Looking back on a journey through the world of ePubs

A look back at my experiences.

I guess it was pretty clear that I preferred the all-in-one solution: Indesign. It is less easy than for example Word, but if you just look up some tutorials or browse through forum questions, you can really make a beautiful ePub.

What to do when you want to create an ePub file?

I would recommend to work with DTP software or to combine Word & Calibre. The first option, the specialized software, is also possible of course, but I just think it's less convenient.

And afterwards?

It depends on why you wanted to make an ePub file to begin with. I wouldn't really recommend self publishing a literary ebook or elaborated lifestyle book(zine). It's a personal choice, but I would work with a professional publisher for this.
I would rather use ePubs as an 'extra' tool for your (creative) business. If you have a blog about home organization for example, you can publish a (free) ebook with some basic tips and tricks there. Next to this, you can also offer more elaborated ebooks about your specialized topics for sale. If you have a website about cheap travelling, you can publish a self made city guide. There are plenty of options.

I hope you enjoyed this journey and learned something from it. I definitely did 😁.

Creating another ePub file with ... desktop publishing software

The third and last way I will use to make an ePub file is with Adobe Indesign. If you want to check out some speed courses for Indesign, take a look at this blog: andreaculturelestudies.tumblr.com. If you'd rather design your ePub file with free software, try out Scribus. A speed course for this program can be found here: lindseylearnsscribus.wordpress.com. But even if you're not familiar with Indesign or Scribus yet, you'll be able to just design some text lay out and insert a picture to create a basic ePub design.

Formatting & publishing in one

The best aspect about this option is the fact that it is an all-in-one solution without any code and with a great designing interface.

I did some (limited) research, just to look for some attention points. Apparantly, there is a difference in creating a 'reflowable' and 'fixed' ePub. For my collection of quotes, I am going to use a reflowable ePub, because it focusses on text. If you want to make a really graphic publication and/or use interactive links, a fixed ePub is the better option. Another aspect I had to do research for, was how to create table of contents in Indesign.

Here is a home made step-by-step plan:

• Open Indesign and create a new document (or book, in the end you can still choose how to export it).
• Pick 'A5' (or A4, I don't think this matters). If you're in a hurry and not planning on being creative in designing different text blocks, select 'Primary text frame'. 
• Copy/write your flat text in the text blocks and make a new page for every chapter.
• And the nicest thing (for me, that is): do whatever you want with your titles, subtitles, ... Important: if you want to have a table of contents, you should work with 'paragraph styles' for your titles and subtitles.
• How? Design a paragraph style for your chapter titles + click on 'Edit all export tags' and choose this style as a page breaker.
• Choose 'Layout' and 'Table of contents' in the menu.
• Edit the Table of contents, maybe choose a style you made beforehand (in Layout/TOC Styles).
• Click 'OK' and choose where you want to place the TOC.

• After the formatting, you just have to click 'export' and choose 'ePub'. Check the options (select 'Split document: based on paragraph style export tags' for your page breaks. And fill in your metadata.
• Click 'OK' and there it is!

Sources:

• helpx.adobe.com/support/indesign.html

Creating another ePub file with ... word processors

A second way to make an ePub is with a common word processor. In daily life I use two word processors: Google Docs and Microsoft Word. Apparently Word is the only one does not have the possibility to directly produce an ePub file. The open source software OpenWriter does. If I have any spare time left after this test, maybe I'll download this software too to test the ePub tool.

So first I'll do a double skill test: I'll make the ePub file with Google Docs and then with Word for the lay-out and an ePub software for the technical conversion. I will convert the file with Calibre, since I already use this program for my ebook management, but there are plenty of other options.

Google Doc to ePub

I forgot to embed a picture in my first ePub, so before I started, I looked for a free to use photo to liven up my title page.

The fact that you can just dowload the document directly as an ePub is very convenient, it just takes a few clicks. Designing the document was also really easy ...

 I thought. Until I opened a preview of the ePub file with Internet Explorer. The pages of the document didn't match those of the ePub. I did some research and looked for a template that would make life easier but I couldn't find it. The tutorials I found never showed the actual result and I really couldn't find any explanation on how to make clear when there's an e-page break in Google Docs ...

So after an hour of research I took a break myself and went on to the second method: using a word processor and an additional software to publish it. Fingers crossed ;-).

Word doc to ePub via Calibre

To avoid doing twice the work, I downloaded my formatted Google Doc as a Word doc. Unfortunately, this didn't work out, since it created a bug in the 'styles' of my titles and headings. So I did start a new document, copied the text from my Google Drive document and did the formatting according to this tutorial. Then I followed the instructions from part 2 to turn it into an ePub file.

Looking back

If you want to use a word processor, I would recommend the word processor + Calibre option. I guess Google Docs is not ready for real ePub publishing. So I guess using two different programs is worth it. I will keep an eye on Google Docs and keep you posted if things work out better.
Here is a short summary to create your ePub file with Word + Calibre:

• Style your plain text in Word: use 'title', 'subtitle' and headings per chapter or part.
• Insert a page break before each part or chapter.
• Insert (automatically) a table of contents.
• Save your document after the formatting, just as a normal Word document.
• Open Calibre, click 'Add book' and choose your Word document.
• Edit the metadata of your ePub file.
• Click 'Convert books' and follow all or some of the steps, for example:
• Check your metadata and book cover.
• Make some changes in the lay out (for example font size) or leave it to the default option.
• An important one: select 'page break' to structure the book.
• If you have different levels and thus headings in your structure you should specify this in 'Table of contents'.
• Make sure your output type is 'epub' (or mobi works for Kindle).
• Click 'OK'.
• Enjoy!

I was really happy to see all my pages on separate pages 😏. So far this was the easiest way to make an ePub file. If you want to try other software than Calibre, you can try out Smashwords, Draft2Digital or Scrivener. 

Next time I'm going to 'desktoppublish' an ePub file, I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kudler/4-ways-to-create-an-ebook_b_8839968.html
https://www.janefriedman.com/word-epub/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX0wJjR7MjU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF9V4SXo1Kc

Creating an ePub file with ... Sigil

A first way to create an ePub file is with a specialized program. I downloaded Sigil for this experiment.

Content

Before I continue this experiment, my future ePub file needs some content. I'm not ready yet to publish a story or a volume so I will just have some fun with personalized popular lifestyle content. One of my guilty pleasures in life are 'quotes'. In stressy times I live by quotes 💘. So I made a compilation of my favorite ones. You can find the flat text Google Doc here. I have a title ('Repeat after them'), a subtitle ('A guilty pleasurely quote collection'), a foreword, different chapters, quotes and (if known by me or the internet) the one responsible for the quote. So I guess this will be enough content to use as an example.

Let's Sigil this flat text up

In Sigil you have the possibility to use the wysiwyg editor or to write/edit the html code. I have basic knowledge of html but I prefer to work in the convenient wysiwyg interface. I did choose to see the html code just because I think it's cool (🤓) to see what you're doing in code and possibly just change a few things.

Text & structure

I couldn't find a way to import a flat text (I'm used to working in Indesign) so I just copied the text in the interface. I checked and this is indeed the way to do it. If you already have an ePub file you want to edit, you can import the file.

So there was my flat text. And I was already confused. I wanted to make a title page, preface-page and chapters... So I looked for help on jedisaber.com. Apparantly, when you make different sections (File -> New -> Empty section) and add a code they will automatically start on a new page in an e-reader. Another option was to insert page breaks manually. So after some hassle I decided to make four sections: title page, preface, content, bibliography. Within the 'content' I made page breaks manually between my chapters.

Table of contents

I used Tomely's instructions for this part. I changed my title to 'heading 1', my subtitle to 'heading 2' and my name and all my chapter titles to 'heading 3'.

Intermezzo: frustraaaaahtions

Changing <select heading> stuff was a pretty annoying experience, it just didn't work. I don't like it when things don't work when they should 😒. It reminds me of previous versions of Word in high school... After some deep breaths and a cup of 'no stress' tea I could move on.

Back to the table of contents

So, after getting all the headings and 'normal text' right, I selected (at the bottom right) 'Generate TOC from headings'. And after doing some patch work (as in checking out some empty 'heading 3's' I didn't even knew I made), it worked!

I was really curious to see the result on my e-reader so I uploaded the file via Calibre and ... 

I already saw in the Calibre preview it didn't work out how it should have. Apparently all the 'sections' ended up being separate pages automatically (without code) so I devided my chapters again in sections. Also, the 'title page' became a title page and an author page, so I tried to fix that just by deleting some blank space. And so ...

Result & tips

Woohoow, there was my first ePub file on my e-reader.

I realised afterwards I forgot to add metadata, but that's pretty easy, just go to Tools -> Meta editor and add the metadata, just the title and author or more.

Tips

I did it! But I didn't really like it. Not that it was particularly difficult but it certainly wasn't much fun. Or I'm spoiled by Adobe Indesign, possibly.

• Don't copy and paste too much, it confuses the wysiwyg interface.
• Have patience and faith when Sigil is confused.
• Don't forget your metadata

Coming up

In my next post I'll try to make an ePub file with word processors. I have a love-hate relationship with these classic word processors so I'm a bit scared but since I know the programs I think it will be more intuitive than using Sigil.

Sources:

• https://sigil.nl.softonic.com/
• https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigil
• http://tomely.com/guides/using-sigil
• http://www.jedisaber.com/eBooks/Sigil01.shtml

Discovering the ePub file

Before I start creating an ePub file, I want to know exactly what this specie is. So, I googled my way through the maze of ... No, just kidding, ePub files are pretty straightforward. Here is what I learned.

File features

• It derives from 'electronic publication'. Straightforward, like I told you.
• Its main raison d'être is serving as an extension for e-books.
• It is an open source file, meaning a lot of kind, smart people worked (and are working) hard to create it and sharing it with the world. For free!
• The files exist of a ZIP-file (a package with the content of the ePub file) and XML-code that describes this content. More or less like an IKEA-package containing different pieces and a manual on how to put it together, I think? (Except that you actually have to put the furniture together but that all those smart devices put the ePub file together itself. Feel free to give feedback on this bold comparison.)
• The name of this kind of file is stylized in two ways: 'EPUB files' or 'ePub files'. I prefer the stylish second way 👌. The extension reads '.epub'.
• You can embed all kinds of graphic and interactive tools in an ePub file: video and audio files, hyperlinks and of course pictures (gif, jpeg, ...).

What to do with an ePub file

Open the file

The ePub file is the extension for eBooks that can be used on the widest number of e-reading devices. It can be opened with computer software like Calibre, Adobe Digital Editions, ... Via smartphone apps or in Google Play Books.

Still, you can not always open every ePub file with any program or on any device. For example, Kindle readers can not open ePubs. To read the files on this device, you need to convert them first (see below). Also, the files can sometimes be DRM-protected. DRM-what? It means that the ePub file has an encrypted protection and an authentication system, to avoid illegal usage or distribution of the content. For more technical info I kindly refer you to this extended explanation.

Convert the file

If your device can not open an ePub file, you can try to convert it. This is possible in similar programs in which you can open your files, for example in Calibre. In general, I think Calibre is a very user-friendly free e-book management system.
To read ePub files on your computer, it is recommended to convert them into a pdf, which can be read with Adobe Reader. As is customary in the world of converting, there are also different websites that offer online converting. The website Lifewire (see sources) recommends three: Online eBook converter, ePub converter and Zamzar.

Make it yourself

Before I started this journey I thought you definitely needed Adobe Indesign (or a similar program) to make your own ePub file, but apparently there are more options. In my next post I will pick one of the alternatives and create my first ePub file! I hope so.

I Googled this info together and came upon these very nice and clear sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB
- https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-an-epub-file-2621084
- https://nl.wikihow.com/EPUB-documenten-openen
- http://www.freemake.com/blog/is-my-video-audio-or-dvd-protected-how-can-i-know-it/

Hi everyone

I will take you on my journey through a whole new world, the fascinating world of ePubs. I read eBooks, I lend eBooks in the public library where I work. But 💓💪one day 👊💘I want to publish my own eBook. So, let's start with learning about ePub files. I guess both Google and YouTube will be my best friends the following weeks. I'll keep you posted.

Lau