EBook Formatting Tips

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!