EBook formatting may seem overwhelming at first. Even once we get the hang of it, there are still little details that are often overlooked. As authors, we want our eBooks to stack up those produced by the big publishers.
Here are some tips for producing a professional-looking product:
The layout is similar to print books. Keep in mind that text sizes can be changed by readers, so don’t overload the front matter - we want those who download a sample first to get a portion of the first chapter. The general page order should be:
Title page
Copyright page
Reviews/blurbs
Dedication
Table of contents
Chapters
About author
Other books by author or excerpt from next book - with purchase links if possible
Set font size to 12 and stick with standard fonts. Unusual fonts don’t translate well.
Clean up the manuscript. Remove all extra spaces at the end (and beginning) of paragraphs. Those extra spaces at the end could create a blank page.
Always use the “Paragraph” feature in Word (or similar feature in other programs) to set indents. If the tab key or space bar were used, remove all of those with the “Find and Replace” feature. Indents can be set at .2-.5 for fiction. (With the first line of each chapter not indented and the first letter a special character or larger size if desired.) Non-fiction isn’t indented–paragraphs are separated either by a line or by setting the spacing in the “Paragraph” feature.
Text should be justified for a more professional appearance.
Chapter titles/numbers are a couple sizes larger than the text font and usually centered. Use a “Heading” style (in Word) for chapter titles, adjusting it to the correct size and position. This helps when hyperlinking the chapters, as that feature will seek out headings.
Images and tables are often bumped to the next page. The nature of eBooks makes positioning them exactly almost impossible. (Unless you are creating an ePub in InDesign where you have a little more control over image placement.) Set them “in line” with text to create a smoother flow. Always use 72 dpi sized images.
Pages are impossible to control since readers can adjust the font size, so don’t include page numbers.
Once the eBook is formatted, chapters can be hyperlinked. Create at table of contents. In Word, highlight the words “Table of Contents” and go to the “Insert” tab. Click on “Bookmark” and call it ToC. Then highlight your first chapter title in your table of contents and click on “Hyperlink.” Choose “Places in this Document” and select chapter one. Repeat for the remaining chapters and double check after finishing.
There are two ways to include links. The actual link can be used or a hyperlink. If using the actual link, it must be the full web address.
Correct - http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/
Incorrect - www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
For a hyperlink, highlight the text in the book and when setting the hyperlink, select “Existing File or Web Page.”
Be sure links line up with the retailer. Barnes & Noble will not appreciate links to Amazon in the eBooks they sell.
Follow these guidelines and produce a professional-looking eBook that readers will devour!
As Reedsy points out, "Irony is a storytelling tool used to create contrast between how things seem and how they really are beneath the surface." There are three main types of irony: dramatic, situational, and verbal."
Dramatic Irony and Why Use It?
Simply put, dramatic irony occurs with the reader/audience knows what will happen before the characters do. It's a great way to raise and sustain tension until the character finally is allowed in on the secret. Reedsy uses A Touch of Evil to show the effect of dramatic irony. In the first scene, there's the planting of the bomb. Next, there are delays and some confusion. The bomb's ticking and we're the only ones who know it.
Dramatic Irony and Why Use It?
Simply put, dramatic irony occurs with the reader/audience knows what will happen before the characters do. It's a great way to raise and sustain tension until the character finally is allowed in on the secret. Reedsy uses A Touch of Evil to show the effect of dramatic irony. In the first scene, there's the planting of the bomb. Next, there are delays and some confusion. The bomb's ticking and we're the only ones who know it.
- Use dramatic irony if you want to create sympathy for a character or if you want to bring the reader closer to a character. We all know Peter Parker's Spiderman, but the other characters in the story don't. That allows us to relate to him very differently than if everyone knew his secret identity.
- Do you want your characters vulnerable? Give them a sense of security that doesn't really exist, and let the reader know the truth. They aren't safe at all.
- Add a dash of comedy. Shakespeare did that with poor Malvolio and his "cross garter" fashion debacle. Reedsy uses a more modern example. "In an episode of Friends, Joey picks up Ross’s coat and a ring tumbles out — a ring intended for Rachel. When Joey kneels down to pick it up, Rachel assumes he is proposing and accepts. Comedy ensues as misunderstanding and miscommunication take the day."
Situational Irony should not be confused with “coincidence” and “bad luck.” Here's Reedsy's example: "To differentiate, consider this: If you buy a new car and then accidentally drive it into a tree, that is both coincidence and bad luck. If a professional stunt driver crashes into a tree on their way home from receiving a “best driver” award, that is situationally ironic."
What does Situational Irony accomplish in a story?
Surprising twists like those found in thriller, crime, and mystery genres.
To emphasize themes. When the outcome is unexpected, we're made very aware of the underlying message. Reedsy gives the Tortoise and the Hare as an example of Situational Irony.
Verbal Irony is when the intended meaning of a statement is the opposite of what is said. Somewhat like sarcasm, but not exactly because as Reedsy points out not all sarcastic statements are ironic.
Verbal Irony is when the intended meaning of a statement is the opposite of what is said. Somewhat like sarcasm, but not exactly because as Reedsy points out not all sarcastic statements are ironic.
It gives insight into characters. In verbal irony, characters know what they're doing and why, so when they "intentionally state something that contradicts their true meaning" they reveal a lot about themselves.
If you'd like to read the complete post, go to REEDSY's site. It has more examples and more thorough explanations of each type of irony.