Written books are an item created after a book and quill is signed. The icon of the written book is slightly different from the book and quill's icon, showing the same red book, but without the quill, and appears to be enchanted.
Obtaining
Written books can be obtained from a book and quill by signing it. After it has been signed, it can not be edited again. The label does not say "Written Book", but what the player titles it. It will say the title on the top line of the label, and "by <player>" on the bottom. <player> is the username of the player who signed the book.
Copying
| Ingredients | Crafting recipe | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Book and Quill + Written Book |
The input written book is not consumed. The new copies will be "Copy of Original" or "Copy of Copy", depending on whether the input written book is "Original" or "Copy of Original". Copies of copies cannot be copied. Copied books of the same generation ("Original", "Copy of Original", "Copy of Copy", or "Tattered") will stack. |
Usage
Written books can be opened by right-clicking, and will display a GUI allowing you to read it or turn the page.
The contents of a book are an extra set of data attached to the item. This means that when a book is destroyed, its contents are lost with it.
Trading
Two written books can be traded to a librarian villager for 1 emerald as part of their tier 3 trades. The two books must be stacked (and therefore must be identical); despite the trading interface having two slots, the villager will not trade for one book in each slot.
History
| r | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3.1 | 12w17a | Added written books. | |||
| 12w22a | Written books are used in trading. | ||||
| 1.7.2 | 13w36a | Written books can now be cloned the same way maps can, but by using Book and Quills instead of Empty Maps. Multiple copies of the same written book can be cloned by putting more book and quills in the crafting grid. | |||
| Written books can also be stacked (up to 16 per stack). | |||||
| 1.8 | 14w05a | Copying written books will now mark them as "Copy of Original" or "Copy of Copy". The copying status of a book is denoted in a separate line in the tooltip, beneath the author's name. Copies of copies cannot be copied. | |||
Trivia
- When written books are obtained with commands, the label will only show "Written Book" and will have the text: "*Invalid book tag*" when opened. The book is signed and cannot be edited without commands.
- A written book can be edited in 1.8 using tag data tag while in a chest or when a mob is holding.
Gallery
- BookAndQuillDemonstration.png
Different types of characters can be used to simulate a different font.
Issues
Issues relating to "Written Book" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.
See also
