Does a novelette need a TOC?

[ChrisDolley]

I'm bringing out a 13,000 word eNovelette through Book View Cafe next month and I'd like opinions as to whether I need a TOC for it. It has no chapters and if I was publishing it in a print mag I wouldn't worry about this at all. There are about a dozen scenes - each delimited by a scene break line of 'oOo' centred.

But would ebook readers prefer the scenes were converted into clickable scenes/chapters?

Chris

Resonance (Baen)
Shift (Baen)
www.chris-dolley.com

[Nate the great]

If it's not clearly delineated into sections or chapters then I wouldn't add a TOC.

[Simon Wood]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

If it's not clearly delineated into sections or chapters then I wouldn't add a TOC.

Ditto...

[mtravellerh]

You might like to divide the scenes per chapter break which breaks the scenes up neatly without having to insert a TOC in your book! This can be done with Sigil, for example!

[ChrisDolley]

Thanks all for your input. I'll proceed without the TOC.

[neilmarr]

Good idea, Chris. Apart from anything else, the page numbers in an ebook (depending on format and device) are unlikely to correspond with a table of contents.

Much depends on your text layout. If you are using no indentations and a line break between paragraphs (common ebook structure), separate sections with a device like *** or oOo. If you're using traditional layout (no line breaks between pars), DO NOT indent the first line of the first par of each section (indent first line of all following pars) and simply leave two line breaks between sections.

Good luck. Neil

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Good idea, Chris. Apart from anything else, the page numbers in an ebook (depending on format and device) are unlikely to correspond with a table of contents.

Much depends on your text layout. If you are using no indentations and a line break between paragraphs (common ebook structure), separate sections with a device like *** or oOo. If you're using traditional layout (no line breaks between pars), DO NOT indent the first line of the first par of each section (indent first line of all following pars) and simply leave two line breaks between sections.

Good luck. Neil

But your TOC doesn't need to have page numbers anyway, Neil. A TOC consists of anchors and links, where the anchors are the chpater titles. and the links are in the Contents section!

Merry Christmas!

[ChrisDolley]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

If you're using traditional layout (no line breaks between pars), DO NOT indent the first line of the first par of each section (indent first line of all following pars) and simply leave two line breaks between sections.

Good luck. Neil

Hi Neil, I've seen this advice before - not indenting the first para - and it struck me as odd - never having noticed it in a printed publication. So I've just done a quick check of my library and print publishers seem split - some don't indent, some do, some go for the enlarged first character. So I think it's a matter of taste.

Though, talking about removing para indents, what I'd really like to do is remove the para indent from the copyright page of my book. I've tried putting style="text-indent: 0," on the copyright paras and it works for some ebook formats via Calibre but not on most.

Chris

Resonance (Baen)
Shift (Baen)

www.chris-dolley.com

[neilmarr]

Pretty well any print book you grab from your shelf will follow my layout advice, Chris. But it really ain't no big deal with ebooks.

MT: Point taken. I'm afraid -- even as a devout reader of ebooks -- I still think in terms of print whenever I offer editorial advice.

Best. Neil