Sometimes, the most exciting projects begin with a single tweet.
I came across a post from Naweed Chougle on X (Twitter), where he was looking for a WordPress expert to help bring his product idea, eBook Crafter to life. Naweed, who has worked as a technical support specialist for well-known plugins like LearnDash and WP RSS Aggregator, had a clear and ambitious vision:
“Build a WordPress plugin that turns Gutenberg-based content into a beautifully formatted PDF eBook right inside the WordPress dashboard.”
I replied to his post, and soon after, we scheduled a free consultation to explore the concept in detail.
The Vision and Early Concept
Naweed already had a prototype built using Cursor, which captured the core of his idea but wasn’t production-ready. While it helped visualize the concept, the codebase required major rethinking to make it stable, extendable, and ready for real users.
During our early discussions, we refined the long-term vision, budget, and technical goals. Together, we mapped out a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), something simple enough to launch quickly, but solid enough to evolve into a full product later. After a few follow-up emails, the plan was ready, and I got to work.
Rebuilding From Scratch
From day one, I knew the project needed to be built from the ground up, no shortcuts.
I took complete ownership of the plugin’s architecture and development. My goal was to build something clean, reliable, and future-proof, following modern WordPress development standards.
The plugin was designed to work natively with the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg) to give users a familiar experience. Wherever possible, I used elements from the WordPress Design System to ensure a consistent and intuitive interface.
For licensing and payments, I integrated Freemius, a trusted platform used by top WordPress products. It handles checkout, subscriptions, and license activation directly inside the plugin, creating a smooth experience for both the client and future users.
Every line of code was written following WordPress Coding Standards, with scalability, performance, security, and long-term maintenance in mind, an approach I’ve developed over a decade of building custom solutions for well-known WordPress businesses.
Building the Core of eBook Crafter
At its core, eBook Crafter allows creators to build their eBooks directly inside the Block Editor using custom blocks like Book Section, Table of Contents (TOC), and Chapter. Once finished, users can instantly generate their book into a professional, print-ready PDF.
Here’s how each block works:
- Book Section Block: Represents a PDF page and supports three page types: Cover, Table of Contents, and Chapter.
- Table of Contents Block: Automatically lists headings (h2 and h3) and their corresponding editable page numbers for manual editing.
- Chapter Block: Lets users link existing WordPress posts as chapters and reorder them freely within the eBook.
One of the most challenging (and rewarding) parts of the build was perfecting the TOC block. I wanted users to have the flexibility to manually adjust page numbers. Balancing control with convenience was tricky, but the result feels natural and creator-friendly.
PDF Generation and Key Features
For the MVP release, the focus was on stability, compatibility, and accuracy, ensuring the generated PDF looked as close as possible to what users saw in the editor.
The first version of eBook Crafter includes:
- Emoji rendering
- Basic mathematical equation support
- Automatic chapter numbering
- A4-size PDF generation directly from Gutenberg block editor
- An integrated eBook Library for managing all generated PDFs
Behind the scenes, the plugin uses a custom-built PDF generation system that preserves Gutenberg layouts, fonts, and images, maintaining the visual integrity of each page.
For future updates, we’re planning to add:
- Advanced templates
- Custom font support
- Additional formats like ePub
The Future Potential
What started as a simple tweet has now become a fully functional WordPress plugin that helps bloggers, educators, and creators publish their own professional eBooks, all without leaving their website.
This project reminded me why I love WordPress: it’s powerful, flexible, and endlessly creative. I’m proud of how eBook Crafter turned out and excited to see where Naweed takes it next.
Client Testimonial
I worked with Mehul to build my WordPress plugin eBook Crafter, and the experience was an absolute delight.
— Naweed Chougle, Founder & Lead Support Engineer of eBook Crafter
Mehul consistently focused on the user experience as the foundation for every technical decision, right from our first conversations to the project delivery.
His WordPress development skills are solid and he’s well versed with the latest processes and tools.
I’d happily work with Mehul again and have no hesitation in recommending him for any WordPress development projects.
Looking to Build Your Own WordPress Product?
If you have a WordPress plugin or theme idea and want to turn it into a working product or maintain it as per your standards, I’d love to help you bring it to life, just like I did with eBook Crafter.
I specialize in end-to-end plugin development, from concept and architecture to UI and deployment, with deep expertise in the WordPress Block Editor, React integration, and modern plugin engineering.