By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Benjamin_C_Andrews]Benjamin C Andrews
As many eBook authors may know, or will soon find out when creating their first publication, actually writing the book is only half the battle. Once it's finished, you have to bundle it up into a neat little package that can be presented to readers. Unfortunately, this isn't always easy to do.
What should you do? Where should you begin? How do you format the document? These are all questions that can be difficult to answer, especially if you are a first timer. These questions aren't always easy to answer, but finding those answers is crucial to the success of your book. After all, content may be king, but your court will be empty if the formatting is terrible. No matter how great the story may be, few things turn off readers like a book with poor formatting.
Luckily, there is help out there to get the job done. For example, there is a fantastic free eBook about formatting available on Smashwords, written by the site creator, Mark Coker. If you're planning to publish via Smashwords, this guide is an absolute must. It lays out all the formatting you'll need to do, and how to do it, in an easy to follow guide. This guide is tailored to Smashwords' ebook creation program, the Meat Grinder. However, even if you don't plan on using Smashwords, this guide is still a great resource. You may have to tweak your file some if you want to publish elsewhere, but the Smashwords Style Guide is a great resource to start formatting your eBook correctly.
There are many places you can self publish, and many of them also include free guides. Always be sure to check the specification requested by each publisher. Amazon, for example, also has formatting tips related to their eBook creation software, Mobipocket Creator. Make sure you defer to the recommended formatting for the company you are trying to publish with.
As for some actual tips, from personal experience I've learned you have to be absolutely methodical. It can be a very time consuming job, and you may want to hurry through it as quickly as possible. To that, I say reign it in and take your time. Making mistakes can lead to extraordinary amounts of time trying to fix issues. Be sure to activate the show/hide option that most word processors have so you can see the non-printed characters, such as paragraph marks, spaces, etc., so you can find and remove unnecessary items. The final tip for the do-it-yourself crowd is follow the specifications set by the publisher to the letter. They tell you how to format because they want your book to sell. Never just blow off steps because it seems unnecessary. You'll only hurt yourself, and your book in the process.
Should you feel you do not have the necessary skills to do the formatting yourself, you do have options. Mentioning Smashwords again, you can obtain a list of others who have published on Smashwords, and are willing to format books for other authors. Don't mistake this with editing. These people will format your book for a price. Some may edit, you'd have to ask each one individually. Beyond Smashwords, there are probably individuals and businesses who will also format your eBook for you. Like any other time you buy goods or services off the internet though, it's buyer beware. Ask for what they've formatted in the past, and do everything you can to verify their claims.
No matter which route you take, eBook formatting is a crucial step in the publication process. Having a book that looks professional will go a long way in helping you achieve writing success. Take the necessary time to polish the formatting on your book, and always be sure to check the final product after the first or any subsequent revision. You will be all the happier when you know your book's content is solid, and the way it's presented is beautiful and professional.
I'm Benjamin C. Andrews, an author sharing my writing knowledge with others. Visit http://magicjarpublishing.blogspot.com/ for more writing tips and tricks, and other quality information.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?eBook-Formatting-Tips&id=6670312] eBook Formatting Tips
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