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Creating files for upload to KDP


H.VonEss

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Hello Steve,

 

Do you have any plans to build an ebook formatting feature into Storyist so that writers who wish to publish e-novels or short stories on Kindle (KPD) and Apple Book Reader can do so without all the challenges associated with the manual process? I would imagine that it would be a popular selling point for professional authors.

 

Thank you!

 

Michael

 

By the way... I deeply appreciate Storyist as my preferred writing tool. Bravo mate!

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What's the issue you have with generating files for Kindle or iBooks?

 

Both can be done in the File -> Export command on the Mac.

 

Here are the instructions for the Kindle export http://storyist.com/support/howto/publish-on-amazon/

 

Though I have not submitted my book to the Kindle store yet, I've run it through their Viewer and it looks great. I'm just waiting for my cover art and I'm publishing my first book...

 

All my reviewers have used the ePub format for iBooks without any issues.

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thewitt is right, and let me add to what he wrote:

 

Unlike a print book with a set interior design, the point of eBooks is to be easy for the readers to manipulate for themselves. So the best eBook "formatting" is, in fact, doing as little hard formatting as possible—don't embed fonts, don't use drop caps, all the things that you' do in print. Keep your eBooks clean. Because not only does every reader like things differently, but different eReaders display things differently, too. So my Kindle Paperwhite uses a different font than iBooks, etc. And that's okay.

 

If you really do want complex formatting, don't expect Storyist to be that tool. For example, I use InDesign for more graphic layout oriented tasks; I wouldn't expect or even want Storyist to become a full Desktop Publishing tool. And InDesign will let you do "fixed layout" eBooks, in which each page looks just like the print page, by embedding tons of fonts, CSS, etc. Good luck getting different readers to display it the same way, however...

 

Orren

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes, but you can't do anything if you don't have access to a Mac or PC. All I have is my iPad, so having the ability to export directly into KDP would be greatly appreciated. As it is, I'll have to go through several inconvenient steps before I can reach my audience. It's far better to have a truly complete product than one that depends on an older sibling running on a different OS, especially one that your users may not have access to.

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Wait, so you don't want Storyist iOS to simply offer an Export > .mobi feature that allows advance formatting and then saves a .mobi file to your iCloud or Dropbox, you want it to:

 

* Save a .mobi file

* Open Safar web browser to kdp.amazon.com

* Select "add new title"

* Upload your .mobi file

 

Am I correct?

 

Not to speak for Steve, but I am more or less certain this is impossible for the following reasons:

* Amazon does not allow any application to upload a manuscript to KDP; you must go through the web interface

* Once an application opens Safari, Safari takes over, and Storyist would no longer be able to select web fields such as "Add New Title" and "Upload Manuscript."

 

The bottom line is, even if Storyist added formatting features, you will still have to upload your manuscript manually, using inconvenient steps. That's not Steve's fault, that's just the way Amazon set up KDP, and the way iOS works.

 

Orren

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