Digitisation
Destructive Book Scanning
Turn an out-of-print physical book into clean, searchable digital files ready to be reissued in print and ebook editions.
If the only surviving copy of your backlist title is a printed book, this is how it gets back into circulation. The spine is removed so pages can be fed flat — which is why it is called destructive, and why we only ever do it to a spare copy.
The process
- Spine removed and pages separated
- High-resolution scanning of every page
- OCR to produce searchable, editable text
- Manual correction pass over the OCR output
- Reflow into a clean manuscript file
- Optional re-typesetting for a new print edition
Before you send it
Send a copy you are willing to lose — the book does not survive the process. Confirm you hold the rights to the work being scanned before ordering.
What’s included
OCR with human pass
Automated recognition corrected manually, not shipped raw.
Reissue-ready output
A clean manuscript file you can re-typeset and republish from.
Rights confirmed first
We verify you hold the rights to the title before scanning begins.
Get advice from a real publishing expert
No bots, no sales script. A specialist who has shipped books in your genre will look at yours and tell you what it needs.
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Here’s how it feels to publish with us
“From the first consultation to launch day the process never stalled. I kept 100% ownership and still ended up with a bestseller.”
“Outstanding editing and cover design. They understood the vision and executed it flawlessly. Worth every penny.”
“My title went live in print, ebook and audio in the same week. I had spent two years failing to do that alone.”
“The metadata work alone doubled my discoverability. They treat a book like a product, not a favour.”
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I keep the rights to my book?
How much does publishing a book cost?
How long does the whole process take?
Can I order a single service instead of a package?
Where will my book actually be sold?
What if I am not happy with the work?
Ready to publish your book?
Bring us the draft you have. We will handle the rest of the hive work — and you keep every right to the finished book.
