Formatting a novel and/or a non-fiction book can be a daunting task. In this blog I will tell you all about formatting a novel and/or a non-fiction book.
Publishing a book that has the same look and feel as books published by the big traditional publishers can be a daunting task. Often, self-publishing authors don’t have the budget the big boys have, so it can be hard to compete. In this blog I will tell you all about formatting a novel and a non-fiction book.
Can I format my book myself?
Yes you can. You can upload a Word file to KDP or other platforms, although the success rate for that varies, especially if you have a lot of pictures in your book. And if you use any special fonts, they often won’t convert. So it’s best to create a separate MOBI, EPUB, and PDF file. You can download a free program called Calibre, although I haven’t had much success with that. Vellum seems to work well too, but you will need to pay for it and learn how the program works. There are also a few online templates that you can use, but I don’t recommend those. They are often too generic and don’t look professional.
You can also let someone else do it for you. It’s cheaper than you think if you find the right one. A good formatter can ensure that the reader has a smooth reading experience.
What does a good formatter do?
If you are looking for a formatter, make sure he or she can do the following for you:
• Adding page numbers, create stylized headings, paragraphs, tables, and everything else in your book using a professional theme at publishing house standards.
• Taking the font used on the book cover and use that for chapter titles or use it to make drop caps to start each new chapter.
• Use (parts of) your cover for the inside cover page in the book.
• Take an image or symbol from the cover and use it for your chapter headings or as a section divider for example.
• Create a professional copyright page, dedication, table of contents, index, and more.
• If you have images or illustrations inside your book, a good formatter can place them where you want them to be in the e-book or PDF.
What files will I get after my book is formatted?
After finishing formatting, you should have a Mobi-file and/or an ePub-file, and a PDF-file.
Whatever you decide (doing it yourself or hiring someone to help you out), make sure your book is free of typos before having it formatted. The last thing you want is spending time and money to find out your book still has some mistakes.
If you are looking for a formatter that has worked with big publishing houses and indie authors alike and charges a reasonable price, check out our formatting services here.
If you are considering publishing an e-book and would like some help with figuring out how to go about it, you can contact us here and schedule a call. Cutting Edge Studio is a one-stop-shop for authors and can help you out with every aspect of publishing and marketing.
Looking for a self-publishing guide?
If you are an author and looking for more tips on how to publish and market your book, click here.
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