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The End of ABC's Print & Publish Service
It's the end of an era: after 15 years of faithful service and countless books printed, our Betty the Book Machine will retire on 31 January, 2026.
Thank you to everyone who has used Betty to bring your books to life. We're proud to have been part of your creative journey and achievements.
Betty will continue printing while supplies last, so please place your orders early if you'd like a few more copies of your book.
If you're looking for alternative self-publishing options, we recommend IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com/
We’re here to make it happen! With Betty, our Espresso Book Machine (EBM) in our store in Amsterdam, your manuscript can become a beautiful paperback in minutes: perfect for single copies or larger print runs. Once printed, your book can also be offered for sale on our website and as a print-to-order option right here in-store.
To get started, check out the guidelines below, and we’ll support you every step of the way.
You’re welcome to come by and see this impressive process in action: book an appointment and, if you are a teacher, feel free to bring your group or class!
Please Note: The guidelines are subject to change. They are being updated now (Dec. 2019). Where it differs, please follow the information on this page.
Short: Short Guidelines (ENGLISH) / Verkorte Richtlijnen (DUTCH)
Detailed: Submission Guidelines (ENGLISH) / Richtlijnen voor aanleveren (DUTCH)
In order for us to print and make your book, you have to sign the following affidavit stating that you 'own the rights to' or 'have permission to use' the information in your book.
Please bring this form with you, or post / fax / email it to us.
The EBM only accepts Portable Document Files (.pdf) - this is in order to maintain the fonts, margins and internal formatting of your document.
The PDF is a stable file format that ensures your book will look exactly as it does when you format it on your home computer.
If the files are formatted correctly, the turnaround time from file submission to the finished product can be very fast.
You will have to provide us with 2 PDF files that are finalized and ready to be uploaded and printed - "print ready".
Note: We cannot work with "Password Protected" files.
We prefer submissions via email as there are often problems with files submitted via usb stick. It is possible to have your "self‑published" books printed from Sunday to Friday until 15h00, depending on our specialized operators being available and the files being correct.
We recommend that you send it via email ahead of time so that you aren't disappointed if the files need changing or there isn't anyone available to help you when you arrive.
A quick "upload and print" depends on the files being as described in the guidelines above.
To ensure quick service, please contact us for an appointment via betty@abc.nl
This depends on the quality of the submitted files. Even if the guidelines are followed to the letter, there could be some changes necessary. The specialized operators will check your files, making sure that book block size and cover size are correct. Then they will upload your file to check it on the EBM's interface. If it is able to be uploaded looks correct and looks correct, they will print a first copy.
If everything is perfect, this process could take about half an hour. The actual printing and binding of the book takes an average of 7 minutes - depending on how many pages it has.
You don't need an ISBN if you're not planning to sell it to the public, and you can always add an ISBN later if you change your mind.
If you would like your book to be added to our website it must have an ISBN.
It is possible to register an ISBN via us, for € 35.
If your book was created using Betty (EBM) and has an ISBN, we can add it to our database. It is then a "print on demand" book and can be purchased via this website.
The short answer is: no. The Betty team helps self-publishing authors make their book available on Betty the Book Machine. Authors can choose to sell their Betty book (ISBN required) via abc.nl. The Betty team does not stock or sell self-published books that cannot be printed by Betty the Book Machine.
If you have published your book elsewhere, and it is not available through ABC’s usual suppliers, consider offering your book for sale on a consignment basis. Read up on the details here.
If you have published your book elsewhere, and want to turn it into a Betty book, you can follow the usual process and reach out to us. Before you do so, check very carefully if printing and/or publishing with us, interferes with any other rights on your book. Your book files will likely need to be adjusted to our printing requirements. Also, you might need a new ISBN for the Betty edition of your book. Contact us at betty@abc.nl to discuss the possibilities.
Unfortunately, no. E-books, and their authors, are copyright protected, so we cannot print e-books without express approval of the copyright holder(s). If approved, the book would also need to be in the correct format for printing.
The ABC 10% Off Cards and Large Quantity Discount** of up to 25% apply to Self‑Published books printed on Betty the Book Machine.
** 10% ABC discount isn't added to Large Quantity Discount.
The regular ABC and special EBM (Self‑Publishing) Gift Certificates are valid for printed books.