bethany
New Member
Posts: 1 
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Post by bethany on Dec 1, 2013 15:22:08 GMT -8
Hi everyone!
I formatted my story and downloaded Calibre to test it. It works great! But when I upload the doc file to Smashwords and Smashwords converts it, for some reason, the mobi file messes up the table of contents. I'll click a chapter, and when it sends me to that chapter, the heading is no longer bold and centered, but plain text and to the left.
This does not happen when I view the file as an epub.
I've tried many things to rectify this problem. I've taken out all the bookmarks and re-did them. I've taken out all the formatting on the Table of Contents and re-did it. Nothing.
This hasn't happened before to any other file I've uploaded to Smashwords. I haven't done anything new to this file. Any suggestions as to what could be wrong and how I could fix it?
Thanks! My release date is this Tuesday so I'm really stressing!
Bethany
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Post by Ted on Dec 1, 2013 16:15:59 GMT -8
Hi everyone! I formatted my story and downloaded Calibre to test it. It works great! But when I upload the doc file to Smashwords and Smashwords converts it, for some reason, the mobi file messes up the table of contents. I'll click a chapter, and when it sends me to that chapter, the heading is no longer bold and centered, but plain text and to the left. This does not happen when I view the file as an epub. I've tried many things to rectify this problem. I've taken out all the bookmarks and re-did them. I've taken out all the formatting on the Table of Contents and re-did it. Nothing. This hasn't happened before to any other file I've uploaded to Smashwords. I haven't done anything new to this file. Any suggestions as to what could be wrong and how I could fix it? Thanks! My release date is this Tuesday so I'm really stressing! Bethany For the time being I wouldn't worry about mobi downloads on Smashwords as the majority of mobi devices will go directly to Amazon for the file. Just make sure your ebook is also available on Amazon through the KDP program and not the KDP Select program option. No need to get stressed out about mobi on Smashwords. You may have to go nuclear to correct the problem with mobi, but if it was me I'd upload the last version which worked fine on all the other file formats and not check mobi. Then mobi won't be offered until you correct the problem. |
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Post by jaydax on Dec 4, 2013 6:13:22 GMT -8
Make sure you are using a heading 1 style in your Word document for Chapter headings and modify the styles as:
Normal - Font: (Default) [Baskerville], 11 pt,
Indent: First line: 0.5 cm,
Justified
Line spacing: single,
Widow/Orphan control,
Style: Quick Style
No Indent - Indent: First line: 0.01 cm,
Style: Linked, Quick Style.
Based on: Normal.
Following style: Normal
Heading 1 - Font: [Caecilia], 12 pt, Bold, Font color: Black, Indent: First line: 0 cm, Centered,
Space Before: 18 pt, After: 12 pt,
Level 1, Style: Linked, Quick Style, Priority: 10
Based on: Normal
Following style: No Indent
Separator Centered,
Style: Linked, Quick Style
Based on: Normal
Following style: No Indent
You can change the fonts in square brackets if you wish but these are the ones used on the Kindle Fire
These styles should get your chapter headings centered, bold and a slightly larger size. Chapter headings and text separators (if you use them) will be followed by a non-indented paragraph (at least indented by so small an amount that you don't notice it). Subsequent paragraphs will be indented.
Whatever styles you set for normal text can be over-ridden by the settings a reader sets in their e-reader. In some e-readers such as Moon-Reader Pro there's a setting which allows the author's styles to be used.
Having a mobi file available on Smashwords is useful where the ebook has been set as free or a coupon is offered. Amazon may take a while to price match, does not always price match in some countries, and doesn't offer coupons.
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mickthompson
Junior Member
Posts: 44 
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Post by mickthompson on Dec 12, 2014 20:33:12 GMT -8
If you set your bookmarks not on the Chapter title, but on the last word of the previous chapter then the chapter title on the mobi file comes out good on Kindle, but the cost is that your epub table of contents sends you to that last word of the previous chapter for epub format, which doesn't look good.
As Ted says, Smashwords ships out copies in epub so that is what Meat Grinder concentrates on getting right.
The Smashwords mobi file is still readable, but not perfect.
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mickthompson
Junior Member
Posts: 44
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Post by mickthompson on Dec 19, 2014 13:56:51 GMT -8
Is there a way to format mobi individually and well then load it onto Smashwords individually so that Meat Grinder doesn't touch it?
This would simplify the mobi/epub conflict that Meat Grinder can't resolve as free Smashword books are probably more often downloaded as mobi files rather than epub or pdf.
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Post by jaydax on Dec 19, 2014 18:54:08 GMT -8
If you want .mobi at Smashwords, you are stuck with submitting a doc file to meatgrinder. Smashwords will accept epub files but won't make a mobi file from them. They keep promising that they will accept other formats eventually but that hasn't materialized yet. Personally I gave up on meatgrinder and now submit epub files created by Calibre. If there are any epubcheck errors, I fix those in the Calibre editor.
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