FAQ

PubML and WordPress

How do I Get started with WordPress and <PubML>™?
Most web hosting services offer a WordPress installation wizard. A few clicks and WordPress will be up and running. The PubML Publishing Tools install and update easily. We offer a complete set of video tutorials and hand-holding for the faint of heart.
Why Do I Need WordPress to Publish with <PubML>™?
Technically, you don't need WordPress. If you have coding skills, you can dissect any PubML eBook, substitute your own content, and publish your own book. But if you want an easy way to manage books, chapters, footnotes, and media links, WordPress provides an intuitive, easy-to-use platform for publishing PubML books.
Is WordPress Required to Display <PubML>™ eBooks?
No. WordPress is required to run the PubML Publishing Tools. After you export a book to the PubML format, you can drop it on any web host or read it on your computer, phone, or tablet. PubML eBooks do not rely on any databases or middleware; PubML is 100% HTML5.

PubML EBooks

What Web Browsers are <PubML>™ eBooks Compatible With?
  • Mozilla Firefox: version 23 or greater (releases since August, 2013)
  • Google Chrome: version 29 or greater (releases since August, 2013)
  • Safari: version 5.1 or greater (releases since July, 2011)
  • iOS Safari: version 3.2 or greater (releases since April, 2010)
  • Opera: version 17 or greater (releases since August, 2013)
  • Opera Mini: version 5.0 or greater (releases since January, 2010)
  • Android Browser: version 2.1 or greater (releases since January, 2010)
  • Blackberry: version 7 or greater (releases since August, 2011)
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer: v. 10 or greater (releases since August, 2012)
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile: version 10 or greater (releases since October, 2012)
Are there any Disadvantages to <PubML>™?
<PubML>® eBooks are better but not perfect. Here are a few things to consider: <PubML>® Requires Up-to-date Technology

If your reader has an out-of-date computer or web browser, your book won't be viewable on that system. While it isn't necessary to have "bleeding edge" technology, we've seen lots of improvements over the past few years. When it comes to web browsers, newer is better.

Dynamic Web Typography is Less Precise than Print

In printed book typography, designers attempt to prevent four basic patterns from occurring: ladders, widows, orphans, and runts. Once you flow resizable text into pages, these elements become much more difficult to prevent or control.

  • Ladder - 3 or more consecutive lines ending with a hyphen - hyphenation is inserted automatically by browsers that support hyphenation.
  • Widow - when the first line of a paragraph is the last line of a page or column
  • Orphan - when the last line of a paragraph is the first line of a page or column
  • Runt - a single word on the last line of a paragraph

Though <PubML>® styles offer a "runt control" option (this inserts a non-breaking space between the last two words of a paragraph so you always see a minimum of two words on a line), this can cause unpleasant spacing problems in short paragraphs.

<PubML>® Offers No Sorting and Indexing by Metadata

Traditional eBook metadata allows books in a virtual library to be sorted by author, genre, publication date, title, etc. No such sorting mechanism or library exists for web-based eBooks.

PubML Tools

I’m Not a Designer. How hard is it to publish with <PubML>™?
The PubML tools come with default settings that render beautiful books. If you do nothing more than set up a new book and enter your text, you'll be ready to export an elegant eBook. And the on-board help system goes beyond instructing you how to do things. You'll find plenty of information about font choice, book layout, and other aspects of book design.
What Happens to My Books if My <PubML>™ Subscription Expires?
Any eBooks you export from the <PubML>® Publishing Tools or embed in a WordPress post or page will remain 100% functional, even if your software license expires. Publishers with an expired license are subject to the following restrictions:
  • You can create new books but you cannot export or embed them until you renew.
  • You can modify old books but you cannot export or embed the modified versions until you renew.
An active subscription allows you to:
  • Create, embed, and export new books
  • Modify and update old books, including republishing old books with new features added in future, updated versions of the <PubmL>® Publishing Tools.
Your content will never be held hostage. You are free to publish and then never renew your subscription unless you need to update or enhance books created before your license expired.
What Size Should My Cover Image Be?
To ensure that your cover image isn't cropped or too short for the cover page, it's important to upload an image of the correct size and proportions. Start off with the dimensions of your book. The book styles tools allow you to select proportions that match common book sizes. For example, if the print version of your book is 6 x 9 inches, set the proportions of your book to be 6:9 and plan the proportions of your cover accordingly. Web graphics are assume to be 72 pixels per inch, so start off with your proportions multiplied by 72. To display a 6x9 book at 100% scale, you'll need a cover image that's 432px (6 x 72) wide by 648px tall (9 x 72). That's a good starting point but <PubML>® books scale to fit the screen they're being viewed on, and some Apple products have extra-high-resolution screens. Doubling the cover dimensions from 432x648 to 864 x 1296 will allow you to present a crisp cover on almost any screen but it may also create a file that's large enough to slow down the loading of your eBook. Every image is different; some compress easily down to small file sizes while others refuse to compress without compromising image quality. Choose the best image format for your cover (usually GIF, JPEG, or PNG), and choose a scale that's between 100% and 200% scale. There's no "right" file size. Find the right compromise between file size and quality, but don't go overboard if quality is your master. Rarely can you see the difference between an 80% JPEG and a 100% JPEG but you'll lose over half your file size by adding some compression. Consult your graphic designer for help with image compression, cropping, and resizing.

Selling PubML eBooks

How can I sell my books online?
Sell your books as you would any other web content:
  • Offer a few sample chapters and put the rest of your book behind a pay wall. Numerous free WordPress plugins allow you to set that up in a snap.
  • Zip up your exported eBook and offer it for sale as a digital download. Again, this is easy with WordPress.
  • Make your book freely available and ask readers to pay when they're done reading if they find the book valuable. Though this sounds counter-intuitive, it's the same model used by physical bookstores: go in, read, and pay if you like the book.
  • Export to traditional ePub eBook format and upload your book to major eBookstores (ePub and eReader devices do not support footnotes, video, web fonts, etc. but styled text and embedded images will work fine).