THANK YOU for this video! I have been trying to format my first book for days. I have been searching everywhere for help on formatting in pages. I am so thankful that God put your video in my path 💗💗
Thanks, Eric. I use Vellum for designing most books, but some authors ask for special formatting options or trim size that Vellum doesn't offer. I've found Pages to be an excellent and easy alternative to some of the more complex design applications. Great tips here in your video!
Would love to see how you would "print at home". I am trying to print my journals and bind them myself. I am having the hardest time getting my prints to come out the way I want them. Settings are a bit confusing. My scaling seems to be way off and I'm not sure how to correct it. Love you video it was great to see your formatting process.
Thanks for your note, Marco! Regarding scaling, sometimes I'll export the file as a PDF, then try to print it, making sure I use the 100% scaling option. By default, sometimes the scaling will increase beyond 100% to fill the entire page, instead of printing exactly to the dimensions you've set in Pages. If you need more one-on-one help, I do consult when available. Visit my website to setup a day and time. ericelder.com
I'm wanting to publish a paperback book on KDP and can't get an answer to a question about using "sections" for each chapter is it really necessary.? The book is a Memoir so not a typical novel. Your video answered most all the other questions but not about the section issue. Any suggestions?
Good to chat with you today, Louis! Glad you got your sections figured out. For others reading this, the sections really do help to separate major chapters or sections, and to remove headers and footers from those first pages of sections. Not necessary, but helpful. The trick comes in using the "Document" formatting button, then choosing "Section" formatting. Then knowing if the formatting you choose applies to the section you're viewing or the previous section. A few other tips are in the drop down menu for the section and whether you want the section to start on the "Next Page," or the "Right Page" (often preferred), or the "Left Page." I divide most books into sections, but playing with the settings can get tricky.
Hi Kathy, you can put the cursor anywhere in the document, you just have to make sure that the words “chapter 1” use the same “style” in the style sheet as for all your other headings. You also have to make sure your table of contents is defined to include the entire “document,” not just one “section.” There’s a tab to choose one or the other in the format for the table of contents.
24:17 Hi Eric, how did you get your table of contents to move so you could add the title "Table of Contents". It does not work for me. I am trying to upload to KDP and running into a myriad of errors. Mostly stating that certain letters are appearing beyond margins. I am a fish out of water here and would love some help. I sent you a message on your webpage contact form as well. Thank you.
For the Table of Contents, if you click on the actual table, then use your left arrow key to get your cursor to the left of it, then press return, it might make a row above the table where you can type the words "Table of Contents." I usually then just format those words to look like the other chapter headings in my books, but I don't select the "Style" to make them match, or else the words "Table of Contents" also appears in the Table of Contents. But sometimes the table takes over the whole page and it's hard to move it down a line to type the words above. Depends on how your table fits on your page. Regarding the letters extending, when you're in KPD's previewer (Launch Preview) it will show you on the left side which pages have text extending beyond the margins. When you click those pages, it should highlight the area that is too far over the edge. I've found that sometimes even what looks like it's not too far over is flagged as too far over, so I have to adjust my margins ever so slightly in my document to get everything to fit within their boundaries. Of if you can move the flagged element just a pinch that can sometimes fix it. I'm glad to chat on zoom to talk more. Here's my calendar where you can pick a day and time that works for you. I keep it updated, so just click "Confirm" when you select the day and time. At the end, it will show a donation link. I ask for a suggested donation on that page. Hope you make it through! Glad to help if I can. ericelder.com and scroll down to book a time on my calendar.
@@EricElder Good morning Eric, thank you for your quick response. It looks like the table has taken over the entire page and refuses to make space for a table of contents title. That being said, I managed to insert section breaks and removed the numbering from the Front Matter pages and TOC. Another tutorial recommended Indesign and I already subscribe to the Adobe suite of services so I am currently exploring that path. THank you, I will keep you posted. Have a great day!
@@EricElder Hi Eric, the InDesign path is not a solution for me. I am mind-boggled by this formatting roadblock. If I schedule a meeting, will you be able to help me resolve this? I wanted to launch on Aug 4th but not sure if that is possible if I can't get this resolved. Thank you.
Hi Mama T! I lead a Christian Writers Group on zoom if you’d ever like to join us online. Here’s the link to learn more and join us if you want! ericelder.com/write-with-me/
Hi Susan, once you finish formatting it, you can just hit print, or, if you save it as a PDF, you can print that. Just be sure to select 100% size for your PDF so it doesn’t shrink or grow from what you designed it to be. But if you upload it to Amazon’s KDP, you can have them print it and order a copy to be shipped to yourself, PLUS sell it to the world if you want.
Went to his site and had a zoom call with Eric, Was extreamly helpfull can't thank him enough!
Answered all my questions and more.
Thanks, Louis! Good to meet you and hear about your book project!
I have spent days trying to figure out the formatting of my first book. This was a lifesaver. Thank you!!!!
@dalbiza1 Glad it helped! For more writing tips and workshops, visit ericelder.com! We have a great writing retreat Nov 1-2, 2023!
Unreal video, learnt so much. Im going to book a call with you once I've finished my drafts and revisions.
Thanks! Please do! Just book a zoom chat with me at ericelder.com
THANK YOU for this video! I have been trying to format my first book for days. I have been searching everywhere for help on formatting in pages. I am so thankful that God put your video in my path 💗💗
You are so welcome!
Thanks, Eric. I use Vellum for designing most books, but some authors ask for special formatting options or trim size that Vellum doesn't offer. I've found Pages to be an excellent and easy alternative to some of the more complex design applications. Great tips here in your video!
Glad it was helpful!
Would love to see how you would "print at home". I am trying to print my journals and bind them myself. I am having the hardest time getting my prints to come out the way I want them. Settings are a bit confusing. My scaling seems to be way off and I'm not sure how to correct it. Love you video it was great to see your formatting process.
Thanks for your note, Marco! Regarding scaling, sometimes I'll export the file as a PDF, then try to print it, making sure I use the 100% scaling option. By default, sometimes the scaling will increase beyond 100% to fill the entire page, instead of printing exactly to the dimensions you've set in Pages. If you need more one-on-one help, I do consult when available. Visit my website to setup a day and time. ericelder.com
Thanks VM for doing this.. I have been using pages for 10 years and di not 1/2 of this!
Thanks for the note, David! I keep finding new things too.
I'm wanting to publish a paperback book on KDP and can't get an answer to a question about using "sections" for each chapter is it really necessary.? The book is a Memoir so not a typical novel. Your video answered most all the other questions but not about the section issue. Any suggestions?
Good to chat with you today, Louis! Glad you got your sections figured out. For others reading this, the sections really do help to separate major chapters or sections, and to remove headers and footers from those first pages of sections. Not necessary, but helpful. The trick comes in using the "Document" formatting button, then choosing "Section" formatting. Then knowing if the formatting you choose applies to the section you're viewing or the previous section. A few other tips are in the drop down menu for the section and whether you want the section to start on the "Next Page," or the "Right Page" (often preferred), or the "Left Page." I divide most books into sections, but playing with the settings can get tricky.
Where should I put the cursor for making the TOC? Mine didn't pick up Chapter 1.
Hi Kathy, you can put the cursor anywhere in the document, you just have to make sure that the words “chapter 1” use the same “style” in the style sheet as for all your other headings. You also have to make sure your table of contents is defined to include the entire “document,” not just one “section.” There’s a tab to choose one or the other in the format for the table of contents.
Pages se cae! No soporta mucha información
24:17 Hi Eric, how did you get your table of contents to move so you could add the title "Table of Contents". It does not work for me.
I am trying to upload to KDP and running into a myriad of errors. Mostly stating that certain letters are appearing beyond margins. I am a fish out of water here and would love some help. I sent you a message on your webpage contact form as well. Thank you.
For the Table of Contents, if you click on the actual table, then use your left arrow key to get your cursor to the left of it, then press return, it might make a row above the table where you can type the words "Table of Contents." I usually then just format those words to look like the other chapter headings in my books, but I don't select the "Style" to make them match, or else the words "Table of Contents" also appears in the Table of Contents. But sometimes the table takes over the whole page and it's hard to move it down a line to type the words above. Depends on how your table fits on your page.
Regarding the letters extending, when you're in KPD's previewer (Launch Preview) it will show you on the left side which pages have text extending beyond the margins. When you click those pages, it should highlight the area that is too far over the edge. I've found that sometimes even what looks like it's not too far over is flagged as too far over, so I have to adjust my margins ever so slightly in my document to get everything to fit within their boundaries. Of if you can move the flagged element just a pinch that can sometimes fix it.
I'm glad to chat on zoom to talk more. Here's my calendar where you can pick a day and time that works for you. I keep it updated, so just click "Confirm" when you select the day and time. At the end, it will show a donation link. I ask for a suggested donation on that page. Hope you make it through! Glad to help if I can.
ericelder.com and scroll down to book a time on my calendar.
@@EricElder Good morning Eric, thank you for your quick response. It looks like the table has taken over the entire page and refuses to make space for a table of contents title. That being said, I managed to insert section breaks and removed the numbering from the Front Matter pages and TOC. Another tutorial recommended Indesign and I already subscribe to the Adobe suite of services so I am currently exploring that path. THank you, I will keep you posted. Have a great day!
@@EricElder Hi Eric, the InDesign path is not a solution for me. I am mind-boggled by this formatting roadblock. If I schedule a meeting, will you be able to help me resolve this? I wanted to launch on Aug 4th but not sure if that is possible if I can't get this resolved. Thank you.
@@figleafyogiyes, glad to meet on zoom. Just book a time and we’ll look at it and hopefully fix it up quickly
I really need a good Biblical writers fellowship i live in Portland Oregon
Hi Mama T! I lead a Christian Writers Group on zoom if you’d ever like to join us online. Here’s the link to learn more and join us if you want! ericelder.com/write-with-me/
But I want to print it! How do I do that?
Hi Susan, once you finish formatting it, you can just hit print, or, if you save it as a PDF, you can print that. Just be sure to select 100% size for your PDF so it doesn’t shrink or grow from what you designed it to be. But if you upload it to Amazon’s KDP, you can have them print it and order a copy to be shipped to yourself, PLUS sell it to the world if you want.