Is there a way to convert a multipage document to multiple single page documents and then use those single page documents for creating and indesign book, short of doing it the painfully slow manual way?

Only with a script

Try this. Make sure to work on a backup copy only. There is hardly any

error testing in this script, so it's best to create a new, empty folder

in which to save your files.

The script works best on a document that does not have facing pages.

// BS"D

// Extract Pages

// An InDesign script by Ariel Walden (c) 2014 Id-Extras.com All rights

reserved.

// Free to use, but may not be commercially distributed

// Please do not delete this copyright notice

// This script will save each page of the current InDesign file as a

separate InDesign file

// To use: Open a document, run the script, select your target folder in

which to save the files, and click OK.

// Note: Works best on a document that is not set up as facing pages.

myDoc = app.activeDocument;

myPages = app.activeDocument.pages;

myFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Choose the folder in which to save the

pages...");

if (myFolder == null) exit();

for (i = 0; i < myPages.length; i++){

myDoc.saveACopy(File(myFolder"/Page_"myPages.name+".indd"));

newDoc = app.open(File(myFolder"/Page_"myPages.name+".indd"),

false);

myDoc.pages.duplicate(LocationOptions.AT_END, newDoc.pages[-1]);

newDoc.pages.itemByRange(newDoc.pages[0], newDoc.pages[-2]).remove();

newDoc.close(SaveOptions.YES);

}

alert("Done!");

myFolder.execute();