Quote:
Originally Posted by Alfy
I WOULD produce ePubs instead if only the workflow was as easy. I usually start with text or rtf files, and just breaking down the book in several files, one per chapter, is a real hassle. Not to mention about setting all the styles...
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The hassle with styles is relatively easy to overcome. If you create your standard styles in InDesign as you want them to appear, then create a style in Word of the same name (doesn't matter how it looks in Word), when you import (Place) the file in InDesign you can choose to have the InDesign styles control.
For example, I create a style in InDesign called BL1 and define it as having 1-inch indents (left and right) and using Formata Medium font 16-point. In Word I create the style by the same name, BL1, and just leave it defined as the default settings. I apply the BL1 style where appropriate in Word and when I place the Word file in InDesign, I make sure that the InDesign specs are selected for the style. Now when placed, the file is correctly formatted in InDesign.
Because most books use the same styles (even if defined differently) I only need to create the InDesign styles once (except for making the minor modifications for a different book) and I can use the same Word template without modification. I apply the styles in Word as I edit the text. Relatively easy and painless.
As for breaking a single manuscript file into multiple chapter files, you don't need to do that. Doing so makes it easier to add additional material later and to move things around, but it isn't necessary.