Self Publishing Ebook Formatting Kit 3.0
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I am been working frantically revising the Kit for a late January launch. It is a complete revision that will make the e-book formatting process even easier.
It will still include the pre-made Samples, CSS, Guide and Videos but I have added sections on non-fiction (footnotes, graphic-heavy books), poetry and a few specialty layout features such as drop caps, caps and case, and more.
All the code is included in the guide, and with the Kit, sample .epub files and additional help make adding these special features a breeze.
In this update, I provide you with two choices for formatting. The first is the easiest and provides a MasterTemplate.epub file you use directly in SIGIL, ready-made without the need to work with the FormattingTemplate.xhtml file.
The Master Ebook Template
The MasterTemplate.epub file will contain your XHTML pages ready for content, cover page, a pre-made CSS, placed bio image on your about the author page, and a table of contents (up to 20 chapters), all coded and ready to go.
Pages include:
- book cover
- copyright
- table of contents
- content
- acknowledgements
- about the author
This will give you a good head start.
Formatting XHTML Template
The FormattingTemplate.xhtml file, will be for those the more technically minded people wanting a more hands-on approach and will include the FormattingTemplate.xhml file (as in the original Kit).
The Guide
I have added a lot of new sections addressing topics such as:
- Non-Fiction
- Dissecting an EPUB
- About the NCX file
- About the OPF file
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ebook Formatting Code: HTML and CSS
ADVANCED FORMATTING SUPPLEMENTS
For special formatting elements, such as poetry, creating drop caps, these will be included as separate zip files, and include a sample .epub, css and step-by-step instructions on how to use or implement into your .epub e-book. Supplements include:
- Poetry
- Endnotes
- Drop caps
- Caps and case
- …more
If there is something you would like to see, please email me and I will try to include it in this release.
Again, all current Kit customers receive this 3.0 update free. So if you have been planning to e-book format for 2012 — get the kit now at the lower price, and receive the 3.0 update FREE.
Reading your old guide(v. 2.0), I am waiting for the new with advanced formatting supplements especially endnotes type for articles. :)
Version 3.0 will be a lot easier to use for Authors and include several advanced techniques people have requested. (including KF8, which launched last week)
I am still expecting it to come out the end of January.
Have a great day,
Suzanne
I want to know what to do to have files ready for kindle Fire too – what format ?
Mobi ? im planning illustrations for my books so kindle fire will be great to publish for.
Is there info in the guide for publishing to kindle fire? thanks
Amazon still requires a MOBI file for distribution, however you can upload a variety of formats and KDP will automatically convert to the MOBI format for you. (See my caution below).
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Kindle Fire uses the updated language HTML5, what Amazon calls KF8. MOBI, as well as epub or zip, are the way the book is “packaged”. Amazon chose MOBI for their format, and with all their devices this will remain as such.
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KF8: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000729511
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If you upload an Epub to the KDP service, Amazon converts the epub file into mobi for distribution.
But CAUTION: when uploading the epub, Amazon also retains a copy of the epub IN THE mobi file — WHY, I don’t know, but this can more than double the size of your book, especially if it is graphic heavy..
The second file is the KF8, not really an epub file. So KDP makes 1 for MOBI (older kindles and apps) and 1 for KF8. So your overall size of your ebook is still bloated I am waiting to hear back if the extra size affects royalties.
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It is best to use KindleGen to convert your book to mobi. KIT 3.0 will describe how to achieve this as painlessly as possible.
Thanks Suzanne for answering that. Calibre does make a nice conversion from html to Mobi files as im sure you know.
Ive been using it so i can drag and drop chapters of an unfinished book on to my personal kindle, so i can check how they look . I don’t have a Kindle Fire – they are not available in Australia yet . But i imagine i can drag and drop mobi files onto a Kindle Fire as well ?
Yes, you would upload (drag and drop) the same to either Kindle or Kindle Fire.
As for Calibre, I have “heard” it does a decent job — but I personally do not use it unless I am converting a PDF to text for reformatting an ebook. I prefer to work in the HTML code, and Calibre does not have this features. Additionally, MobiPocket Creator is for PC only, and since I am on a Mac…. I use other means for creating epub and mobi files.
All the best,
Suzanne
I use Kompzer, a simple and free html editor to convert an open office document to html. Caliber then converts the html into a mobi file for me, and from there its drag and drop onto my kindle ( or as you have confirmed – it could also be onto a Kindle Fire if i had one. Thanks for that )
My book has png illustrations throughout which is why i wanted to preview the book on the kindle to see how the text was working with the illustrations
Can i submit straight to Amazon then, with html file? not bother with a mobi file at all? perhaps not. Ive got to go to SIGIL first to create chapters etc. yes?
Will be buying your guide as soon as i get to the point when i need it, I am still finishing the book. Your guide sounds very good and good value. Cheers. Kevin
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I think I responded directly through email to you. But for our readers: In order to upload the file, especially with images, you need to zip them together using a compression program such as WinZip(PC) or Stuffit(MAC).
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You can then Zip together your HTML file and images, however, you need to make sure the pagebreaks, etc are all set properly in the HTML.
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There really are many ways to format a book, I just like SIGIL as it is the easiest for the non-technical person and provides all the elements you want in your ebook a lot easier than coding yourself by hand.
I love your master e-book template. I also love the snippet of code you gave us to use hash marks to allow the toc.xhtml file to link to h1 headings on a page, instead of using hard chapter breaks. I tried making my own master template with the style.css file to include the code, and it works great, but I have to actually add the style.css file instead of just adding the regular html files (ack, toc, copy, content etc..) and having the style.css pulled in automatically. How can I have the style.css file be pulled in automatically like yours? Thanks!!!
Well I’m sorry but I figured it out! It was all in having it in the correct file path on my computer. Sorry!
Joel, No problem. That is why I am here.
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And to those reading, you link to your CSS from the Header of each of your HTML/XHTML pages like this:
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<title></title>
<link href="../Styles/Style001.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
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Where your stylesheet is Style001.css and it is located in the folder “Styles”
all the best — Suzanne
Do the Ebook Formatting Kit 3.0 include all that is ncessary to create an ebook with video, audio, etc? Would be very interesting fo my next project. Thanks Elisabeth
Elisabeth, sorry for not getting back sooner. The Kit is for basic fiction formatting and does not include adding audio, video etc yet, but that is something we plan to do in the future. Information on that will first be posted to UG blog or First Steps Publishing — so join the newsletter to keep up to date. Thanks for your inquiry, Suzanne
Just seconding Elisabeth’s interest. The biggest advancement (as I see it) with ePUB 3 is the ability to include rich media. I would make it a very high priority to make up this gap in your kit.
Brian
This is a direction we are heading and hope to have out a 101 version in the next year. – Suz