Content How to create content for the Kindle?

[jtrappett]

How do you create content for the Kindle? I note that Amazon mentions its KindleGen program for converting HTML documents and also its plug-in for Adobe's InDesign program.

Apart from just straight text I am also curious about how Table of Contents are created and also popups or links to notes etc. I assume it's a matter of knowing what HTML tags to use... or perhaps there is more to it. Are there publishing programs lighter than InDesign which can be used... MobiPocket Creator perhaps?

Any help in this area will be greatly appreciated.

[CWatkinsNash]

Mobipocket Creator can take the HTML file and turn it into a mobi .prc file, and lets you add the cover, metadata, etc. It can also create the TOC for a properly formatted file. To designate chapter headings or other items to include in the TOC, each one must be tagged the same based on a hierarchy. For example,
Chapter headings - h2
--Chapter subheadings - h3

I really stink at explaining this. Sorry.

Here is a pdf of HTML tags and css that the Kindle recognizes: Kindle HTML tags
This document and the site it is on (http://kindleformatting.com) should give you a better idea of how it works in comparison to how a web page would work. It's like a web page in a different package, with a limited but still capable set of options.

[JeremyR]

I dunno if the end result would pass Amazon's file checking procedure, but using Sigil, which is a free epub editor (and basically like a word processor), and then converting to mobi via Calibre, works quite well.

Better than anything I've seen actually from Amazon, where most titles seem to lack a TOC or chapter marks.

[orlok]

And of course the excellent Calibre software (http: //calibre-ebook.com/) will take various types of input, including plain text, html, rtf and many other formats, and allow you to add a cover, tags, descriptions and much more, before converting it in Kindle friendly (mobi) format and uploading it to your Kindle for you. What more could you want?

[TheKindleWorm]

To be honest I always like going for simple options so I always use the word processor that comes with Open Office (you can also use Word) and with this I can design pretty neat documents using images, links and a TOC with links fairly easily and without having to know any HTML at all.

I then save as a HTML file (you can then email to your Kindle, do zip it all up if you have images) or I add it all into Calibre, convert to mobi and then email to my Kindle.

I made a very extensive document about our cruise this way showing all the levels of the ship with maps and tons of other info. It came out perfectly on the Kindle.

So for someone who doesn't want to get too technical, or install programs you've never used, I think it's the perfect option.

[Mark Rehorst]

If you're going to include photos or other types of images you probably want to consider how colors will display in Kindle's 16 level gray scale screen. You can tweak images in some photo editing software to 16 gray levels and make necessary contrast and brightness adjustments to optimize for the Kindle screen.

You might also make the images native Kindle screen size (800x600 for K2 and K3, 1200x 824 for DX/DXG) and make sure text on diagrams is readable at that resolution so the reader will not have to pan and zoom.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Mark Rehorst

If you're going to include photos or other types of images you probably want to consider how colors will display in Kindle's 16 level gray scale screen. You can tweak images in some photo editing software to 16 gray levels and make necessary contrast and brightness adjustments to optimize for the Kindle screen.

You might also make the images native Kindle screen size (800x600 for K2 and K3, 1200x 824 for DX/DXG) and make sure text on diagrams is readable at that resolution so the reader will not have to pan and zoom.

I recomment PhotoFiltre for this. It's free and lightweight, and there's a portable version available that will run from a USB drive. I use it to edit my Kindle screensavers because it loads so much faster than GIMP or Photoshop. Just a few clicks converts to Indexed>16 grey.