So perhaps add “new ebook version” as your new file name. Otherwise, you will overwrite your original file when you save the new document. Keep your original file as a backup copy.Īlso, do not use the same file name. Now open a new Word document.īut do not use or overwrite your original Word document. Once you have changed to Plain Text, your document will look like the image below.Īgain, Select All of your Plain Text, and copy again. This will strip all the background code and formatting from your manuscript. Then, and most importantly, change the format of your text into Plain Text.
Now paste the copy of your whole book into either Text Edit on Apple or NotePad on PC. It takes a bit longer, but I always use this method to prepare an ebook file because it reduces the chances of formatting errors.įirst, select All of the text in your book and copy it.
Then you can format an ebook in Word by adding back all your style formatting. It will remove everything except your text. If you really want to be sure that your document is totally cleaned of background code, you can use this option. This will center your text on these pages.Ī better way to clean and style your Word file Because an ebook must be flexible in how it displays text, you need to use a first-line indent, with no line spacing at all.įor Normal text, the settings above are optimal for an ebook.įor elements that you will use on your title page or copyright page, set the first line indent to zero. This is the most important part of how to format a book in Word.
The most important is the paragraph setting. Click the Format button to set other elements such as font sizes to modify a style. Your cover will be a separate file when you publish.įrom the main screen, you can access other elements of your new Style. If you have a cover image in your document, remove this as well. Your TOC page and chapter titles will be created automatically from your H2 chapter headings when you publish your ebook. If you have one, remove it from your Word document. Ebooks do not use any of these.Ĭreating a table of contents is also not necessary for an ebook. If you have page numbers in your headers or footers, delete them along with any other elements. The first step is to remove any page numbers because ebooks do not use them. Now open the new file copy of your manuscript. Make sure you keep your original version safely filed and backed up. Perhaps add the word ebook to your file name, so you know it is a fresh copy. Where do you start with formatting an ebook in Word?įirst of all, save a new copy of your manuscript under a new file name. This guide applies to every version of Word as far back as Word 2007. Convert your Word file to epub or mobi The step-by-step procedure to format an ebook in Word
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