Chapisha: docx to standards-compliant epub3 conversion

What is it?

Chapisha (/ʧæpiʃɑ/) provides an intuitive method for converting a well-formatted Microsoft Word .docx file into a standards-compliant EPUB3 ebook.

There are only a small number of steps required to create your .epub, and Chapisha will provide an appropriate stylesheet and take care of document structure:

• Set the working directory where you want to create your .epub,
• Define and validate the metadata required for the creative work,
• Import the docx file,
• Import the cover image,
• Define and add any contributors, such as cover artist,
• Define your creative work's publication rights,
• Add in an optional dedication,
• Build your creative work as an EPUB3 standards-compliant ebook.

Read the docs

Why use it?

Chapisha is easy-to-use, quick, and fits into your workflow.

There are a multitude of .epub conversion tools but few that support the day-to-day workflow and tools used by most jobbing writers: Microsoft Word.

Chapisha draws on Pandoc for document conversion and ebook creation, adding a simple, stateless Python frame around it, which means you can also include it in a web application.

Installation and dependencies

You'll need at least Python 3.12, then:

pip install chapisha

You will also need to install Pandoc and Java:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install python3-dev libevent-dev pandoc default-jre

Changelog

The version history can be found in the changelog.

Background

Chapisha was created to serve my needs as both a formally, and self-published, author. I have written two novels - Lament for the fallen and Our memory like dust - and a number of short stories. These works are available to read online, and to download as an ebook.

Chapisha is the Swahili word for 'publish' or 'post'.

Licence

BSD 3

Other licenced elements:

• Samara logo is copyright Whythawk and Qwyre.
• Cover photo is copyright Rodd Halstead, licenced under commercial terms to Whythawk, and used here for test purposes.
• Usan Abasi's Lament is copyright Gavin Chait, licenced CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 and used here for test purposes.