Post by Ria Stone on Aug 8, 2017 11:09:29 GMT -8
Hang on, give it time. :-)
First, a list of distributors to publish and how to format for each distributor.
Amazon: ebooks need to be mobi, print books need to be docx? or something else?
Createspace: print books need pdf for interior and cover. They can make a mobi from the approved pdfs to go on Amazon, but I do not use Createspace for my Amazon ebook.
IBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and all the rest use epub files for ebooks.
However, you can use D2D, Pronoun, and Smashwords to reach a lot more little distributors, They use epub or doc files and a jpeg cover image.
How I do it:
Write in word.doc and send out to beta readers who Track Changes. When I get the .doc file back I either accept or reject each and every suggested change. :-) Fun!
Then I use speech while I read to find last few typos, etc, and save as a TitleSmashwords.doc and a TitleAmazon.doc and a TitleCreateSpace.doc.
I then copy the CreateSpace.doc into my Scribus 8x5 template and go through page by page adjusting spacing so there are no big gaps on any rows, confirm all chapters have a drop capital and the correct font is used for the chapter titles and header and footer details. While I do the layout I find any last few typos or awkward sentences and fix, and update the Smashwords and Amazon docs at the same time.
Then I export as a TitleCreatespaceInterior.pdf and take note of the number of pages.
Then I create the cover in Scribus using the number of pages to calculate the spine. Import the image and adjust the Title, Title Tag, Author and Author tag, book blurb, publisher info, and spine info and export as pdf.
I upload to Createspace, and order a proof copy.
While waiting (sometimes up to a month for the proof copy to arrive) I use the front of the print cover for the ebook covers, and wait until proof is approved before I upload Smashwords.doc and jpg ebook cover.
I edit the Amazon.doc file to replace all the single and double quotes, em and n dash, and hellip dots with their html codes, and surround all italic text with <i> and </i>. I copy the tidied up manuscript into my jedit program and code the styles for chapters, scene breaks, front and back matter, etc then save as html. I open that in Calibre and create a mobi, epub and any other files I need, then do not upload the mobi and jpg ebook cover to Amazon until I read and approve the proof copy in case I find more errors that have to be fixed.
I use the epub file if I am running a sale on most of the sites like Instafreebie, bookbub, bookbundle, etc. or send either the epub or mobi to reviewers when requested.
I create a cover letter for reviewers, and a sales copy page, both for the publisher site and to send to book stores and libraries. :-)
Then I go out to dinner to celebrate before I read the proof looking for anything not right, and if I find something, I update and upload the fixed pdf files (if required) then approve the proof, and upload to Smashwords and Amazon, and start my low key marketing. :-)
All fun! :-)
Thank you for giving so much detail. I am struggling trying to to juggle all the formats and various steps needed depending on the process I am trying to accomplish.
For example, I revised RKFNC and created an .epub but Smashwords' system rejected it due to how I handled the cover. But, it did not make a difference whether I included the cover as the first page or not, it still got rejected. So, that project has been sitting on the shelf for some time while I work on other technical issues, sigh.
But, thanks again, as usual SWF is a great place for info.