Getting a manuscript ready to convert into an eBook isn’t difficult, but it’s easy to miss or skip some important details. A checklist helps. Even if you’ve never formatted one at all, this will be a great step-by-step guide.
Step 1 – clean up the manuscript
Remove any headers or footers.
Single space with no spacing before or after. (Unless it is non-fiction – often there is no indent, so spacing between paragraphs is needed.)
Justify all of the text. (You’ll adjust chapter titles later.)
While the text is highlighted, select a standard font for it. (NEVER use Times New Roman!)
Also while highlighted, set it for size. (11 is a good place to begin.)
Turn on the Show/Hide in Paragraph and look for these issues:
* Tabbed indents – use Replace to get rid of all of them and set the indentation in Paragraph instead. (.3-.4 is good, unless for non-fiction – then NO indents.)
* Two spaces instead of one between sentences. Again, use Replace to get rid of the extra space.
* Extra spaces at the beginning of paragraphs. (They will indent a space too many.)
* All paragraph returns end with the giant reversed P, not the arrow sign.
* Extra spaces anywhere (two or more) and extra tabs removed.
* Any other strange formatting fixed or removed.
Step 2 – format
With an eBook, no space is needed before the name/number of the chapters, so you can start near the top.
Select a font for your chapter titles. See list below of standard ones.
Under Styles, select one that says Heading. Then, go in and modify it – centered, no indent, font, color, spacing, etc.)
Highlight your chapter one title and click that new heading you just created – do that for every chapter title.
Now, select the first letter of the chapter. Find a fancy font that fits the mood of the book well. Make it larger than the rest of the text. Then go into Paragraph and remove the indent. Do this for every first letter of a new chapter.
Once chapters, first letter, and their spacing is set, you need to add a page break at the end of each chapter.
Place curser under last sentence in a chapter. Go to Layout, select Breaks, and then select Next Page. Adjust the spacing leading into the next chapter and then add breaks at the end of every chapter.
Step 3 – title page
Title (graphic of title used for cover art is best!), author name, publisher name (because even if self-publishing, you should set yourself up as a publisher,) and the website (active link) of the publisher. You can also place your publisher logo above the address.
Step 4 – reviews
The first time you format your eBook, this page won’t be there. But after you have made your eBook and print book and sent them out for review, then you can add those reviews as they come in to this page. You want people sampling the book to see great reviews right away.
Step 5 – copyright page
Set it up as shown in the sample. Some eBook distributors don’t require an ISBN, but it’s always best to buy them yourself from Bowker – then it shows that YOU are the publisher, not Amazon or Draft2Digital. (Red flag to big reviewers, distributors, and bookstores.)
If you are doing both print and eBook, you can register the print book with the Library of Congress and get a PNC number (free Library of Congress control number) that you can use for both print and eBook.
Step 6 – dedication page
Don’t forget to dedicate your book!
Step 7 - table of contents
Type “Table of Contents,” highlight it, go to Insert, and select Bookmark and name it. (TOC works.)
Then type out the chapter numbers or titles. Be sure to include anything extra at the end of the book, such as a glossary, author bio, acknowledgments, etc.
Highlight the first chapter, go to Insert, and select Link. Click on Places in this Document in the popup box, and a list of your chapter titles will appear. Select the first chapter and hit Okay – do this for the remaining chapters. Now your Table of Contents is hyperlinked!
Step 8 – about the author and links
Set up your About the Author page with a short bio, photo (if you want), and links to your sites. Be sure to use the http address for your website & social sites so it hyperlinks directly there.
Step 9 – other books
This can be included either at the end or after the dedication. List your other books and their ISBNs. Do NOT include buy links unless you are creating an individual eBook for each platform. (Barnes & Noble frowns upon books on their site with links to Amazon. Imagine that!)
And there you have it – an eBook formatted and ready to take into whatever program you are using to convert to ePub. If you have someone who formats for you, doing most of this process will greatly help them, too.
Feel free to ask any questions you might have about this process.
Step 1 – clean up the manuscript
Remove any headers or footers.
Single space with no spacing before or after. (Unless it is non-fiction – often there is no indent, so spacing between paragraphs is needed.)
Justify all of the text. (You’ll adjust chapter titles later.)
While the text is highlighted, select a standard font for it. (NEVER use Times New Roman!)
Also while highlighted, set it for size. (11 is a good place to begin.)
Turn on the Show/Hide in Paragraph and look for these issues:
* Tabbed indents – use Replace to get rid of all of them and set the indentation in Paragraph instead. (.3-.4 is good, unless for non-fiction – then NO indents.)
* Two spaces instead of one between sentences. Again, use Replace to get rid of the extra space.
* Extra spaces at the beginning of paragraphs. (They will indent a space too many.)
* All paragraph returns end with the giant reversed P, not the arrow sign.
* Extra spaces anywhere (two or more) and extra tabs removed.
* Any other strange formatting fixed or removed.
Step 2 – format
With an eBook, no space is needed before the name/number of the chapters, so you can start near the top.
Select a font for your chapter titles. See list below of standard ones.
Under Styles, select one that says Heading. Then, go in and modify it – centered, no indent, font, color, spacing, etc.)
Highlight your chapter one title and click that new heading you just created – do that for every chapter title.
Now, select the first letter of the chapter. Find a fancy font that fits the mood of the book well. Make it larger than the rest of the text. Then go into Paragraph and remove the indent. Do this for every first letter of a new chapter.
Once chapters, first letter, and their spacing is set, you need to add a page break at the end of each chapter.
Place curser under last sentence in a chapter. Go to Layout, select Breaks, and then select Next Page. Adjust the spacing leading into the next chapter and then add breaks at the end of every chapter.
Step 3 – title page
Title (graphic of title used for cover art is best!), author name, publisher name (because even if self-publishing, you should set yourself up as a publisher,) and the website (active link) of the publisher. You can also place your publisher logo above the address.
Step 4 – reviews
The first time you format your eBook, this page won’t be there. But after you have made your eBook and print book and sent them out for review, then you can add those reviews as they come in to this page. You want people sampling the book to see great reviews right away.
Step 5 – copyright page
Set it up as shown in the sample. Some eBook distributors don’t require an ISBN, but it’s always best to buy them yourself from Bowker – then it shows that YOU are the publisher, not Amazon or Draft2Digital. (Red flag to big reviewers, distributors, and bookstores.)
If you are doing both print and eBook, you can register the print book with the Library of Congress and get a PNC number (free Library of Congress control number) that you can use for both print and eBook.
Step 6 – dedication page
Don’t forget to dedicate your book!
Step 7 - table of contents
Type “Table of Contents,” highlight it, go to Insert, and select Bookmark and name it. (TOC works.)
Then type out the chapter numbers or titles. Be sure to include anything extra at the end of the book, such as a glossary, author bio, acknowledgments, etc.
Highlight the first chapter, go to Insert, and select Link. Click on Places in this Document in the popup box, and a list of your chapter titles will appear. Select the first chapter and hit Okay – do this for the remaining chapters. Now your Table of Contents is hyperlinked!
Step 8 – about the author and links
Set up your About the Author page with a short bio, photo (if you want), and links to your sites. Be sure to use the http address for your website & social sites so it hyperlinks directly there.
Step 9 – other books
This can be included either at the end or after the dedication. List your other books and their ISBNs. Do NOT include buy links unless you are creating an individual eBook for each platform. (Barnes & Noble frowns upon books on their site with links to Amazon. Imagine that!)
And there you have it – an eBook formatted and ready to take into whatever program you are using to convert to ePub. If you have someone who formats for you, doing most of this process will greatly help them, too.
Feel free to ask any questions you might have about this process.
