Creating your own

eBook

...for beginners

Background

Why ePub, what is it good for?

Self Publishing

Two Methods of Production

Calibre

Sigil

Calibre VS Sigil

Calibre

Pros

• Import from Word

• Autodetect heading information

• Easier to follow steps

• Save in multiple formats

Cons

• Inserts extra code into final document

• Code is not as clean

Sigil

Pros

●Cleaner code

●Easier to edit on the fly

●More straightforward interface

●Potentially better future compatibility

Cons

●Not for beginners

●Only save in ePub

●Knowledge of basic HTML and CSS is desired

●Chapter by chapter

Steps for Calibre

1. Format document in a word processor (eg, MS Word)

2. Save as file type ‘Filtered HTML’

3. In Calibre, choose ‘Add to Calibre’, locate the HTML file

4. Once imported, choose ‘Convert Book’, click OK

5. Add metadata, cover image, TOC etc

The only list in this presentation I promise

Steps for Sigil

1. Type into Sigil or paste in as plain text (one chapter at a time)

2. Add styles to chapter headings and check your table of contents list

when done

3. Add metadata, cover image, CSS etc

4. Save ePub file

OK I lied, this is another numbered list...

Code Examples

h2 {

font-family: sans-serif;

font-size: 2em;

border-top: 20%;

color: #555;

}

<h2>This is a heading size two</h2>

<p>This is a paragraph. Space will be

placed before and after this block of

text marked by the ‘p’ tags</p>

HTML CSS

Cover Designwould you read these books?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-shumate/selfpublishings-worst-cov_b_2457689.html

Good cover design

Beginner’s Guide To Book Cover

Design

goo.gl/wta4n2

Chip Kidd talk

goo.gl/bN6FtR

Book cover design tip in 90secs

goo.gl/aqFCgG

Libraries and eBooks

Libraries as publishers?

What terms would we

offer?

What staff skill sets are

needed?

LinksCalibre

http://calibre-ebook.com/download

Sigil

https://code.google.com/p/sigil/

Thank you