Chapter 2
Setting up your Book
Secrets to E-book Formatting
Keep It Simple
When writing your story try and start with a fresh Word Document page, and try to set the page up using the following list. Although you can still clear a lot of the problems from your work at a later stage as you check it over ready for uploading to Smashwords. At this time I'm assuming that you are conversant with the Word program.
1) Open up a copy of your book in a Word Document.
2) Activate Word’s Show/Hide.
3) Turn off Word’s 'AutoCorrect'.
4) Turn off the 'AutoFormat' feature.
5) Eliminate text boxes.
Assuming that you have already finished writing your book. That it has been Proof read, and that you are satisfied it's ready to be published. Make a copy and keep it stored in a safe place. You might have to rely on this at a later stage, if for some reason you make a mistake or foul up during the formatting process you are about to undertake.
The E-book format layout is completely different to that of the conventional book. Smashwords use a software program called 'Meatgrinder' its technology automates the process. Allowing your work to be formatted to almost all the E-book formats that are being used on line to date. It also finds all the mistakes that you might have over looked, and can even enhances your work, so its laid out correctly for the reader.
There are a few basic things that the Meatgrinder does not like Bullets and Tabs. Go to the top of your document and while in 'Home' selection, look along the top somewhere just in from the left and un-format your work. This hopefully will clear most of your problems. Sometimes the Meatgrinder actually improves the layout of your manuscript.
For another check go to the top of your document, look in from the left to this sign ¶. Click on it, and your document will show you all the spaces between words and at the end of each paragraph. You are allowed one space per word and none after the full stop at the end of a paragraph. This will also highlight any bullets that the unformatted button might have missed. If you want to use complete line spaces do not use more than four together. I find one or two at the most is ample. Once you get to read your work on an E-reader you will find that it works well and looks okay. The use of more than four space lines will end up show one complete blank page, a common fault.
Having unformatted your work you will have to set about re setting your styles and fonts. Regarding Fonts, its best to settle on three different sizes, the largest being 14 (definitely no larger). You will also need to set yourself up with three different styles, Title, Subtitle and Text. In my case I use 14 for the Title, 12 or 14 for a Sub-title and 12 for the Text.
Note that font size 14 is the largest font that Smashwords will accept. They could reject any larger size, as has happened to me on a couple of occasions. Remember that your personal E-reader can be magnified for you to read and any size.
1) In the Title style, fonts will be 14 in size. Set up for the middle of the page and with no indents. Spacing before is 0, while spacing after is 15. Line spacing is 1.5. Tick the box 'Don't add space between paragraphs'. I use the Title for the Chapter numbers.
2) I use a Subheading for the wording of the Chapter heading page, if you don't use a sub heading, then go straight to 3 Text. The subheading can be set up just like the Title the only difference being the font size, I use is 14.
3) I use Text for the wording. The size of the fonts are set at 12. First line indent is 1.27cm. Spacing before is 0. Line spacing single. You might like to tick the box 'Add space between paragraphs the same style', or you can leave it blank. Try and limit your styles to 3. A real problem is if you try and use several different styles in the same chapter.
First page in your book will be the front page photo. However, don't add it to the book, as you will have to down load the photo separately. They require a very good quality photo of at least 2 to 3MB. Don't use the colour white as the outer edge of the photo, once again it will get rejected. They usually request professional photos, but I have under taken playing around on my computer with ideas and so far I only had one rejected and that had a white border around it.
The next page which is really your first one is the Copyright page that must include the ISBN book number obtained from Smashwords. You will also need a message on that page telling readers that it is an offence to copy or share this and other books. For a general idea take a look at mine at the beginning of my Autobiography. I won't mind if you copy it.
Next page is usually an 'Acknowledgement' or an 'Introduction', that's left to your personal taste.
Then comes the 'Table Of Content' page (TOC), it should have all your chapters numbered and named added to it.
All the pages i.e. 'Acknowledgement', 'Introduction', 'Table Of Content' and Chapter heading pages have to be Book Marked. When under taking the Book Marks keep the names short. Can I suggest chapters are called Ch1 etc? The Table Of Content' becomes TOC. Acknowledgement becomes Ack, and Introduction becomes Intro. All chapters are then hyperlinked back to the TOC page.
All the same pages just mentioned above will also require a page break added where the writing finishes, after the very last full stop. This will ensure that where ever your writing finishes, there will be a space for the remainder of that page. The next chapter will start at the top of the next page.
Finally the chapters named on the Table of Content page are all hyperlinked to the relevant chapter pages. One last thing. Go back to the Book Mark at the top of the page and check that all is correct. Tick the box in the bottom left hand corner, it might reveal other hidden pages that are usually described as long numbers. It's a must to remove these. However, if you did not make any mistakes while book marking you will be lucky and have none to remove. This process is very important as its one of the most common reasons why your work could be rejected, and one of the hardest to try and locate and why.
If your upload is rejected you will usually receive a message from them via their AutoVetter. The following is a list from your best friend the AutoVetter, which are the main reasons for a rejection. Fix them immediately. Otherwise, the errors will prevent or delay your book's acceptance into the Smashwords 'Premium Catalogue'. The moment AutoVetter tells you about the errors, you can fix them and then upload a new version via your Dashboard "upload new version" link. The following errors may prevent your book from gaining inclusion in the Premium Catalogue:
1) More than 4 consecutive paragraph returns in a row (creates blank E-book pages).
2) Tabs (eliminate all tabs, which you created by hitting the "Tab" key).
3) Extra paragraph returns between paragraphs in an attempt to create a blank line.
4) Exotic fonts (instead, stick with Times New Roman, Garamond and Arial).
5) Large font sizes (11 or 12pt is best, 14pt is a recommended maximum).
6) Indents made with space bar spaces or tabs (a common bad habit of all authors).
7) Text in columns (we don't support columns).
8) Text in tables (E-books don't handle tables. Import tables as images).
9) Text in text boxes (Ugh, the horror! We don't support text boxes).
10) Multiple text or paragraph styles (don't mix Normal style with Body Text style).
11) Automatic footnotes (not supported, may cause the conversion to fail).
12) Text wrapped around floating images (instead, right mouse click on image, click.
Format Picture: Advanced: In Line with Text, then use Words centre button.
13) Finally take full advantage of your publication to help promote other books or articles you have out there. At the end of the book add a further page. Call it 'Other Works by This Author' and list your other books. Take a look at mine at the end of my Autobiography. They are listed and even hyperlinked to where you can download them. As is my personal web site added in the Table Of Content page. I have even added a hyperlink to my website photos to accompany the Autobiography.
r /> One little word of caution be careful where you add external hyper links. If you add too many to the story. Readers might go to them and be side tracked into staying with the new found information. After all how many times have you been Googling only to end up many links away from where you first started? I would rank that as major distraction while on line, but we all have to live with it. Your aim is to try and keep the readers interest in your book.
There are some very good videos on YouTube that might help you, if you are looking for answers to questions I have not covered. I look forward to reading some of your books in the not too distant future. Happy writing and best of luck with your publications.
Terry Aspinall.
Other Titles
From This Author
'Almost Total Recall' an Autobiography by Terry Aspinall. From 1943 to 2014. Who grew up in Stowmarket in Suffolk England. As a teenager became a Teddy Boy, served in the Royal Marines in Borneo during the Emergency Campaign. Became involved in Hang Gliding during 1973-74 and several Rock n Roll bands around the world. During 1985 Emigrated to New Zealand and later moved to Australia where he became a citizen. The highlight of his life being when he and a couple of friends managed to Correct History and of the Inventor of the Modern Hang Glider.
'The Autumn Reunion' a fictitious story of a school reunion that tempted James through the painful journey of having to chose one girlfriend above another.
'The Fabulous Spawlszoff Brothers' a fictitious story, that is based on actual funny events that the author has experienced during his 50 years in the music industry.
'Johnny Morris and the Convertibles' is a fictitious story that is based on actual events that the author has experienced during his 50 years in the music industry.
'The British Hang Gliding History' is an updated history of how the hang glider was invented in Australia during 1963, and of how it arrived in the UK to be manufactured and flown for the first time during 1972. This book is a shortened version of the successful website of the same name www.british-hang-gliding-history.com there are working hyperlinks to the BHGA early Hang Gliding magazine 'Wings' and also the BMAA early Microlight magazine 'Front Line'.
'The Adventures of Henri and Charlie' is a very young children's short story about the authors pet Peach Face Parrot and Canary that escape from their cages and are taken on a wild ride, with no hope of returning to the security of their own cages back home. In this story the birds talk to each other.
'Matthew Returns' Matthew has been discharged from the British Army after serving 22 years. He returns to Suffolk and the small country side town of Stowmarket, in which he grew up. At first he finds it hard to settle back into the life he once knew. Finding it hard to obtain employment with skills he had picked up while serving in the Army. However, a shock awaits him when it comes to finding himself a girl friend.
'Unexpected' John is in a great relationship with his partner until the day she disappears. His friends and the locals turn against him, thinking that he has done something wrong. Luckily he befriends somebody who takes him for who he is. However, he is in for a shock and an ending that he did not expect.
'Chasing Shadows' this novel is about Englishman Michael J. Thompson. Who joined the Australian Army so he could serve in Vietnam during 1968. There were only a very few British who got to fight in this theatre of war and Michael was one of them. Michael had his own ideas of jungle training and fighting that he had learnt in other theatres of war. Where they had worked well and saved many lives. He always wanted to help others survive in a hostile environment. Where your next step could kill you if you walked into a bobby trap or ambush. His ideas on cross border patrols where later to be adopted by other western countries. However, his special teams were at their best on information gathering patrols. His golden rule was 'To see but not be seen, and eat nothing red'.
'The Kansas Rascal' Ten years after his wife died, Australian Bradley Newman is living a lonely life. Never being able to accept her death has made it hard for him to find another partner. His love of music and magic has been his saving grace. Accepting that he will never find that special person that could replace her. After his son sets him up with a computer he becomes excited at the prospect of learning a new technology. Then by chance during 1998 while on line he meets a girl from America, and falls in love with her. However he has not the courage to tell her of his feeling. He secretly fly's to America to meet up with her, but walks into a lot of trouble that he did not see coming. Feelings of love can sometimes blind the beholder.
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