Every entrepreneur and company owner should keep an eBook on hand. Nothing surpasses the credibility and authority of authoring an ebook in your field. More readers than ever before are opting to consume their material online rather than on paper. Producing the content becomes one thing, but developing a visually appealing medium is quite another. You might engage an expert in ebook interior formatting. You may also do it yourself.
However, the possibility of doing it yourself might be daunting. We have reduced your selections to the 11 top eBook authoring tools in this post. To make things easy, we have grouped the alternatives from the most basic user interfaces to the more complicated systems that take some experience to operate.
Before we go into the list of creator tools, let’s review the various forms in which eBooks can be found. Each format caters to a distinct style in how your readers prefer to consume your information, and it may also impact your creative tool of choice.
There are several popular eBooks. Let’s view each of them.
By far, the most popular eBook format now is PDF. Depending on your objectives for publishing an eBook, such as generating leads, sales, or community building, formatting it as a PDF will more than likely assist you in achieving your objectives. This file format is supported by the vast majority of computers and mobile devices. It is most likely the most user-friendly format. Furthermore, the nicest part? Most of the tools we will discuss below can be used to make PDFs.
Creators who format their eBooks as PDFs get the freedom to distribute those eBooks wherever they feel right. Some sell through online course platforms like Tribify, while others sell via email, Amazon, or a combination of both. Nonetheless, bear in mind that if your target audience intends to read the eBook on an e-reader such as Kindle or Kobo, PDF may not be the optimal format. You may still use Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to submit your eBook to Amazon, for example. Yet, for a nice reading experience on Kindle devices, you will need to restructure it substantially.
EPUB is the de facto standard for practically all e-readers, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Books. Most formatting software now supports EPUB files, making them considerably easy to format. EPUB is an exceptionally flexible eBook formatting option. The Book Industry Study Group supports EPUB 3 as the preferred format for packaging content and believes that the worldwide book publishing industry should unite around a single standard. The EPUB format is implemented as an archive file that contains XHTML files that contain the content, as well as pictures and other supporting resources.
MOBI is an older file format that is only compatible with Kindle e-readers. If the MOBI format meets the Kindle publishing standards, KDP will accept it. It no longer serves as the gold standard for Kindle formatting. Amazon has made KPF (Kindle Package Format) the recommended file format for Kindle. Mobipocket was indeed a free software package that included numerous publishing and reading capabilities for PDAs, smartphones, mobile phones, the e-readers Kindle and iLiad, and programs for Symbian, Windows, Palm OS, Java ME, and Psion devices.
Using Amazon’s free program Kindle Produce, you may create Kindle Package Format files from your unformatted text. Using the online Kindle Previewer, you may see how your book will look on a Kindle e-reader using a KPF file. This is advantageous if you are primarily targeting the Kindle market. KPFs, on the other hand, are incompatible with other e-readers. To publish your ebook on other platforms, you will need to convert it to a different file type.
Before you dig into one of these 11 ebook authoring software solutions, you should be aware of the following metrics:
We will comment on each measure for the top 11 ebook creators listed below. You can then make an educated decision about which ebook production software to utilize. Let’s get started!
The greatest entry-level premium ebook production software is Microsoft Word. In reality, you may write an eBook with any number of open-source software programs that have the same features as MS Word. The most significant benefit is that most people are familiar with, use, and trust Microsoft Word. The most significant drawback of this application is that you can only create an ebook in PDF format.
Still, this is not a deal breaker because many online eBook publishers accept MS Word documents and will format them for you automatically. Just export the file as.doc or.docx and insert it to the Kindle Direct Publishing source, for example. Now, here you go! KDP will provide an acceptable rendition of your MS Word document. You may also use Kindle Previewer prior to publishing to ensure that the book rendering appears as intended on Kindle devices (if you wish the book to be Kindle-friendly).
Anyone with a Gmail account can use this free service. Google Docs can produce the same high-quality documents and eBooks as Microsoft Word. The nicest aspect is that Google Docs supports two formats: PDF and EPUB. If that isn’t enough, you can always save to .docx and employ auto formatting tools on publishing services like KDP. To add to the expanding list of benefits of this application, Google Docs is cloud-based software, which means you’ll never lose a document because your machine died. Of course, be certain that you don’t lose your password.
Hello, all you Mac lovers! This is the inverse of Microsoft Word, which comes standard with the majority of iOS products. Pages, unlike its competitors in Microsoft Word, can format in its native formats, EPUB and PDF. You may also save your work in MS Word so that it is readable there as well.
While most top tool lists emphasize pricey ebook authoring tools, I appreciate organizations that look beyond the box. Draft2Digital (D2D), an ebook distribution network, includes excellent free eBook formatting tools. You just need a .doc or.docx text and a little time to experiment with D2D’s hundreds of eBook formatting capabilities, which include simple templates if you’re unsure where to begin.
D2D, like Google Docs, may be used for cloud storage as well. The only catch is that you cannot modify your text using their formatter. However, where they lack this functionality, D2D more than compensates with layout options and formats. You may quickly prepare your eBook in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI, and they’ll even provide you with a PDF ready for print. Draft2Digital also provides distribution for 10% of your book’s retail price. Aside from that, it’s absolutely free.
Many prominent authors vouch for Vellum, the premium Mac-only eBook formatting program. It provides a powerful range of features and formatting options to make your ebook stand out and demand the attention of the reader. Vellum will export your text in EPUB format and will prepare your PDF for print books instantly. Vellum is free to download and use, but if you want to convert to eBook format, you must pay a premium. Vellum is available to buy as a pay-per-eBook or lifetime subscription, so you may try it out or buy it completely.
Atticus is a relatively recent software alternative that allows you to conduct both writing and formatting in one spot. It costs $147 for a lifetime license and is compatible with all operating systems. Atticus also saves to the cloud automatically, so you never have to be bothered about losing your work. The program is simple to use, with several formatting template options and tools to keep you on track, such as daily word objectives. If you prefer to format rather than write in Atticus, you may insert .docx or RTF files to the service and format from there. Atticus supports PDF,.docx and EPUB outputs.
Kindle Create by Amazon is available for both PC and Mac. The free program works flawlessly with the Kindle Direct Publishing Platform. As with Vellum, you must complete all of your work prior to utilizing this formatting program. Amazon, on the other hand, wants you to make a visually appealing eBook, so they prepared a mini-course on how to utilize Kindle Create and all of its capabilities. The only caveat is that Kindle Create currently exports only to two file types: KPB and KPF.
Since it is essentially an eBook management system, Calibre is the black sheep of our small list of eBook authoring tools. The capacity of this free program to convert between PDF, EPUB, and MOBI is its defining feature. Though the user interface may need a refresh, it contains everything you need to produce any form of an eBook. So, if you create a document in Microsoft Word and want to convert it to EPUB or MOBI, you won’t have to pay to repair it.
And, if you accumulate a large enough backlog of eBooks, Calibre is a wonderful resource for organizing and controlling the material from a single location. Using metadata, management will assist you in tracking all document aspects.
Ulysses is a premium Mac-only eBook production program designed specifically for writers. Ulysses is the tool for anyone serious about improving their writing material, including organizing features, document attachments, filters, automated backup, and writing objectives.
This program is offered on a subscription basis and can save your eBook to PDF, EPUB, and other formats. docx. We learned about Ulysses via the YouTube channel Author Level Up, where the host compared it to Scrivener, another eBook production program. If you’re torn between the two premium alternatives, he provides a reasonably balanced analysis that will help you make an informed selection.
Scrivener is a high-end eBook production software that bills itself as the “go-to program” for authors. Scrivener, like Ulysses, includes a number of choices for creating an orderly and distraction-free working atmosphere for the author. In contrast to Ulysses, you pay a one-time charge for your chosen operating system. Scrivener supports all eBook formats, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI. With a free 30-day trial, the software provider makes your purchase decision simple, leaving you with nothing but time to waste.
For a good reason, We have kept the granddaddy of all eBook production tools for last. Over all of the others listed, Adobe InDesign is the most advanced tool for making eBooks. It takes time, patience, and attention to detail and layout. If you wish to design an interior that captures attention and discreetly moves the reader from one page to the next, InDesign is the tool for you!
Adobe InDesign is a monthly membership service that will format your eBooks in PDF or EPUB. Though this program is not for beginners, it may produce aesthetically spectacular interiors.
We are sure you’re wondering where to begin after reading these 11 eBook authoring software options. To help you decide, this list is categorized from the most simple and accessible software to the most complicated and expensive software. If you’ve already created eBooks, you might be able to jump through to the sophisticated premium tools. However, if all you require is a short and dirty eBook, go with any of the first four alternatives.
What do you think of our list of the top 11 ebook creators? Did we leave out a gadget that you prefer? And, on which option do you disagree, and why? We would love to hear your thoughts!
Putting on a Show: Trible's Guide to Crafting Outstanding PowerPoint Presentations
Whether you’re a seasoned marketer, a presentation newbie, or somewhere in between, this guide is designed for you. It’s a friendly chat, packed with actionable tips, tricks, and insights to help you master the art of PowerPoint presentations.
Design Like a Pro: Top Adobe Illustrator Alternatives for Coaches, Tutors, and Educators in 2023
Explore free Adobe Illustrator alternatives. Dive into Figma, Canva, Vectr, and a dozen of lesser-known but nonetheless outstanding design tools for non-designers.
Comprehensive Guide to Content Monetization for Educators and Coaches
Reveal the secrets of successful content monetization with Trible. Explore various monetization strategies, models, and platforms!
