MOBI formatting

[acitore]

Hope this question hasn't been asked too many times before as I don't know what to search for to find an answer.

I finally finished my MS and uploaded it to Smashwords (using Open Office saved as MS Word). Then I deleted the necessary bits and used the 2nd version to upload it to kdp at Amazon. At some point later, I realized it wasn't in MOBI format, however it's listed on the website and the sample reads fine on my downloaded app (I don't have a Kindle). Am I being deceived by the preview I read or did everything go fine even tho I didn't have the MOBI format? Thanks for your input.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by acitore

Hope this question hasn't been asked too many times before as I don't know what to search for to find an answer.

I finally finished my MS and uploaded it to Smashwords (using Open Office saved as MS Word). Then I deleted the necessary bits and used the 2nd version to upload it to kdp at Amazon. At some point later, I realized it wasn't in MOBI format, however it's listed on the website and the sample reads fine on my downloaded app (I don't have a Kindle). Am I being deceived by the preview I read or did everything go fine even tho I didn't have the MOBI format? Thanks for your input.

When a file is uploaded to Amazon for conversion to Kindle eBook formats, Mobi & KF8 are generated. When you download this eBook from Amazon, you get KF8 if your device/program supports KF8. If it's enhanced typesetting and your device/program supports enhanced typesetting, you get KFX. if your program/device only supports Mobi, you get Mobi. So you need an original Kindle or a 2nd generation Kindle to get Mobi. All other Kindles/programs support at least KF8 (iOS supports AZK) and Paperwhites/Voyage and iOS Kindle support KFX.

[eschwartz]

When you upload a book to KDP, it gets converted into the appropriate formats.

The tool Amazon uses (KindleGen) which Amazon uses to convert books can also be downloaded here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000765211

Many authors convert books using kindlegen and then upload the result -- this allows them to test it out before publishing, either on a Kindle device or using Kindle Previewer.

[Notjohn]

Originally Posted by acitore

I finally finished my MS and uploaded it to Smashwords (using Open Office saved as MS Word). Then I deleted the necessary bits and used the 2nd version to upload it to kdp at Amazon. At some point later, I realized it wasn't in MOBI format, however it's listed on the website and the sample reads fine on my downloaded app (I don't have a Kindle). Am I being deceived by the preview I read or did everything go fine even tho I didn't have the MOBI format? Thanks for your input.

When you uploaded the book, it converted at Step 6, at which the point the cover (if any) you created or uploaded in Step 5 is incorporated into the book. When the conversion is done, you can download the so-called "mobi" file at Step 7, and in truth you really should have done this in order to test it thoroughly. You can download the fairly good Kindle Previewer at the same Step 7. Now you have the actual book on your computer and can read it through whatever devices and apps you may have, plus of course Kindle Previewer that you downloaded which provides emulations of the primary devices and apps.

I also like to BUY the book as soon as it's available. Changes are made at each step in the process, so this way you know what you've produced, plus you get some or most of your money back as a royalty, plus you get a boost in the ratings. I generally see a book at 250,000 sales ranking with a single purchase the day of publication.

[acitore]

JS - what???
Wizard & John - thanks! From everything I'd read, I thought for MOBI I had to do something extra. But I've read so much on this process that I'm starting to forget what I've read.