Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about using Pubblish.
General Questions
What is Pubblish?
Pubblish is a publishing workflow automation platform designed for self-publishers and micro-publishers. It helps you manage your book catalog, automate your publishing process, and generate professional metadata for distribution.
Who is Pubblish for?
- Self-publishers managing their own book catalog
- Small publishers with a catalog of titles
- Author collectives publishing together
- Literary presses needing professional tools
- Anyone who needs to manage book metadata and workflows
How much does it cost?
Pricing information will be available when Pubblish launches. Sign up for early access to be notified.
Is my data secure?
Yes. Each publisher gets their own isolated database (multi-tenant architecture). Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and regular backups are performed.
Account Questions
How do I sign up?
Visit pubblish.com/signup and create an account. You’ll need: - Your name - Email address - Publisher name - Desired subdomain
Can I change my subdomain later?
Yes, but it requires support assistance. Contact [email protected] if you need to change your subdomain.
Can I have multiple users on my account?
Team features depend on your subscription plan. See Billing & Subscriptions for details on team member limits.
How do I cancel my account?
You can do both of these yourself, and they’re different things:
- Cancel your subscription but keep the account — do it in Billing. Any refund you’re owed is worked out and paid automatically.
- Close your account entirely — do it in your account settings. This deletes your data, so export anything you want to keep first.
Title Management
What’s the difference between a title and an edition?
- Title = The intellectual work (the book)
- Edition = A specific format (paperback, ebook, hardcover, etc.)
One title can have multiple editions, but they all share the same core content.
Do I need an ISBN for each edition?
Yes. Each format (paperback, ebook, hardcover, audiobook) needs its own ISBN. You can purchase ISBNs from your national ISBN agency.
Can I import my existing catalog?
Currently, you’ll need to enter titles individually. Contact support if you have a large catalog to discuss options.
How many titles can I add?
There’s no limit on the number of titles you can manage in Pubblish.
People & Contributors
Why are People and Contributors separate?
People = Legal entities (for contracts, payments) Contributors = Public personas (pen names, author brands)
This separation allows one person to have multiple pen names, or for estates to manage deceased authors’ works.
Can one person have multiple pen names?
Yes! Create one Person record, then multiple Contributor records linked to that person. Each contributor can have their own bio, pen name, and public identity.
What contributor roles are supported?
Pubblish supports all standard ONIX role codes, including: - Author, Editor, Translator, Illustrator, Narrator, Introduction By, Foreword By, and 150+ more
See the People & Contributors Guide for details.
Metadata
What is BISAC?
BISAC (Book Industry Subject and Category) codes are standardized subject codes used by the book industry to categorize titles. They help retailers place your book in the right section.
Example: FIC009000 = Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
How many BISAC codes should I use?
Choose 3-5 specific codes. More isn’t better - focus on accuracy, not quantity.
What is ONIX?
ONIX (ONline Information eXchange) is the international standard format for book metadata exchange. Retailers and distributors use ONIX files to receive your book information.
Do I need to understand ONIX?
No. You just enter your book information in the interface using familiar terms. Pubblish follows industry standards behind the scenes.
Workflows
What are workflows?
Workflows help you track a book’s progress through your publishing process. They track status (pending, running, paused, completed, etc.) so you can see where each title stands.
Are workflows required?
No. Workflows are optional. You can use Pubblish just for catalog management without using the workflow features.
Converting Manuscripts
My converted book has no chapters — it came out as one long section
Pubblish finds your chapters by looking at the paragraph styles in your Word document, not at the words on the page. A line that merely looks like a heading — bigger, bold, centred — is still body text as far as the file is concerned.
So the first thing to check is that your chapter headings use a paragraph style. In Word, click on a chapter heading and look at the Styles panel. If it says “Normal”, that is the problem: apply a heading style to each chapter opening and convert again.
If your headings already use a style, the style’s name may be the problem. Pubblish recognises names it can read — “Chapter Title”, “Heading 1”, “Chapter Number”. Manuscripts prepared by a designer often use short in-house names instead, like “CT”, “TX” or “EP”, and those mean nothing on their own.
For that case Pubblish can ask an AI to work out what each style is, by looking at a short sample of the text set in it. That is switched off until you turn it on, because it means sending those samples outside Pubblish. You will find it under Settings → AI. Turn it on, then rebuild the conversion. It costs one AI credit each time it runs.
Why is the AI style setting off by default?
Because it is the only AI feature that reads your book without you asking it to. Everything else — descriptions, taglines, keywords — happens when you press a button. This one runs by itself during conversion, so we would rather you decided.
If you are working on an embargoed book, or something under a non-disclosure agreement, leave it off and name your styles in a way Pubblish can read instead.
My scene breaks all look the same, or there are two of them
Scene breaks come from a paragraph style too — one named something like “Scene Break” or “Section Break”. Pubblish replaces whatever character you typed (an asterisk row, an ornament) with the marker chosen in your conversion template, so you get one consistent break through the whole book rather than a mixture.
If you want no visible marker at all, choose the blank-line option in the template.
Technical Questions
What browsers are supported?
Pubblish works with: - Chrome/Edge (recommended) - Firefox - Safari - Modern mobile browsers
Is there a mobile app?
Not yet, but the web interface is mobile-responsive and works well on tablets and phones.
Can I access Pubblish offline?
No. Pubblish is a cloud-based platform requiring internet access.
What file formats can I upload?
Pubblish supports common image formats (JPEG, PNG) for cover images and author photos. Manuscript files and other documents can be uploaded as assets.
Data & Privacy
Who owns my data?
You do. All content you enter into Pubblish belongs to you.
Can I export my data?
Contact support if you need a data export.
Does my manuscript get sent to an AI?
Only if you switch that on. One feature can read short samples of your manuscript — the style classifier that works out which of your paragraph styles are chapter headings — and it is off until you enable it under Settings → AI.
The AI features you press a button for (descriptions, taglines, keyword suggestions) work from the details you have typed into Pubblish, not from your manuscript file.
Is Pubblish GDPR compliant?
Yes. Pubblish follows GDPR guidelines for European users, including data protection, right to access, and right to deletion.
Where is my data stored?
Data is stored in secure cloud infrastructure with regular backups and encryption.
Support
How do I get help?
- This guide - You’re reading it! Search for topics in the sidebar
- Get help - the Help menu inside Pubblish; it brings along the page you were on, which usually saves a round of questions
- Email - [email protected], if you can’t get into Pubblish
We usually reply within one working day. See Support for the full details.
Is there phone support?
No — we’re a small team, so help is written rather than by phone. That way you get an answer you can keep, and we can look at your account while we reply.
Can you help me format my book?
Pubblish is a catalog and workflow management tool, not a book formatting service. However, the workflows feature can help you track your book through professional formatting services.
Do you provide editing or design services?
No. Pubblish is software for managing your publishing process, not a service provider. You’ll still need to work with editors, designers, and other professionals for those services.
Feature Requests
How do I request a feature?
Use the Help menu inside Pubblish, choose Get help, and pick Idea. We love hearing what would make Pubblish more useful.
Troubleshooting
I forgot my password
Click “Forgot Password” on the login page and follow the email instructions to reset.
I’m not receiving emails from Pubblish
Check your spam folder. Add [email protected] to your contacts to ensure delivery.
A page isn’t loading correctly
Try: 1. Refresh the page (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R) 2. Clear your browser cache 3. Try a different browser 4. Contact support if issues persist
My changes aren’t saving
Make sure you click the “Save” button. If you navigate away without saving, changes will be lost. If you clicked Save and it still didn’t work, contact support.
Getting Started
I’m new to publishing. Where do I start?
- Read the Getting Started Guide
- Create your first title
- Add your author information
- Explore the features at your own pace
Is there a demo or trial?
Trial information will be available when Pubblish launches. Check pubblish.com for current offers.
Do you offer training?
This documentation site covers all features with step-by-step guides. Additional resources may be added over time.
Still have questions?
Contact [email protected] - we’re here to help!