Writing in Kindle-Style/Format

WernerWinkler · 05-04-2011, 02:05 PM

Hello from Stuttgart, Germany,

I am looking for a program with which I can write my books (I am an author) in "kindle-style" from the beginning - without using Word first and then transform it into kindle-format.

Is such a program available yet?

Thanks for any answer,

Werner

DiapDealer · 05-04-2011, 02:49 PM

In short... No. No "on the fly" editors yet. Mobipocket files are binary files that are "built" from a source document. The Adobe InDesign plugin allows you to create a book in a WYSIWYG environment, but you still need to build the mobi file once you are done designing.

Mike L · 05-04-2011, 02:59 PM

If you're usng Mobipocket Creator to create the book, you can type and edit the text using HTML.

You can do that manually, by inserting tags to indicating the markup; e.g

Code:

this is <b>bold</b>

Or you can use of the many WYSIWYG HTML editors (some of which are free).

For a typical work of fiction, there probably won't be a lot of markup, so doing it by hand shouldn't be too difficult.

WernerWinkler · 05-05-2011, 08:14 AM

Thank you both for your answers! So I can stop looking

sachinwalia · 05-05-2011, 06:24 PM

You can consider any of these two writing software: Scrivener or Storyist. If you are writing non-fiction then Scrivener is much better. Both of them provide an option to output to Kindle mobi format using Amazon's kindlegen tool.

WernerWinkler · 05-06-2011, 02:20 AM

Thank you, Sachinwalia,
interesting information. I will check this.

WernerWinkler · 05-20-2011, 12:32 AM

I bought me the Scrivener program like Sachinwalia sugested - it has an option to create the .mobi-format that is used by kindle, so that I can view it on my Mac before the upload. That solves my problem

- so thank you again for your tipp!

No I hope that the Index-function still works after the upload ... I create an Index by making it in Word and then exporting the text including the index to Scrivener. Nothing else worked before.

sachinwalia · 05-21-2011, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WernerWinkler

I bought me the Scrivener program like Sachinwalia sugested - it has an option to create the .mobi-format that is used by kindle, so that I can view it on my Mac before the upload. That solves my problem

- so thank you again for your tipp!

No I hope that the Index-function still works after the upload ... I create an Index by making it in Word and then exporting the text including the index to Scrivener. Nothing else worked before.

Glad you find it useful. It's an awesome program and the developer is very supportive as well.

newbeg7 · 05-21-2011, 09:27 AM

I don't believe so. If I am correct Amazon converts the books into the e-Book format. After looking into this a bit more I believe there actually maybe a program out there to make these after all. Here is a picture I found on google images:

alansplace · 05-21-2011, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbeg7

I don't believe so. If I am correct Amazon converts the books into the e-Book format. After looking into this a bit more I believe there actually maybe a program out there to make these after all. Here is a picture I found on google images:

can't find your picture.

typhoon5ht · 05-21-2011, 02:58 PM

I converted my ebook into html and then uploaded it. Looks fine, but it might be more difficult if you have a lot of graphics.

6charlong · 05-22-2011, 02:09 PM

Scrivener is great. For those who work in the Windows environment, a Windows version is in beta development. There's a free download of the latest build (0.2.4) available here:

http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivenerforwindows/

They expect to have a release version available in July 2011 but the beta is already pretty stable.

I might add, there is a new book on Amazon called Writing a Novel with Scrivener. It gives one author's advice on how he uses the program to write novels. Scrivener works well to write short stories and non-fiction as well.

WernerWinkler · 05-27-2011, 12:42 AM

After publishing some more eBooks successfully with the help of Scrivener, and solving the problem, how to get the pictures in the right size, I try to find a solution, how to decide by myself, how the typography looks like or how to include tabs.

05-04-2011, 02:05 PM	#1
WernerWinkler Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	Writing in Kindle-Style/Format Hello from Stuttgart, Germany, I am looking for a program with which I can write my books (I am an author) in "kindle-style" from the beginning - without using Word first and then transform it into kindle-format. Is such a program available yet? Thanks for any answer, Werner

05-04-2011, 02:59 PM	#3
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	If you're usng Mobipocket Creator to create the book, you can type and edit the text using HTML. You can do that manually, by inserting tags to indicating the markup; e.g Code: this is <b>bold</b> Or you can use of the many WYSIWYG HTML editors (some of which are free). For a typical work of fiction, there probably won't be a lot of markup, so doing it by hand shouldn't be too difficult.

05-05-2011, 08:14 AM	#4
WernerWinkler Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	Thank you Thank you both for your answers! So I can stop looking

05-21-2011, 09:27 AM	#9
newbeg7 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle	I don't believe so. If I am correct Amazon converts the books into the e-Book format. After looking into this a bit more I believe there actually maybe a program out there to make these after all. Here is a picture I found on google images: Last edited by newbeg7; 05-21-2011 at 09:29 AM.

05-22-2011, 02:09 PM	#12
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	Scrivener is great. For those who work in the Windows environment, a Windows version is in beta development. There's a free download of the latest build (0.2.4) available here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivenerforwindows/ They expect to have a release version available in July 2011 but the beta is already pretty stable. I might add, there is a new book on Amazon called Writing a Novel with Scrivener. It gives one author's advice on how he uses the program to write novels. Scrivener works well to write short stories and non-fiction as well. Last edited by 6charlong; 05-22-2011 at 02:13 PM. Reason: forgot to mention the new book on using Scrivener

05-04-2011, 02:49 PM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,389 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	In short... No. No "on the fly" editors yet. Mobipocket files are binary files that are "built" from a source document. The Adobe InDesign plugin allows you to create a book in a WYSIWYG environment, but you still need to build the mobi file once you are done designing.

05-05-2011, 06:24 PM	#5
sachinwalia Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 26 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Device: iPhone 4, iPad, Kindle Fire, Kindle SO	You can consider any of these two writing software: Scrivener or Storyist. If you are writing non-fiction then Scrivener is much better. Both of them provide an option to output to Kindle mobi format using Amazon's kindlegen tool.

05-06-2011, 02:20 AM	#6
WernerWinkler Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	Thank you, Sachinwalia, interesting information. I will check this.

05-20-2011, 12:32 AM	#7
WernerWinkler Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	I bought me the Scrivener program like Sachinwalia sugested - it has an option to create the .mobi-format that is used by kindle, so that I can view it on my Mac before the upload. That solves my problem - so thank you again for your tipp! No I hope that the Index-function still works after the upload ... I create an Index by making it in Word and then exporting the text including the index to Scrivener. Nothing else worked before.

05-21-2011, 02:58 PM	#11
typhoon5ht Member Posts: 14 Karma: 20000 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle	I converted my ebook into html and then uploaded it. Looks fine, but it might be more difficult if you have a lot of graphics.

05-27-2011, 12:42 AM	#13
WernerWinkler Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: kindle	Next problem :) After publishing some more eBooks successfully with the help of Scrivener, and solving the problem, how to get the pictures in the right size, I try to find a solution, how to decide by myself, how the typography looks like or how to include tabs.

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