Page breaks in ebooks, Yes or No? - Page 2

theducks · 06-09-2010, 04:05 PM

Page Breaks, but not completely blank pages

I have been slowly reformatting my collection to add Page breaks and and some small decorations.

More like a Paperback but no blank pages.

brecklundin · 06-09-2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomesque

I started a thread on this on KindleBoards, and thought it'd be interesting to get opinions from a wider audience

I've heard a number of people comment on the fact that Smashwords ebooks, for example, don't include a page break before a new chapter. Fair enough, I thought, makes sense for people to want each chapter to start on a new page. Then I got my PRS-300, and started reading ebooks with page breaks done correctly, and discovered - much to my surprise - that I HATE them. Passionately. Especially (although this might be caused by dodgy formatting) when I get two lines of text, click to next page, get a BLANK page, click again and get a chapter name and FIVE! lines of text. GAH! It's like eating a sandwich in teensy tiny bits!

So, you've got my opinion now, but I'm interested in hearing yours - what do you prefer? Page break before each chapter, no page breaks, or you really don't care?

Looks as if you are getting even more pro-breaks feedback here than the kindleboards. Nice to see folks just like 'em.

A blank page between chapters is just lazy formatting, if it is unintentional. It likely indicates two consecutive page breaks or too many blank lines at the end of a chapter followed by an extra page break and then a page break at the beginning of the new chapter first page. Just poorly done and lazy formatting.

As for the issue of a "page" with a chapter title and a few lines of text that sounds like bad page layouts for the first page of each chapter. I would think each chapter would have proper paragraph styles appropriate for that page alone. Perhaps the incorrect paragraph style is being used for the chapter title in the books you have read with such a problem? The ebook world is lousy with poorly formatted books and that is at the feet of the publisher/editor or whoever is responsible for the formatting part of the equation.

capidamonte · 06-09-2010, 06:50 PM

Some of the bad formatting may come from a well-intentioned effort to somehow mimic the original book layout (presuming it was scanned from a pBook.)

I'm sure that I've seen books that have a proper end of chapter break that leaves blank space beneath the final words of the chapter, to the bottom of the page -- but it is followed by a blank page and the beginning of a new chapter halfway down the following page. I'm particularly thinking of books that end their chapters on a right-hand-side page, have a blank left-hand-side page and begin all chapters on a right-hand-side page.

Or am I misremembering such a thing?

If I'm not misremembering, then it's just bad, imitative design.

cap

wallcraft · 06-09-2010, 08:10 PM

I don't care about page breaks, but I don't like ebooks without a TOC that includes the chapters. If an ebook is formatted so that the only indication of a chapter is a page break and (perhaps) a centered chapter header (i.e. no HTML header markers), then it typically also has no TOC and so far I have not worked out how to get Calibre to auto-detect the chapters.

I also agree with the other responders who noted that since one file per chapter is "standard" for ePub we are stuck with breaks before chapters anyway.

TallMomof2 · 06-09-2010, 09:26 PM

When I read on a small screen I prefer no page breaks but on a 5" or larger screen I definitely want page breaks at the end of the chapter.

AgentBEATS · 06-10-2010, 01:46 AM

As long as the breaks are done properly than I do prefer to have them, mainly with chapter breaks. On an ereader I don't want to see a blank page, but I do want to have a clear indication when my chapter ends.

Having proper spacing and breaks just feels like an ebook has more polish, making me think more of an actual book.

Sweetpea · 06-10-2010, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capidamonte

Some of the bad formatting may come from a well-intentioned effort to somehow mimic the original book layout (presuming it was scanned from a pBook.)

I'm sure that I've seen books that have a proper end of chapter break that leaves blank space beneath the final words of the chapter, to the bottom of the page -- but it is followed by a blank page and the beginning of a new chapter halfway down the following page. I'm particularly thinking of books that end their chapters on a right-hand-side page, have a blank left-hand-side page and begin all chapters on a right-hand-side page.

Or am I misremembering such a thing?

If I'm not misremembering, then it's just bad, imitative design.

cap

I always will reformat my books (as I like to use my own PDF formatted books on my BBM), and my chapter title is always 1/4th the page and the chapter itself starts about halfway. So, this is all very person... Again, blank pages are an absolute no-no...

PKFFW · 06-10-2010, 01:53 AM

I much prefer page breaks at the end of the chapter. As has been mentioned it is a convenient stopping place, helps the mind identify the flow of the story and is just all round goodness.

I also agree with simplyparticular that a big peeve is no scene breaks. That really annoys me.

Cheers,
PKFFW

mjhudston · 06-10-2010, 03:42 AM

When Im reading a ebook, I don't really care either way to be honest. However when I write I do start each chapter on a new page. I think thats my OCD coming across, as to me its a new start and its not right that its not at the top of a page.

THis has caused me a lot of grief at work, where I do end up writing a reviewing a lot of reports, and I start each new major section at the top of a page (Against the companies policy). Apparently its a waste of paper, however I have to repeatedly point out that nearly all my reports contain embedded spreadsheets, which means they are nearly always distributed "Electronically" and read as such, so the paper argument holds no water for me.

To me it just looks tidier when your writing it in word.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-10-2010, 11:40 AM

I prefer page breaks, and always use them in my work... but I'm often frustrated by books that improperly use breaks, and often have breaks where there should be none. This is almost always due to a bad formatting or conversion effort, like typos, throwing off the rhythm of the story.

GeoffC · 06-10-2010, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I prefer page breaks, and always use them in my work... but I'm often frustrated by books that improperly use breaks, and often have breaks where there should be none. This is almost always due to a bad formatting or conversion effort, like typos, throwing off the rhythm of the story.

Steve, is there a reason why your Onuissance Cells book is double spaced ? Was it a deliberate style you used ...

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-10-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Steve, is there a reason why your Onuissance Cells book is double spaced ? Was it a deliberate style you used ...

Old file, which I keep meaning to redo to remove that double-spacing (unless I did, and you have an old file... I honestly can't remember!)

alecE · 06-11-2010, 04:14 PM

Definitely want chapter breaks. Apart from the convenience of being able to pause reading at a 'nice' pause in the text, they give a chance to reflect on what I've read, and help mark the development of the story or subject matter. Having said which, I must add that I utterly *LOATHE* authors who cannot/will not write chapters longer than 2 pages.

Guess I'm just hard to please.

fishface · 06-11-2010, 09:57 PM

Taking out chapter breaks would be like typing // at the end of each paragraph to save space.

Typography, bitches, it's part of English. Don't like it? Go read the run-on hieroglyphics on Egyptian tombs then.

LCF · 06-12-2010, 06:38 AM

Page breaks! Definitely! Without blank pages, please. No 3-row-pages either, thank you. (Takes his book, pays the laddy at the door and leaves).

View Poll Results: Page breaks before new chapters?
Yes, I prefer page breaks	118	78.15%
No, I prefer no page breaks	13	8.61%
I really don't care either way	18	11.92%
Chapters? Kill 'em all	2	1.32%
Voters: 151. You may not vote on this poll

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06-09-2010, 04:05 PM	#16
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,799 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Page Breaks, but not completely blank pages I have been slowly reformatting my collection to add Page breaks and and some small decorations. More like a Paperback but no blank pages.

06-09-2010, 06:50 PM	#18
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	Some of the bad formatting may come from a well-intentioned effort to somehow mimic the original book layout (presuming it was scanned from a pBook.) I'm sure that I've seen books that have a proper end of chapter break that leaves blank space beneath the final words of the chapter, to the bottom of the page -- but it is followed by a blank page and the beginning of a new chapter halfway down the following page. I'm particularly thinking of books that end their chapters on a right-hand-side page, have a blank left-hand-side page and begin all chapters on a right-hand-side page. Or am I misremembering such a thing? If I'm not misremembering, then it's just bad, imitative design. cap

06-09-2010, 08:10 PM	#19
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I don't care about page breaks, but I don't like ebooks without a TOC that includes the chapters. If an ebook is formatted so that the only indication of a chapter is a page break and (perhaps) a centered chapter header (i.e. no HTML header markers), then it typically also has no TOC and so far I have not worked out how to get Calibre to auto-detect the chapters. I also agree with the other responders who noted that since one file per chapter is "standard" for ePub we are stuck with breaks before chapters anyway.

06-09-2010, 09:26 PM	#20
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	When I read on a small screen I prefer no page breaks but on a 5" or larger screen I definitely want page breaks at the end of the chapter.

06-10-2010, 01:46 AM	#21
AgentBEATS Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Canada Device: Sony PRS-505, Nintendo DS, HTC Desire	As long as the breaks are done properly than I do prefer to have them, mainly with chapter breaks. On an ereader I don't want to see a blank page, but I do want to have a clear indication when my chapter ends. Having proper spacing and breaks just feels like an ebook has more polish, making me think more of an actual book.

06-10-2010, 01:53 AM	#23
PKFFW Wizard Posts: 3,681 Karma: 28297636 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: BeBook, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo H2O	I much prefer page breaks at the end of the chapter. As has been mentioned it is a convenient stopping place, helps the mind identify the flow of the story and is just all round goodness. I also agree with simplyparticular that a big peeve is no scene breaks. That really annoys me. Cheers, PKFFW

06-10-2010, 03:42 AM	#24
mjhudston All round good egg Posts: 229 Karma: 1005039 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Apple Ipad 3rd Generation	When Im reading a ebook, I don't really care either way to be honest. However when I write I do start each chapter on a new page. I think thats my OCD coming across, as to me its a new start and its not right that its not at the top of a page. THis has caused me a lot of grief at work, where I do end up writing a reviewing a lot of reports, and I start each new major section at the top of a page (Against the companies policy). Apparently its a waste of paper, however I have to repeatedly point out that nearly all my reports contain embedded spreadsheets, which means they are nearly always distributed "Electronically" and read as such, so the paper argument holds no water for me. To me it just looks tidier when your writing it in word.

06-10-2010, 11:40 AM	#25
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I prefer page breaks, and always use them in my work... but I'm often frustrated by books that improperly use breaks, and often have breaks where there should be none. This is almost always due to a bad formatting or conversion effort, like typos, throwing off the rhythm of the story.

06-11-2010, 04:14 PM	#28
alecE Evangelist Posts: 412 Karma: 546196 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK canal boat Device: sony prs505, prs650, kobo Glo HD liseuses	Definitely want chapter breaks. Apart from the convenience of being able to pause reading at a 'nice' pause in the text, they give a chance to reflect on what I've read, and help mark the development of the story or subject matter. Having said which, I must add that I utterly LOATHE authors who cannot/will not write chapters longer than 2 pages. Guess I'm just hard to please.

06-11-2010, 09:57 PM	#29
fishface Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 56 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	Taking out chapter breaks would be like typing // at the end of each paragraph to save space. Typography, bitches, it's part of English. Don't like it? Go read the run-on hieroglyphics on Egyptian tombs then.

06-12-2010, 06:38 AM	#30
LCF Wizard Posts: 1,472 Karma: 9795311 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germany Device: Hanlin V3 (LBook), GS3	Page breaks! Definitely! Without blank pages, please. No 3-row-pages either, thank you. (Takes his book, pays the laddy at the door and leaves).