Table of Contents if you choose to change the section to appear as notes, references, or as a
  photo insert.
• Make sure to click the “Save and Close” button at the bottom of the page to save your work and
  return to the main menu of the Edit tool.
• At the top of the screen, you will find templates for a dedication page, a copyright page, and an
  author bio.
• You can rearrange any of the pages by simply dragging them where you want.
• Always make sure to update your page count by clicking the “Page Count Refresh” button at the
  top of the screen. This will ensure your page count and spine width are correct.
• Next, you can look at a preview of your book. Under “Preview Book,” you have the option to:
  • Select a layout for preview, so you can see your book in multiple layouts. Please note: the last
    selection you leave in the layout box will be used to create your book later.
  • Click the “Generate Preview” button to see a preview of the interior of your book.

Check out our Interior Builder Overview Video or Help Document for a more in-depth review of building your interior.

COVER BUILDER

The first thing you need to do is select a cover layout in order to create your cover.

When preparing to build your cover, it is always best to refresh your page count by clicking the
“Page Count Refresh” button at the top of the screen.

You will find many editing options and tools to help you design a professional-looking book here.

Check out our Cover Builder Overview Video or Help Document for an in-depth look at building your cover.

FINISH BUILDING

Once you have created the interior and cover files, you’re ready to create your book. To do so, click
the “Finished Building” button at the top of the screen. This will walk you step-by-step through the
process of reviewing your files and approving your book for production.

Check out our Finished Building Video or Help Document for a more in-depth review of the “finished building” process.

HELP US HELP YOU!

If this article didn't answer your question, please share in the comments section below the problem you experienced or the help you were needing with the book building tool.

Thank you!