eBook Authoring
Module 12: Resources
Here is an annotated list of the eBook Authoring resources used in the preceding modules. The purpose of this list is to make these resources available in one place that you can scan down through and see if you may have missed anything along the way.
Apple Books
- Apple Books Formatting Guidelines. Helps you learn how to create books, art, and metadata for Apple Books. Follow this link to the the Apple Book Store Formatting Guidelines.
- Apple Books Asset Guide. Explains requirements for movies, audio, images, and interactive elements you can add to your eBook. Some of this material is advanced and assumes you have already studied the formatting guidelines. Follow this link to the Apple Book Store Asset Guide.
- Apple Books Flowing EPUB Example 3.2. This is a flowing EPUB example that you can download by following this link to the file FlowingExample3-2.epub. Drag it into your iTunes library and perform a Sync to put this on your devices where you can read the flowing book example in Apple Books.
- Apple Books Fixed Layout EPUB Example 3.2. This is a fixed layout EPUB example that you can download by following this link to the file FixedLayout_3-2.epub. Drag it into your iTunes library and perform a Sync to put this on your devices where you can read it in Apple Books.
- Apple Books Proofreading Checklist. Before publishing in Apple Books, be sure to proofread your book following this Apple Book Store Proofreading Checklist.
- iTunes Producer. This is a Macintosh app that you use to deliver your book to the Apple Book Store. Follow this link to learn more about iTunes Producer.
- Apple Books for Authors Forums. These are online at https://discussions.apple.com/community/apple-books-for-authors, which is a community-based collaborative environment to find solutions and share tips on creating, delivering, and marketing books in the Apple Book Store.
- Apple Books Marketing and Affiliate Kit. Available from https://itunespartner.apple.com/books/articles/market-your-books-2737.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- Kindle Book Creation Process. Follow this link to Amazon's KDP guidelines for Creating a Kindle Book.
- Kindle Formatting Guidelines. Follow this link to the MS Word eBook Manuscript Formatting Guide for Kindle Direct Publishing.
- WordToEPUB. By default, Microsoft Word does not have an EPUB save option built in. Follow this link to the WordToEPUB add-in created by the DAISY Consortium.
- Amazon KDP Marketing. For more ideas and suggestions about marketing your Amazon book, follow this KDP link to Ways to Promote Your Book.
Industry-Wide EPUB Tools & Specs
- EPUB 3.3 specification at the W3C. Includes new features such as pop-up footnotes, sidebars, and HTML5 audio and video. See the EPUB 3.3 specification at https://www.w3.org/TR/epub-33/.
- Open Source Tools. Freely available open source EPUB authoring tools are Sigil and Calibre. Follow these links to the Sigil User Guide and the Calibre User Manual.
- Aggregators. Follow this link to see Apple's current list of recommended aggregators. More possibilities are in AuthorMag's list of top eBook aggregators.
- ISBN or Not? To help decide whether to buy your own ISBN, follow this link to 10 FAQs on ISBN that every self-publishing author must know.
