What is a perfect procedure for generate a amazon kindle mobi file?

[theducks]

(This seems to be my 'Listen to Hitch" day )

Take some time and 'smell the code' side of an EPUB you like the look of.
For most part (the main body of text), the basic novel, the code is really simple to style. ((this is called: 'Reverse Engineering" in my real line of work)) I was shocked, when I looked at the code of some of the early books from the "Baen Free Library". "That's it?" about a dozen lines in the style sheet(s) for the novel

All most need, is styles for :

First Paragraph
Subsequent paragraphs
New Scene (scene break treatment)

The trickier stuff is rare:
stuff like:

News Headlines
Signs
Handwritten notes or letters

Even that, usually is just another, simple style.

The fun (and this is where I like to play), is Chapter Headings. I like to give the a bit of uniqueness. That is NOT required. You could jus make them bold or a little bigger font (but that is booooring )

[lumpynose]

Originally Posted by theducks

(This seems to be my 'Listen to Hitch" day )

Take some time and 'smell the code' side of an EPUB you like the look of.
For most part (the main body of text), the basic novel, the code is really simple to style. ((this is called: 'Reverse Engineering" in my real line of work)) I was shocked, when I looked at the code of some of the early books from the "Baen Free Library". "That's it?" about a dozen lines in the style sheet(s) for the novel

All most need, is styles for :

First Paragraph
Subsequent paragraphs
New Scene (scene break treatment)

The trickier stuff is rare:
stuff like:

News Headlines
Signs
Handwritten notes or letters

Even that, usually is just another, simple style.

The fun (and this is where I like to play), is Chapter Headings. I like to give the a bit of uniqueness. That is NOT required. You could jus make them bold or a little bigger font (but that is booooring )

Great suggestions.

Something I've started going is using nesting in order to not need class= on so many html elements. For example, for paragraphs I have

body > p {
    text-indent: 1.5em;
}

Then in the html I can use plain unadorned p tags, instead of what I often see, every p element having class="pindent". Then for the paragraphs following an h element I have

header + p {
    text-indent: 0em;
}

So no "pindent" class on those p elements, and the h elements are wrapped in a header element,

<header class="chapter">
  <h2>Chapter 1</h2>
</header>

And I have different css classes for various different types of headers.

Makes for a nice lean and clean html.

[Notjohn]

Originally Posted by Zohaib Ahmed

Hello
Everyone I am new in Amazon kindle formatting whenever I convert ms word file into mobi file via Calibre software i have lost all formatting especially Title page formatting, TOC shape , and some times Main headings also so which way will be easy for converting ms word file in to mobi file.

Well, perfection is elusive. But I've never regarded a Calibre-generated book as anything approaching perfect. Personally, I use Sigil to build an epub, since epub not only works on every online bookseller but also converts beautifully on Amazon's KDP platform. But if you are stuck in the Word level, the thing to do is to learn how to use heading and paragraph styles, and then upload the Word document without any conversion whatever. For pointers, see my blog post at https://notjohnkdp.blogspot.com/2015...ublishing.html

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Moreover, unless someone is making it solely for their own device, the AZW3 info isn't useful. You can't build an AZW3 file that will be sold at Amazon. You can build a MOBI. You can build an ePUB. You can upload a zipped HTML file, or a Word file or a kpf file. But you can't upload an AZW or AZW3 file.

Hitch

You can now upload ePub to Amazon.
Results of LibreOffice Writer (edit in .odt), "Save As" MS docx (not OO docx), open once to check, import ms dox, create epub. Do not open epub before making a copy to upload to Amazon & Smashwords or otherwise Calibre ereader adds a bookmark file.

Getting all the paragraph styles right is important.
Also NO parent styles and no "named" style for Text Flow of a paragraph style, just set insert page before.
Note that if you use Heading1, Heading2 etc, epub will seem fine, but mobi conversions will have outline level numbers. So for headings/chapers use named styles with no parents, and you can set "Level" so they appear in Writer's navigator.
Each heading must have a bookmark (Anchor) in front, do not select a character or word (old MS Word Form habits). Then make an index. Copy and paste into a plain text file, delete the index. Copy the plain text back.
Then select each entry and do Ctrl K to set a hyperlink. Enter the bookmark in URL with #, like #prologue, #ch1, #appendix etc. It will then be a document link and not an external URL.

Conversion SW (Calibre, Amazon, Smashwords) uses this manually edited TOC to make the NCX.
I've found that Calibre "honours" Writer page breaks created by "text flow" "insert page before".
I've found that the Amazon Kindle Creator is rubbish compared to Calibre and also that Amazon tends to ignore .docx and .doc page breaks. The Calibre created epub works perfectly for Amazon upload.
Then when Amazon sells an ebook they know which format to supply, old mobi, AZW3/KF8 or evil KFX. Even if you select "download to PC" and transfer, as you have to select which is the main Kindle (or App) the ebook is for.

Smashwords don't know what Kindle you have, so uploading a .doc to them creates an "old mobi". Uploading a Calibre "dual mobi" to Smashwords for Mobi seems to work (on a Kindle Keyboard, Calibre viewer and PW3).

I have a small paper size set up in LibreOffice Writer and the ePub from Calibre looks the same.

A paperback needs extra page styles and paragraph styles as well as headers/footers. Easier to add that than take it out!

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Since I am a strong believer in making books available not only through Amazon but also through Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and lesser booksellers, I build my book as an epub using the free and excellent Sigil software. It converts wonderfully well on the KDP platform and also, of course, at Amazon's rivals, all of whom use the universal epub format.

Smashwords distribute to Apple, Kobo, Barnes& Noble and others. I've sold to those three and some other outfit via Smashwords as well as their direct sales.

I've tried Sigil. Too fiddly. Really using LibreOffice writer native odt for edit, "save as" MS Word docx and import to Calibre works perfectly. I proof on a Kobo and copy back annotations into a text file (used to use Notepad++, now use KATE). The same Calibre ePub works to upload to Amazon and gives a kindle output looking like my ePub on Kobo/Sony/Nook, or AZW from Calibre to my PW3.

I also use Write's Regex search (7 expressions) to do a final scan before making the docx for Calibre.

[lumpynose]

So when did Amazon start accepting epub files with Kindle Direct Publishing? Back on June 8 when I posted this link it did not say epub but now it does.

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200634390

But things are still less than wonderful in my opinion because while KDP does accept epubs, Kindle Create does not; it still only accepts DOC, DOCX, and PDF, according to their web page. I installed it and when I go to create a new project it only allows DOC and DOCX, no PDF. It's annoying and disappointing that it still doesn't accept EPUB.

But then I saw a link to their Kindle Previewer which they say accepts EPUB so I installed that. And it does. And it has an export option as well but it only exports to MOBI and it warns that it won't use the advanced stuff, what KFX provides I'm guessing.

So for my little stuff, books I'm only uploading here, I create in Sigil as EPUB 3. If I can piggyback onto Zohaib Ahmed's question, what would be the cleanest way to create from my EPUBs a DOC or DOCX file that I can then feed to KDP? I'm guessing that DOCX would be the better format.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by lumpynose

So when did Amazon start accepting epub files with Kindle Direct Publishing? Back on June 8 when I posted this link it did not say epub but now it does.

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200634390

But things are still less than wonderful in my opinion because while KDP does accept epubs, Kindle Create does not; it still only accepts DOC, DOCX, and PDF, according to their web page. I installed it and when I go to create a new project it only allows DOC and DOCX, no PDF. It's annoying and disappointing that it still doesn't accept EPUB.

But then I saw a link to their Kindle Previewer which they say accepts EPUB so I installed that. And it does. And it has an export option as well but it only exports to MOBI and it warns that it won't use the advanced stuff, what KFX provides I'm guessing.

So for my little stuff, books I'm only uploading here, I create in Sigil as EPUB 3. If I can piggyback onto Zohaib Ahmed's question, what would be the cleanest way to create from my EPUBs a DOC or DOCX file that I can then feed to KDP? I'm guessing that DOCX would be the better format.

Lumpy:

You've been able to upload ePUBs at Amazon for at least 5 years, possibly longer. Let's see...it's 2019? 7 years, then, if memory serves.

Why on EARTH would Kindle Create accept ePUBs? It seems to me, Lumpy, that you misunderstand what that's for. That's not a tool that people who can make ePUBs need, it's for DIYers that need their hands held to use styles and headings and the like. It's....apples and oranges. I don't understand why you'd even WANT to use it?

And why on EARTH would you make a docx file, from your ePUB? I'm completely gobsmacked by your post, it doesn't make sense to me at all.

Hitch

[Quoth]

Kindle Create is rubbish. It's got a few fixed styles. I set up a Win7 PC a few weeks ago to try it. The Modern equivalent of Mobi Creator, and less flexible!

Sigil, Calibre and even the LibreOffice 5.x epub plugin or LibreOffice 6.x built in epub are far better than Kindle Create.

The epub 2 is sufficient.

An epub2 is FAR better than the best docx or doc to upload to Amazon.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by lumpynose

So for my little stuff, books I'm only uploading here, I create in Sigil as EPUB 3. If I can piggyback onto Zohaib Ahmed's question, what would be the cleanest way to create from my EPUBs a DOC or DOCX file that I can then feed to KDP?

IMHO, it doesn't make sense to convert an epub file to an docx file and then have KDP convert it again to an epub file.
If your epub file passes epubcheck and Kindle Previewer displays the green Enhanced Typesetting check mark you might as well upload the .mobi file created by Kindle Previewer, because you can never be sure that the automated .docx conversion won't introduce errors. (Make sure to also check the conversion log.)

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

Kindle Create is rubbish. It's got a few fixed styles. I set up a Win7 PC a few weeks ago to try it. The Modern equivalent of Mobi Creator, and less flexible!

One of us is confused. I am 99.9999999% sure that I never said that anyone on the planet should use KC. It's fine for DIYers that don't know bupkus about coding and want a kind of drag-drop type thing, but I would NEVER use it. EVER. I suspect you're talking to Lumpy, yes?

Of course it has a few fixed styles. It's not meant to replace Sigil. It's a Word-->MOBI(ish) tool that Amazon's introduced for the millions of publishers that can't be bothered to learn HTML but still want an eBook that "looks nice." You don't like the limited number of styles, but look at all the people that are slavishly devoted to that Apple program, that works much like this. SS, DD. A limited number of styles, but the end result looks nice and that's what the authors want--without having to know what a p is or a div or anything along those lines.

Sigil, Calibre and even the LibreOffice 5.x epub plugin or LibreOffice 6.x built in epub are far better than Kindle Create.

Yes, Sigil certainly is. Sigil is not, contrary to what you said, "fiddly." It's a fantastic tool for those of us who work in code. Calibre is fine if you want a shortcut and don't want to dive into the code. For some professionals, it's a shortcut to a file that they can then clean up, in Sigil; for me, I use it only for a library of converted books. I don't use it for conversion. I don't need it, as I clean my content in NoteTabPro.

The epub 2 is sufficient.

I'm not sure who you think is disagreeing with this?

An epub2 is FAR better than the best docx or doc to upload to Amazon.

And that's fine, too. I personally prefer to build a MOBI, because I am picky and thus, like Media Queries to ensure that I can get everything JUST SO. But, for many books, MQs are not necessary.

Originally Posted by Doitsu

IMHO, it doesn't make sense to convert an epub file to an docx file and then have KDP convert it again to an epub file.
If your epub file passes epubcheck and Kindle Previewer displays the green Enhanced Typesetting check mark you might as well upload the .mobi file created by Kindle Previewer, because you can never be sure that the automated .docx conversion won't introduce errors. (Make sure to also check the conversion log.)

I agree. I don't understand what's happening here, or why anyone would convert an ePUB-->DOCX-->KDP. It's a lot of additional work for no purpose that I can think of.

Hitch

[lumpynose]

Your friendly gobsmacker here ...

My goal is to create a Kindle book to upload here, in addition to the EPUBs I'm uploading. Preferably the most modern format that I can produce, which I'm guessing will be AZW3? I'm not selling books on Amazon.

I'd rather not use Calibre to convert the EPUB to AZW3 because, for one thing, as the original poster points out, things may not come out as you'd like, but I was thinking, hoping really, that an Amazon tool wouldn't do the whole rewriting thing that Calibre does and that would make it easier to debug why things don't look right. I'm hoping that my css would remain mostly intact with what Amazon's tool produces.

As far as I can tell with my experimenting with KDP, what's produced is destined for the Kindle store, which is not what I want.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by lumpynose

Your friendly gobsmacker here ...

My goal is to create a Kindle book to upload here, in addition to the EPUBs I'm uploading. Preferably the most modern format that I can produce, which I'm guessing will be AZW3? I'm not selling books on Amazon.

I'd rather not use Calibre to convert the EPUB to AZW3 because, for one thing, as the original poster points out, things may not come out as you'd like, but I was thinking, hoping really, that an Amazon tool wouldn't do the whole rewriting thing that Calibre does and that would make it easier to debug why things don't look right. I'm hoping that my css would remain mostly intact with what Amazon's tool produces.

As far as I can tell with my experimenting with KDP, what's produced is destined for the Kindle store, which is not what I want.

But, if you are trying to create a "Kindle book," isn't the intended destination Kindle devices? I mean, what's the purpose, if it isn't?

Why not just convert your ePUB to MOBI? Using Previewer, or KindleGen? I don't think I understand what the issue is here. When you build a MOBI from an ePUB, your CSS stays precisely intact. It's not like Calibre. ????

Hitch

[lumpynose]

Originally Posted by Hitch

But, if you are trying to create a "Kindle book," isn't the intended destination Kindle devices? I mean, what's the purpose, if it isn't?

Absolutely. I just don't want the Kindle book to go up for sale on Amazon. I want to upload it here. Yes, it's for Kindle devices.

Originally Posted by Hitch

Why not just convert your ePUB to MOBI? Using Previewer, or KindleGen? I don't think I understand what the issue is here. When you build a MOBI from an ePUB, your CSS stays precisely intact. It's not like Calibre. ????

Thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to know, that the CSS stays intact. I was reading another thread started by FrustratedReader ("Dual Mobi. How Compatible?") and I learned from Doitsu that the MOBI created by Kindle Previewer is a dual one which will work on old Kindles as well. So that's good.

One downside is that the size of the MOBI is 3,327 kb while the EPUB is 766 kb; massive bloat. 3 1/3 megs versus 3/4s of a meg. Sheesh. (I had a boss who used the word moby as an adjective for something huge; very appropriate here.)

What about the KFX format? Is there a way I can create that (instead of MOBI) and keep my CSS intact? I always format with text-align: left for a ragged right margin but lots of people prefer a flush right margin. If I remember right with KFX people can switch between ragged right and flush right, while with this MOBI it's locked to whatever the CSS says.

Overall I'm glad to know that the MOBI file has my intact CSS; this gives me another device to test with; I'd been ignoring the Kindle because I was thinking that I had to use Calibre to create a Kindle file but that would change the CSS.

[GrannyGrump]

@lumpynose -- perhaps a good solution would be to use Kindle Previewer or Kindlegen to create the mobi file from your epub. Then use KindleUnpack to split that mobi into the "old" mobi /KF7 and "new" mobi/KF8 and "source" files. Then you could upload only the version you want, which would help avoid the bloated file-size.

KindleUnpack is available as standalone, and as a plug-in for Calibre. See the MR wiki
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/KindleUnpack

[lumpynose]

Originally Posted by GrannyGrump

@lumpynose -- perhaps a good solution would be to use Kindle Previewer or Kindlegen to create the mobi file from your epub. Then use KindleUnpack to split that mobi into the "old" mobi /KF7 and "new" mobi/KF8 and "source" files. Then you could upload only the version you want, which would help avoid the bloated file-size.

KindleUnpack is available as standalone, and as a plug-in for Calibre. See the MR wiki
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/KindleUnpack

Great, sounds like exactly what I need. Thanks.