Fixed Layout Childrens book Question

[ralphiedee]

I'm about to start a fixed layout project, the original is being done using a the files from the Liz Castro fixed layout. I have the Apple files but need to know what edits I need to do for the finished project to be sold on Amazon and Nook.

Thx

RD

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ralphiedee

I'm about to start a fixed layout project, the original is being done using a the files from the Liz Castro fixed layout. I have the Apple files but need to know what edits I need to do for the finished project to be sold on Amazon and Nook.

Thx

RD

Ralphie:

I hate to be the one to tell you, but the answer is, mostly: none. K8 Fixed format Mobis, NookKids Fixed-Format books and Apple's iBooks FF files are three very distinct products.

NookKids, in fact, is not an ePUB; it's an ePIB file. It's made using proprietary software (you have to be approved for, and get it from, B&N) that runs on a Mac. You also have to be an approved NookKids' publisher in order to distribute the book to Nook--you cannot upload it through the PubIt! platform. There is virtually nothing that you can use from iBooks for NookKids, other than possibly the background images, (maybe). The only FF book saleable at Nook at this time, as far as I know, is NookKids'.

Amazon Fixed-format can use some, but not much, of the html that you use for iBooks--mostly, the text. It, too, has its own criteria, and issues dealing with region magnification.

There's no set of "edits" to be made for a matching Nook and Amazon book, sorry to say. Each is unique; each will depend on whether you have region magnification or not; embedded audio or not, etc.

So, sorry--but you have a fairly long path ahead of you to make all three types of fixed-format books for a single title, and a lot you'll have to learn by doing. There simply isn't a "do this, do that" list to facilitate this process. We charge a LOT for fixed-format, because they are a ton of work; if audio is involved, an unbelievably tedious amount of work, and tend to have myriad (and I mean, MYRIAD) tweaks by authors as you present each one. I strongly recommend that you do one at a time, just for that reason--otherwise, you'll be trying to make edits in 3 books at once, and that's never a good idea.

We've got a set of 24 of these in-house right now (each with all 3 formats, so 72 total ebooks), plus 3 others that are not related to the 24, and, believe me--I feel for you. Best of luck.

HTH,
Hitch