I want my manuscripts to be read on mobilephones and PC. How?

seasong · 04-24-2010, 12:44 PM

Hi again out there. I posted something like this on another part of the forum, but maybe it was not the correct plase. (I am new to this forum)
I am not completely green as a writer, but this ebook thing is new to me, and I need some adwice.
I can use Microsoft word and photoshop.
Is this enough tools to make a decent ebook?
If Not. Are there some tools out there that are easy to use for a beginner, on which decent work can be done?
But most important of all: I want the work to be easely read om both mobilephones and PC. How do I do that?
( I Have made one try to make an ebook, but I just made some PDF files from
my word pages, and it did not work out so well)
Is there any free downloads to try out there that is decent?

Best regards
seasong

mr ploppy · 04-24-2010, 01:16 PM

Write and PROOF READ in Word, then import it into Sigil with your cover and other pictures to make an epub. Or convert the Word file using Calibre (you might need to save it as RTF first).

seasong · 04-24-2010, 02:43 PM

Thank you mr ploppy.
I will try out your sugestions,
Do you have any adwice for page setups and font sizes to use in word?

Best regards
seasong

charleski · 04-24-2010, 04:40 PM

For a beginner whose source is Word documents, you should take a look at Atlantis, there's a thread on it here. It costs a small amount, but you get a trial. Sigil is free and very good, but to use it properly you need to know how to code in xhtml and css, it's more of a development environment than a converter. Calibre is good as well, but the source needs to be formatted quite precisely. I find that all the automatic converters need some touching-up after processing, but Atlantis probably gets closest to a professional output.

Just stick to 11 or 12pt font for the body and make sure you use styles for all your formatting.

WAPatterson · 04-30-2010, 02:49 AM

If you really want a free way to get you books set up for Mobile phones and PCs then try out smashwords.com.
They have a formatting guide to set you through all the steps and then their "meatgrinder" will format everything for you from epubs, pdf's to HTML and JAVA based readers.
You DO NOT have to publish the book to the public when you are done or sell it there, but it is a free source online that does almost all the work for you and makes a really good product once you have formatted your ebook to the style guide specifics.
It's also free and you don't have to download anything!
I have copies of my book in every format from there backed up on my computer and I sell it there too, but you really can't beat the price and what they offer.

susan_cassidy · 04-30-2010, 01:37 PM

The font sizes are normally controlled by the e-book reading software/device, so you should not worry about that so much. You should not have "page layouts", per se, as screen sizes vary. The content should be as simply formatted as possible, if it is predominantly text.

OpenOffice, which is free, and has Writer, which is a Word replacement, generates much better HTML for conversion than M/S Word does.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 05-04-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charleski

Sigil is free and very good, but to use it properly you need to know how to code in xhtml and css, it's more of a development environment than a converter.

I wouldn't say that. In its design mode, it is very easy to make compliant ePub files without knowing any code.

seasong · 05-07-2010, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WAPatterson

If you really want a free way to get you books set up for Mobile phones and PCs then try out smashwords.com.
They have a formatting guide to set you through all the steps and then their "meatgrinder" will format everything for you from epubs, pdf's to HTML and JAVA based readers.
You DO NOT have to publish the book to the public when you are done or sell it there, but it is a free source online that does almost all the work for you and makes a really good product once you have formatted your ebook to the style guide specifics.
It's also free and you don't have to download anything!
I have copies of my book in every format from there backed up on my computer and I sell it there too, but you really can't beat the price and what they offer.

Thank you Mr Patterson.
I will ofcourse take a look at smashwords.com.
and thank you for take your time to answer a "greenhorn"
Best regards
seasong

seasong · 05-07-2010, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

The font sizes are normally controlled by the e-book reading software/device, so you should not worry about that so much. You should not have "page layouts", per se, as screen sizes vary. The content should be as simply formatted as possible, if it is predominantly text.

OpenOffice, which is free, and has Writer, which is a Word replacement, generates much better HTML for conversion than M/S Word does.

Thank you for cind reply Susan.
I have looked a little on Atlantis word prosessor. (Loaded down the trial version) They have a e-book template (basic e-book I think)
Now.I do not intend to write paper books, or a five houndred page novel.
Just some small to medium size e-books.
Do you think that Open office will be good enoungh for this?
Also, when you say that in a "normal" e- book the content should be as simply formated as possible Words and pictures)
Do this say that the e-book loks more like a wordpress side than an ordinary paper book.( I am sorry, but this was the closest I could get to explain it)

seasong · 05-07-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WAPatterson

If you really want a free way to get you books set up for Mobile phones and PCs then try out smashwords.com.
They have a formatting guide to set you through all the steps and then their "meatgrinder" will format everything for you from epubs, pdf's to HTML and JAVA based readers.
You DO NOT have to publish the book to the public when you are done or sell it there, but it is a free source online that does almost all the work for you and makes a really good product once you have formatted your ebook to the style guide specifics.
It's also free and you don't have to download anything!
I have copies of my book in every format from there backed up on my computer and I sell it there too, but you really can't beat the price and what they offer.

I was looking a little on smashword.com. At this first glanse it looks wery promissing.
Thanks
Best regards
seasong

WAPatterson · 05-14-2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seasong

I was looking a little on smashword.com. At this first glanse it looks wery promissing.
Thanks
Best regards
seasong

you're welcome. Hope it helps.
W. a.

04-24-2010, 12:44 PM	#1
seasong Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: none	I want my manuscripts to be read on mobilephones and PC. How? Hi again out there. I posted something like this on another part of the forum, but maybe it was not the correct plase. (I am new to this forum) I am not completely green as a writer, but this ebook thing is new to me, and I need some adwice. I can use Microsoft word and photoshop. Is this enough tools to make a decent ebook? If Not. Are there some tools out there that are easy to use for a beginner, on which decent work can be done? But most important of all: I want the work to be easely read om both mobilephones and PC. How do I do that? ( I Have made one try to make an ebook, but I just made some PDF files from my word pages, and it did not work out so well) Is there any free downloads to try out there that is decent? Best regards seasong

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04-24-2010, 01:16 PM	#2
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Write and PROOF READ in Word, then import it into Sigil with your cover and other pictures to make an epub. Or convert the Word file using Calibre (you might need to save it as RTF first).

04-24-2010, 02:43 PM	#3
seasong Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: none	Thank you mr ploppy. I will try out your sugestions, Do you have any adwice for page setups and font sizes to use in word? Best regards seasong

04-24-2010, 04:40 PM	#4
charleski Wizard Posts: 1,196 Karma: 1281258 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	For a beginner whose source is Word documents, you should take a look at Atlantis, there's a thread on it here. It costs a small amount, but you get a trial. Sigil is free and very good, but to use it properly you need to know how to code in xhtml and css, it's more of a development environment than a converter. Calibre is good as well, but the source needs to be formatted quite precisely. I find that all the automatic converters need some touching-up after processing, but Atlantis probably gets closest to a professional output. Just stick to 11 or 12pt font for the body and make sure you use styles for all your formatting.

04-30-2010, 02:49 AM	#5
WAPatterson Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 520420 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kansas Device: HTC Touchpro 2 Smartphone	If you really want a free way to get you books set up for Mobile phones and PCs then try out smashwords.com. They have a formatting guide to set you through all the steps and then their "meatgrinder" will format everything for you from epubs, pdf's to HTML and JAVA based readers. You DO NOT have to publish the book to the public when you are done or sell it there, but it is a free source online that does almost all the work for you and makes a really good product once you have formatted your ebook to the style guide specifics. It's also free and you don't have to download anything! I have copies of my book in every format from there backed up on my computer and I sell it there too, but you really can't beat the price and what they offer.

04-30-2010, 01:37 PM	#6
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	The font sizes are normally controlled by the e-book reading software/device, so you should not worry about that so much. You should not have "page layouts", per se, as screen sizes vary. The content should be as simply formatted as possible, if it is predominantly text. OpenOffice, which is free, and has Writer, which is a Word replacement, generates much better HTML for conversion than M/S Word does.

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