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Old 11-05-2018, 03:45 PM   #13
Hitch
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffOYB View Post
Of course what I need is access to usual testing and formatting/converting tools. KDP leads publishers thru the process and I follow it. If I'm doing something that is bad I need tests to show. All I know at this point is that sometimes it all looks great. I also now see that I can download something called KindleGen -- I'll see what that does or tells me.
Okay: the KDP doesn't test all your books, and the Previewer will not show you all the issues. It won't even be close. There are issues with the (still) millions of KF7 devices that Previewer cannot show, any longer, because no KF7 emulator is still on there. This is why professionals and authors that have published more than a single book have real devices.

They're not "leading you." They've provided FAQs, etc., to be of assistance, but it's NOT intended to be the total process. That's why they have the Publishing Guidelines, which are over 100 pages long.

I think it's important to distinguish here--Amazon does a lot to help the self-pubbing author, but they don't do everything, and nor do they consider it their job. The job of ensuring that a book looks and works perfectly is the publisher's job; they have issued some tools to help with that. But it's absolutely not their responsibility to warn a publisher about all the possible pitfalls, or that this formatting over here might not work right on that device over there. If your book looks great on Previewer, but looks terrible on real devices, they're not going to say that it's their fault, or say that it's okay, because you relied on their software; they're still going to make you remove it from sale and fix it.

I'm not lecturing you here; I'm trying to make sure that you understand that their various and sundry software tools and what-have-you are there to be helpful--but they're not remotely considered the end-all and be-all. Sure, they're trying to be helpful, and it's a lot easier today for self-pubs than it was 8 years ago, when you either knew how to make and upload a MOBI, or tough luck, but it's still entirely, 100%, the responsibility of the publisher to have the tools, the skills, and the devices (for testing) to ensure that his book looks great and works correctly. You'll note in the PG that they mention that using Previewer is a great way to "...test your Kindle books for the latest typographic and layout improvements that come with Enhanced Typesetting." It doesn't say, use this instead of real devices; on the very same page, they talk about using real devices to test books. Ask yourself--why on earth would they talk about that, when Previewer exists, if Previewer alone was adequate?

OK, so...I've talked enough here. Tried to clarify, but...y'know.

Hitch
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