** Special note from October 2013: The latest book I uploaded to Kindle failed to appear on the store (at all). After contacting support, they claimed that my .PRC file from MobiPocket wasn't a valid .mobi file (even though I had already tested it on a Kindle and with their app). I had to use the .epub file I made from the .PRC file with Calibre (for B&N) to use their new simple converter to get a .mobi file, and then upload that. So be aware that something's changed with their store. Also, if you use their simple converter (the Kindle Previewer) on an MS Word document, it won't handle a table of contents or chapters correctly using my method below. **
I've been asked how I format my book as I write, and then quickly have
it available for Kindle (and other online stores) as an e-book, as well
as sent to Createspace to make
paperback copies available. So here's how I do it:
1. I have a
blank MS Word document I copy for a new book. I already did the work
to set the title page, copyright page, and formatting for chapter
headings and body. Those make later steps far easier. Here's a link to my blank novel document, feel free to save it and use it. Here's the link:
http://www.kevinrau.com/files/BlankNovel.doc
2. Copy that
.doc file to a new one, rename it for the new book title. (I actually
use a sub-folder, and occasionally make copies of that for paranoia
backup copies, as well as copy that entire folder with all book
sub-folders to a USB drive and another PC at home. Think for a moment
if the file of your book got corrupted. Do you want to chance that?
You might even want to use SkyDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, or some other
online storage place to also store a backup, because it would be
horrifying to lose them.)
3. Go to this page to download Mobipocket Creator. It will allow you to convert a file to Amazon's Kindle .PRC
format.
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/DownloadCreator.asp
Why go with Amazon directly, and not use Smashwords to send it there?
Because Amazon reports sales by the minute or hour, not delayed by weeks
if Amazon has to send the info to Smashwords, who then list the sales
on your Dashboard. They also pay sooner, and you can use KDP Select if
you wish.
4. If you want to upload directly to Barnes & Noble,
you'll want to also download Calibre to convert to the ePub format.
Here's the download page:
http://calibre-ebook.com/download
5. You write your novel.
a. Change the Book_Name_Here throughout the blank book.
b. Change the Author_Name_Here throughout the blank book.
c. Put in a copyright date.
d. Write the novel. For chapter headings, use the style called
"ChapterHeading." On older MS Word versions, you can see the panel on
the side if you click the Format menu, then Styles & Formatting, I
believe. New versions you click the Home tab, and on the small Styles
section, in the lower right of it is a box with an arrow pointing down
and right. Click that to see all styles.
e. For the body, use "ChapterBodyText."
f. Use CTRL-Enter to do a page break when done with a chapter and to
jump down to the next page. Use two blank lines above the Chapter
Heading, and two blank lines below it before you start your first
paragraph.
g. Double-click on the Page Header and change
"Book_Name_Here" to your book name. Close the Heading menu to finish
editing it.
h. Re-read and edit your novel, grammar check it, proofread, etc.
i. Find other beta readers to
read it and give feedback.
j. Have someone proofread it, and
possibly copy edit it if you aren't a grammar nazi yourself (Two
different levels of editing, proofreading involves correcting your
spelling mistakes, commas and some grammar. Copy editing is more
in-depth to find other errors in writing sytle.)
6. You should
end up with your MS Word .doc file, in a printable format for 5.5 x 8.5"
paperback size. Except for needing a cover, you can either Save As a
PDF file to upload to a place like CreateSpace or Lulu right now. If
you don't have Save As a PDF in your version of MS Word, download a free
"printer" that prints to a PDF file, such as PDFCreator.
7. Now to make the file for Amazon (Kindle format):
a. Load the MS Word file, click Save As, "Web Page, Filtered." Save it.
b. Run Mobipocket Creator (install it if you
haven't yet).
c. click HTML document on the right side. Find the file you just saved in 7a. click Import.
d. Click Cover Image on left, then Add a Cover Image button, find it,
and make sure to click Update way at the bottom. Images for INSIDE the
e-book like this should be sized about 518 x 800 pixels.
e.
click Table of Contents on left, then Add a Table of Contents button.
On the "First Level" line fill in: tag name: "p" attribute: "class"
value: "ChapterHeading" Do not type in the quote marks in the boxes.
Click the update button at the bottom of the page (you may have to
scroll down).
f. Click Book Settings on the left. Generally for Book Type you want "eBook." Click Update button at bottom.
g. Click Metadata on the left. Make
sure the Title is correct, fill in your name (Last Name, First Name),
publisher (your name if self-pubbing), main subject, a description (e.g.
"back cover" text), the price (generally $2.99 to $5.99 for eBooks to
get the 70% royalty rate from Amazon). Click update button at bottom.
h. Click Build at the top of the screen. I always use High
Compression. People have to download these, save them download
time/cost, plus, Amazon charges for eBook downloads, so the smaller you
can make it, the less they'll charge. I personally choose "No
encryption," but that's your choice. If someone really wants to break
it, they can do it within a few minutes. It's not worth being a pain to
others. click Build at the bottom. It'll run, and make a file with
your book title as the name, ending with .PRC. A button should be on
the screen to "Open File Location." Choose that to see the
file.
8. Now, if you have a Kindle, you can email yourself at
"_____@free.kindle.com" with that .PRC file as an attachment. Find the
____ part on your Kindle, I believe it is on the settings, page 3 or so
(except it'll say "_____@kindle.com" You want to use the
@free.kindle.com version so they don't charge you a fee to copy it to
the Kindle. Make sure wireless is turned on, on the Kindle itself.
It'll appear within about five minutes, normally. Now read and check
over the cover, table of contents links, and text to see that they look
good.
9. Alternately (or in addition, if you're like me), you
can download the Free Kindle Previewer from Amazon to open the .PRC file
and view it on your computer. It's not exact, however, but it's a good
double-check. The download link is in the middle of this page on
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000234621
A few notes:
1.
If you include pictures in your book, they will look horrible on the
Kindle. There's a trick to improving the image quality, I'll try to
list it later, but in a nutshell, you copy your .JPG files to the folder
where Mobipocket placed the .PRC. Then you go into the .HTM file and
on the <IMG SRC= ... > lines, you delete the HEIGHT and WIDTH part
at the end, and change the filename within the <IMG SRC="" > to
be your .JPG instead of what it stuffed in there, which is normally
something like IMAGE001.JPG.
2. If you didn't highlight the entire
chapter heading ROW for each chapter in your book, and then click the
style "ChapterHeading," then those may not appear in the Table of
Contents.
3. I suppose you can choose not to use a Table of Contents on a novel, but I prefer giving one to my readers. Your
choice.
Now to get it up to Amazon:
1. Go to kdp.amazon.com. Setup an account (it's free) if you haven't yet.
2. Click Bookshelf and choose to add a book.
3.
Fill in the book's information (make SURE to enter something in for the
Publisher - they claim it is optional, but it won't show up in some
categories properly without one, learned that the hard way...).
4.
Upload a cover. A good size image is 1650 x 2550 pixels for Amazon.
You may have to find a cover artist, draw one yourself, etc.
5. Upload the .PRC file you made up there in step 7h.
6.
If *and only if* you want to join KDP Select for 90 days would you want
to check that box. There are pro's and con's to it. If you do it, you
are agreeing not to put that e-book up on other sites for 90 days.
7.
Set your prices. If this is a short story, or perhaps a smallish
novella, a common price is
$0.99. Full length e-book novels generally go for $2.99 to $5.99, and
you can choose the 70% royalty rate from Amazon, which is FAR better
than the 35% royalty rate you get at any price under $2.99. I advise
some Google searches to see what numerous authors have discovered, and
make your own decision. There are some great blogs about this topic
alone.
