I'm not gonna lie. Atticus is much better. It does all of the work formatting the books. To format a 100k+ fantasy would take longer than writing it in Word. I recommend Atticus instead.
@@Kindlepreneur Atticus looks great. Except, at least for me personally, I don't want to venture into a writing hobby having to invest $150 first. I already have Word, and if I didn't, what was beautifully taught in this video can be easily applied to Google Docs. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for sharing, 🙏 you're a good teacher! 👏 As someone just starting on this journey, I need to learn as much as possible until I can raise the funds to hire professionals. Your video has been one of the easiest videos, on formatting, to follow. I have been so frustrated with word, so I'm watching all I can on using it.
My Word version is 15.36 aka "old" and I'm having a helluva time applying what you've taught regarding setting up margins, etc. As time is money here, and I have another book waiting to come out after this one, I think Atticus might be a smart decision. I've been at this almost all day and my left & right brain hemispheres are sizzling on overwhelm. Writing is not just a hobby for me. Then of course there's the marketing aspect, etc. So I don't want to spend a fortune of time/energy trying to figure out margins "the hard way on an old version of Word" if I can zip through it on Atticus. I really like your style of teaching, I actually can understand what you're saying!!! Thank you!
I think your teaching points are great. I believe this video targets the more unseasoned Word user who has not created a book in Word or at a minimum doesn't know all of the tricks of the trade. Assuming that, my one constructive comment is that I believe it is fast paced for that audience. I would have to keep pausing and backing up to catch digest all of the great info. Perhaps you can provide an outline with the steps to be used as a reference. I think that would be a helpful teaching tool. You make great information videos for us. They are always well done and engaging. We appreciate you, Dave!
This and the previous video are excellent introductions for using Word to format a POD book. I use Word to format my own and my client's books, but I'm an advanced user, so I have other tips and tricks I use. For anyone wanting to use Word to format their book, I would highly recommend learning more about how to use styles, and to create a full style for each type of book you want to format (things like never hitting "enter" between lines, but setting line heights for each paragraph). It's a process that takes some time to master and set up, but it is worth it. That said, it might be too much for those who want to get their book formatted and don't want to add the learning curve for how to use Word. I'm considering Atticus myself because I do like what I'm seeing from the examples. I have to admit that I'm pretty picky, so I'll keep looking to see if it would include the little nuances I would want. Overall, though, great job
This is a detailed video, and you explain it well. If all a person is doing is writing one book and wants to spend their time involved with it, you're giving them a great video. But for doing the actual formatting, forget Word. Atticus gits 'er done.
I think a tutorial on how to launch a book effectively would be ideal. Many know how to write and publish a book, but they haven't a clue about what to do next.
Hi Dave, good stuff. Maybe include fact that Word file should be virgin, so strip out all formatting before starting? Also, how to set up a TOC s/b a tutorial all in itself (if you haven't already done one already). Best, Loretta
Dave, thank you SO much. I'm new to the KDP world, and you just gave my manuscript a total "glow-up"! It looks SO much better. You're amazing, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I trying to format my first book on word while watching this in a split screen! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your efficient instruction! Thank you so much. I was going to buy atticus, but this is a low content book for starters.
This is the most comprehensive but easy video I have found on this subject. I've already used all this stuff. There is no way you can remember it all. I usuually fill out an index card with the high points. This is a most excellent video for that.
I'm using Atticus as well, although if I weren't, this video would be a tremendous help. One thing I didn't see addressed (apologies if I missed it), after formatting, I assume you would save as a PDF for uploading into KDP. Otherwise, this is a great overview of Word formatting in general, no matter what you're working on -- book, research paper, etc.
This is a great video, clear and concise with loads of information. I tried Atticus and I must admit I got confused. But I think I'll give it another try now. I see there's quite a bit I need to do to make my books look truly professional. Thank you for the video.
This is a great quick tutorial! I use MS Word for my books and I learned a few shortcuts from you. A couple things you might want to add - make sure you center justify your header and add spacing before every chapter title so it's not at the top of the page.
Thanks Dave. Very helpful. Since many of us have books available in both electronic and pirnt versions, I suggest you discuss the difference in formatting that might require.
Great, easy to follow video. As someone who has formatted in Word before, I am now a VERY happy Atticus user. I really like the clear text on screen to highlight content. It does often fall behind the closed captions (which I usually use). Perhaps keep in mind that the bottom of the screen should be treated as clear space.
@@Kindlepreneur it's just the text that needs to move. Having the bottom section of your t-shirt or the Word screen obscured isn't an issue. No offense to your t-shirt, of course :)
@@susiedinneen147 Well, the text for CC is always in the same spot on TH-cam (they are the ones that put it there). SO I can't adjust where the closed captioning shows. But if I move the camera a bit, that will create a clearer spot for the CC words. As for timing, I'll see if I can better time up YT's CC system. They do have an editing system. Thanks!
Hi Dave, Great job ... and very generous of you, like always. You do a great job of building confidence and explaining WHY. But since you asked, I did find a few minor glitches. 1. Even though PAGE BREAK is a simple concept, it feels rushed, thrown in at the end of that segment. 2. When you are discussing margins, you arrived at .375 as the best inside margin, and yet the video shows .38 3. When you're discussing line spacing, you illustrate using EXACTLY and 15. But the 15 doesn't mean much. I suggest you add the word POINT, as in 15 POINT. 4. There is an abrupt break in the video between CHAPTER HEADING and SETTING PAGE NUMBERS. 5. Seems to me the headers--BOOK TITLE and AUTHOR NAME--should be centered. Like I said, all minor. You're the best--so kind and generous.
Thank you for making these tutorial videos, Dave. Even if we aren't using Word, the concepts carry over nicely. Needs more sci-fi references, though. I'm still all warm inside from the Logan's Run reference in a previous video.
Looks good. I have always used Word but did purchase Atticus a while back (though I haven't been writing recently). I will probably try it to redo some of my past books and also for new ones. I'm not a fan of the extra space you have between all of the paragraphs, especially if you're going to indent, too. The whole idea of the extra space is to show it's a new paragraph. Personally, it makes it easier for me to put a book down when the paragraphs are spaced like that. Anyway, enjoyed the video and always appreciate your guidance.
I too noticed the extra line after the paragraphs. The rule of thumb I was taught is to leave a line when there is no indenting on the paragraph (block formatting), and remove the line when the paragraphs are indented.
I’m nearly a minute in and, judging by the bullet points and my own experience, I now know you’re formatting a paperback. A beginner wouldn’t know that there are differences between formatting for pb and ebook (SO much easier!! 😂) so perhaps mention in the intro that you’re doing a paperback.
Thank you so much for posting this video. You did an excellent job of covering a lot of ground in a video that is comprehensive, yet succinct. And your presentation style balances rigour with accessibility to people of all walks of life.
I can't wait to use Atticus myself for the beautiful formatting and for the ebook format and export! I use Word now; this video was great, and its tips significantly improve the formatting quality!
Great work. I recommend adding bookmark features to the video, so if someone wants to come back, go back to the beginning of a feature explanation, or is only stuck on a certain aspect, they can simply click the bookmark and jump to that section.
Hey Dave, this is perfect timing. I still write in Word, but I upload everything to Atticus for my formatting, so getting stuff right before I do is pretty important. I bought Atticus last year when it first came out, and published one book, and so much has changed while I'm writing my other ones. Thank you for the videos and thank you, and Jenna and everyone at Atticus. You guys rock.
Like most everyone else, I thought the video was great--very helpful and clear, as usual. Also, like most everyone else, I'm happier to just use Atticus now. My one critique on the video is that the sound quality of Dave's voice is not on a par with the sound effects. I had to crank my volume way up to hear Dave well, but then the effects were super loud. I am continually grateful for all you guys do to help indie authors sparkle!
I did not realize that. Thank you ! I'll make sure we have the sound better - because you're right...the sound effects are way 'louder' than my voice. Thanks!
Thanks for asking my opinion, Dave. I have learned a lot from all your videos. This one tells me things about formatting a manuscript that I could never figure out on my own. I spent many frustrating hours with MSWord on my first book before deciding to hire a professional, who described MSWord as "too brittle" to be used. I think you might want to advise subscribers that certain book review services will not accept books that aren't professionally formatted, and that if they can afford it, to spend the money on a good professional service like those recommended by the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Very nice video 🌎 Thanks. Me learning and figuring out how to publish...I need to overcome Formatting first... Greetings from Colombia. The Venezuelan immigrant writer 🇻🇪
I've been using Word for many years and to me it is much easier than learning new software. You didn't mention that in Word you can format the normal style so that the whole document changes the paragraph spacing, font, size, etc. When everything is how you like it you can create a template that you can apply to any other document. Word is great for writing also with all of its editing tools.
I use Pages in Mac and I find it works very well. Maybe some tutorials for Mac Pages as there are some complications in the structure that beg for instruction by a guru, such as formatted numbering of pages, changing numbering type from roman to arabic, etc. I do download templates from Amazon for each book and work in Pages. Also, Pages sizing are in mm and not inches, which is always a conumdrum. They do not have a standard 6"x9" template, which I use often for many of my titles being prepared. Thanks for everything you do. You are a good and honest man and I respect your views enormously. Born tutor.
Maybe a video on children’s book covers (different requirements for kdp and ingramspark, difference between sofcover and hardcover, etc) A video on choosing pricing would be helpful (only instruction I’ve really found online is price comparable to competitors- which is a good starting point but I’d love to learn more) I’d love a vid with advice On softcovers on both ingramspark and kdp. Ingram takes 30% min and 55% max, kdp does 40%, can you just have softcover on both platforms and use their free isbns associates with each platform? It would be epic to have some instruction on Spanish versions of books- is it profitable, how does uploading differ, can it be linked to the English version, can kdp rocket search Spanish market in addition to English and German, etc. Just throwing out some ideas :)
It was a little too fast for me, but I've always hired my formatting out since I prefer writing over the tedious task of formatting. But maybe it wouldn't be so tedious if I took the time to learn. I've been tempted to purchase Atticus and would love to hear if it's easier to learn than formatting with Word.
I can absolutely say it's easier to learn than formatting with Word. As for the speed, I will definitely keep that in mind in the next tutorial. Thank you!
Hi Dave. Great content, the only two comments per your request are 1) The all caps and large fonts seemed a bit too big 2) For those subscribers that want to use CC, the on-the-screen text is positioned exactly where the text is, maybe consider moving it to another place on the screen.
Thanks - yeah, I agree on the font size and call caps. I'm going to work on that. As for the CC, I'll have to move the text with that in mind since we can't control YT's CC. Great observation.
Dave, great summary. Technically hits all the point (loved the hint about managing widows and orphans. My only cautionary comments are the delivery is machinegun fast, and I had to keep zipping back a few seconds when something wasn't clear. The other thing is your voice is very quiet, so when there's a sound effect, or-worse-youtube throws another ad in, they kind of bellow. Otherwise, a great tutorial
Hi Dave and oldest daughter, great info regarding book formatting. I'd also suggest a short discussion about templates from KDP. They can be a bit tricky to setup for full formatting as suggested, especially the title and author name in the header and where to start them...
Hello Dave. Thank you for the wonderful products that you have created. Could you please do a video on what should be the added to the front matter and back matter of print books. I have been doing e-books for several years now but I am yet to make the jump to print books. Thank You.
Hi, Dave. Very clearly explained, as usual. I have a Mac, so I now format using Pages. (I used to just let Reedsy do it all but I prefer to be able to tweak it myself) Most of the information here can be applied to Pages and I actually think it's easier to use.
Awesome video. Like someone else said in the comments I would also recommend including bookmarks in the video. It helps to go back and find quickly a particular segment. Congrats on your oldest daughter graduating from college. 😊 Pierce
Hello, great video. Is there line spacing requirements for paperback and ebook on KDP. Spend some time researching no definite answer like margins or page size.
I'll just echo that you should note this particular tutorial for for pbk only, not for ebook. But, I use Atticus now. I write in Word and then upload to Atticus. Can you do an Atticus tutorial about making changes to the manuscript once it's all formatted? I am finding that a bit difficult.
Great tips. A few comments: I never created a new style so I wonder how that would work with the automated table of contents feature; using the Amazon page template seems a lot easier than figuring the correct margins; does Amazon actually accept a Word doc as I thought it had to be a PDF.
Great video Dave that was well presented. I use MS Word 2007 and as I am on a budget I am unable to buy the latest MS Word. However saying this there are free versions of MS Word that I am considering. It is because my laptop is now dying away and I will need to purchase a new one; I will definitely consider buying a Chromebook instead of a Windows one.
Your video is excellent. You are very clear in your delivery and your visuals are outstanding. My only concern is that you said nothing about gutters that I recall. While I understand what gutters are in formatting, I do not understand how you determine the size you assign to the gutter. Please tell me how I choose a number that can work for me in terms of gutter or do I just leave it blank? Please. Sup with a great videos.
I publish a quarterly (genealogy) journal that requires footnotes and index. I know how to create footnotes but now that I am using Mac, can you recommend a video that shows how to do section breaks so that there is not continuous footnote numbering from one article to the next? Also an indexing video would be great.
Excellent, all the info you need. A little too fast-paced for me, could slow down just a little. Overall yet another highly informative and useful tutorial. Nice one!
good video. is step one determining what size paper to use? I normally write in normal sized paper but for my kindle book i want 6x9 format. do i start with 6x9 pages, convert to pdf and upload the pdf?
Thank you for such an informative video. I'll have to replay the part about adding book title and auhor's name. And for some reason, some of my pages leave bigger spaces at the bottom. So much to do, so much to learn. I'm definitely going to check on Atticus. But I wonder whether it's functional for nonfiction. I don't need the artwork. and stylish fonts.
I like to use word for the printing format so I don't have to juggle files. if I need to fix something in word, its already formatted to print. very useful tut. thanks!
Thank you. This was very helpful. If you can add how to enter pictures or drawings. I have a family tree in one of my stories and would like to know the best method to do it.
You did a great job explaining the process, but there was so much information, I got a little lost. Granted, I get others to format my books because I don't have the patience for all the ins and outs involved. I also want to make sure it's done right. Thanks for all your videos, they are very informative and have helped me in the past.
Very useful video as usual, Dave, thank you. Lots of detailed instructions about setup, like the alternative to the tab button for tabbing, and fixing widows and orphans manually. Your windows setup was sufficiently different from mine that I found it a bit difficult. I can only find paper choices in cms! It seemed a bit odd to navigate to paper sizes via margin sizes. Is it possible to do paper sizes first? Lovely explanation of why inner margins are larger than outer ones. One thing that might be helpful is to have time stamps along the way so people can go directly to something they want to check on a re-watch. I can see why people are using Atticus!
You totally can...although placement will depend on version. As for time stamps - absolutely. I'm going to get those chapters added to the video asap. Great suggestion.
This is helpful. For page set up the word gutter appears and that is the inner margin. Creating styles makes formatting easier in Word. I would encourage or suggest you showing how to create normal paragraph styles first, then chapter styles. Styles is key to formatting in word. Discuss more on type of book being formatted and the parts of the book, how to separate front matter from the body or chapters especially for non-fiction books. Also show how you can change the headers to have each chapter title. This is missing. Yes, Atticus is easier but it does not handle non-fiction books well that have special formatting needs and different fonts, images, graphs etc. for some types of non-fiction books.
Hi Dave: Good job. Amazon has written and video instructions for formatting using MS Word. You repeat much of that basic material which is okay - your presentation is good. You add some things that MS doesn't talk about like handling widows and orphans (at least they didn't last time I looked). You also rely on the user to make decisions about font, line spacing, chapter designation and so on based on how the page looks/readability. It might be better to tell users to look at comparable authors in their genre and do what they do. If I were doing this which I'm not, but you asked for feedback, I'd do one section on a review of what Amazon tells you. Another section on what Amazon doesn't tell you. And a third on how to decide the best formatting for your book based on genre and whether you're doing fiction or nonfiction. This would include what to pay attention to like font, chapter heading position, interior blank pages, graphics, self-advertising, and so on. A new session that might be useful is one that breaks down the key formatting decisions for main genre like mystery, thriller, romance, sci-fi etc. based on what the best sellers do. Glad for a chance to offer some feedback - hope it helps, as your videos have helped me through the years.
This was spot on. Great review. Also fonts to use per genre. How to download new fonts could be a video tutorial too. Word may not have the font desired. I know Dave's articles on formatting are comprehensive. He could link to those in his videos too so the viewer can learn more of the formatting rules.
That's true. I found it hard to prepare the content for this and have it work for all - but not be too long. But perhaps I could make more videos that are specific to genre or nonfiction.
I am asking you this because I find you to be an expert on formatting for manuscripts. Is there ever a way that one can make corrections and modifications to one’s manuscript while it’s in PDF form on the KDP website and being viewed there as an upload? That would make things so easy. Just a question…
Overall, the video is a very helpful and detailed review of using Word for formatting. I agree with other comments that Dave's audio could be louder, and the sound effects are too loud and jarring. I also much prefer Atticus for formatting.
When it comes to this, there are actually a lot of rules of thumb. I'd say the best way is to look at what books in your genre or subject are doing, that you like, and do that. I know that's not an official thing, but I think emulating what works and what you like is a great approach.
When I uploaded with kindle create. The preview looked fine but when I published it and ordered it much of my ebook has large chunks of text randomly highlighted. What happened and better yet how can I fix it. Thanks. Love your work
Very helpful video. Thanks so much for this information. One suggestion: please work on your miking setup. Your volume is very low. I had to crank my MacBook's volume nearly to maximum to hear you, and then, of course, the next video that played boomed. A lapel mike would work, or even a boom mike would be great. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
I am always working on several projects at once, deadlines and uploading and covers and all the many, many tasks required of a writer;) but i am struggling as to how to keep them all organized. Not just my outlines and manuscripts, but the projects as a whole, steps to formatting, etc. Is there an application or some program you use that--at a glance you can see the status/progress of each project? Please let me know! Thank you thank you!
Very, very helpful - thank you! Kind of glossed by the margin discussion on the importance of gutter settings. It makes setting the inside margin so much "safer" and eliminates the trial-and-error approach since the value is number-dependent and predefined. No? I find it so easy to use KDPs page-number-related gutter setting to give my books a very nice result no matter the number of pages. Just sayin' . 🙂 Thanks again.
Superb! So many times have I burned the midnight oil trying to get my books just right only to find KDP saying 'NOPE!' As you can imagine there were words used that cannot be written on here. Dave, you're awesome! Thanks so much for this very insightful video on how to for mat properly in Word. As soon as my wife will allow, I will get Atticus and be able to produce books of a far more professional quality. Keep up the great work.
It's best to write your book first. Then after you're done and have worked in editing it, it is time to focus on formatting your book. If you own a book formatting software, like Atticus, you can enter that into the software then and start making it look the way you want. IF you don't and are using Word to do it, then start following the instructions above. Hope that helps.
Aloha Dave, I'm replying to your email. The video is very helpful and clear, as per your usual style. I guess you are specifically addressing the formatting for a paperback and that were assuming it would be obvious to upload the finished product as a PDF rather than a Word file. That said, the final mention to Atticus made Word look like a revisitation of Jurassic Park. Just one more comment: the audio level was rather low, even if pushed to the max, but this could only be my MacBook Pro. (Worth mentioning?) Regarding your request for suggestions re future videos. there is one I'd love to see... A clear step by step guide (your style, you are the best) on how to build an email list from scratch, or several ways. All I have seen around the internet seem to focus on how to increase on what already there, but nothing on how to start from zero potential addresses. (I have family and friends both very disinterested in my writing, and replacing them would take too long and be quite painful). Thank you, ciao. PS: congratulation to your daughter for her outstanding results! What a champion!
Thank you for that. Yeah, I had someone else say that my voice was lower than the sound effects which caused problems. I'll have to adjust for that. As for the Email List, I've really be toying with this idea. I am a HUGE fan of email lists, and guide like that should include how to get them, and then how keep them engaged. Plus there are so many things you can do with the list. This subject is dear to my heard :) And thank you - she's pretty awesome, just like her momma :)
Nice intro to formatting with Word. Styles are definitely one of the most useful things in Word that so many people don't seem to know how to use. It's such a shame Amazon didn't keep up with the Kindle Create plugin for Word. It has the formatting options of Kindle Create and more, but with the versatility of being able to edit the document with additional styles, as well as not ending up with a Kindle only format document. I still have it and use it all the time, even if it does have a couple of bugs.
Yeah, I think Amazon isn't updating Kindle Create as a whole and just letting it fall further behind as they make changes to their own formatting requirements. But the good news is that I'm working directly with their Head of Kindle software and my organization and theirs are working on something that will help authors. :)
I format my books in Word using styles. The video shows how to create a chapter heading. All styles are created in the same way. Ideally, styles should be created for 1) chapter heading, 2) chapter title (if applicable), 3) the first paragraph of a chapter, 4) the first paragraph of a scene if it's different from the first paragraph of a chapter, and 5) the remaining paragraphs of the story. I use slightly different styles for the front and back matter. But first, for the header to behave properly (title on odd pages, author on even pages + page number), a section break-next page must be used (Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Next page in Word 2016). Using section breaks allows the page number and title/author to be dropped on the first page of a chapter (which all professional books do). Even though styles scare many, at the very least, the Normal style should be defined to cover the most commonly used text, which in a book is the body of the text (all paragraphs except the first one in each scene). This ensures that text across all chapters is formatted the same way. Inside margins depend on the number of pages. The greater the number, the greater the margin so that when the book is open, the text is visible between the right/left pages. The outside margin can be picked based on preference (as long as it's >= the KDP minimum). A book should be right/left justified and either use 1) indentation for the first line of a paragraph without a blank line between paragraphs, OR 2) a blank line without first-line paragraph indentation. Never both. The easiest way to ensure that the first scene paragraphs are the same is to create a style for it, and set Format > Paragraph > Indentation > Special = None. For Normal story text, Special = First line, with By = value (I use 0.2"). I would never recommend adjusting line spacing to force a line back on a previous page to control orphans. The way to deal with this is to force text from the previous page to remain with the orphan text (but only as a last resort). Select the start of the paragraph that should fall on the next page with the orphan text and use the option Format > Paragraph > Line and page breaks > Keep lines together". If the line spacing of a page is decreased, even by just a tiny bit, the line spacing has now become inconsistent with the rest of the book. Some readers (I would be one), would notice right away. I would actually reread the text and see if I can edit it down before I would override Word's orphan control. And should some text be added to the chapter in the future, the line spacing might end up changing partway through a page, which would be even more noticeable. The negative of Word is setting up drop capitals at the start of a chapter (or each scene). These have to be done individually and yes, they are quite a pain (at least they are in Word 2016). You might want to add the missing i in the "Style of writing" @ 3:32 min.
Good video. How do you feel about the extra spacing between paragraphs? Sometimes i feel it looks strange, especially in a fiction book. Why are so many authors doing this extra spacing more? Also, in word you can also add images and designs at the beginning of chapters, etc.
I agree. Blank lines between paragraphs is weird. I indent the first line of the first paragraph of the page and the first line of the first paragraph at section breaks, then indent subsequent paragraphs. I think authors are doing it for the same reason people are using apostrophe s to write plurals. I'll leave it at that.
![How to Write a Book in Microsoft Word [Tutorial]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aOS1CNs5ttc/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to Write a Book in Microsoft Word [Tutorial]](/img/tr.png)
I'm not gonna lie. Atticus is much better. It does all of the work formatting the books. To format a 100k+ fantasy would take longer than writing it in Word. I recommend Atticus instead.
One of the main reasons why it was made the way it was...that and also to make sure that it works on all computers (and not just Mac).
@@Kindlepreneur Atticus looks great. Except, at least for me personally, I don't want to venture into a writing hobby having to invest $150 first. I already have Word, and if I didn't, what was beautifully taught in this video can be easily applied to Google Docs. Thanks for the video!
@@droidfan If the process above helps to create exactly what you're looking for, then rock on!
Thank you for sharing, 🙏 you're a good teacher! 👏
As someone just starting on this journey, I need to learn as much as possible until I can raise the funds to hire professionals. Your video has been one of the easiest videos, on formatting, to follow.
I have been so frustrated with word, so I'm watching all I can on using it.
@@droidfan And does atticus have easy to follow videos? Does it have any videos at all?
My Word version is 15.36 aka "old" and I'm having a helluva time applying what you've taught regarding setting up margins, etc. As time is money here, and I have another book waiting to come out after this one, I think Atticus might be a smart decision. I've been at this almost all day and my left & right brain hemispheres are sizzling on overwhelm. Writing is not just a hobby for me. Then of course there's the marketing aspect, etc. So I don't want to spend a fortune of time/energy trying to figure out margins "the hard way on an old version of Word" if I can zip through it on Atticus. I really like your style of teaching, I actually can understand what you're saying!!! Thank you!
I think your teaching points are great. I believe this video targets the more unseasoned Word user who has not created a book in Word or at a minimum doesn't know all of the tricks of the trade. Assuming that, my one constructive comment is that I believe it is fast paced for that audience. I would have to keep pausing and backing up to catch digest all of the great info. Perhaps you can provide an outline with the steps to be used as a reference. I think that would be a helpful teaching tool.
You make great information videos for us. They are always well done and engaging. We appreciate you, Dave!
Yeah, someone else suggested I add TH-cam bookmarks to the video so people can jump around. I think that might be a huge help.
This and the previous video are excellent introductions for using Word to format a POD book. I use Word to format my own and my client's books, but I'm an advanced user, so I have other tips and tricks I use. For anyone wanting to use Word to format their book, I would highly recommend learning more about how to use styles, and to create a full style for each type of book you want to format (things like never hitting "enter" between lines, but setting line heights for each paragraph). It's a process that takes some time to master and set up, but it is worth it. That said, it might be too much for those who want to get their book formatted and don't want to add the learning curve for how to use Word. I'm considering Atticus myself because I do like what I'm seeing from the examples. I have to admit that I'm pretty picky, so I'll keep looking to see if it would include the little nuances I would want. Overall, though, great job
That's excellent and I totally agree!
Yes, I also recommend the use of styles.
This is a detailed video, and you explain it well. If all a person is doing is writing one book and wants to spend their time involved with it, you're giving them a great video. But for doing the actual formatting, forget Word. Atticus gits 'er done.
Thanks Burton - and I totally agree
I think a tutorial on how to launch a book effectively would be ideal. Many know how to write and publish a book, but they haven't a clue about what to do next.
Great idea
Hi Dave, good stuff. Maybe include fact that Word file should be virgin, so strip out all formatting before starting? Also, how to set up a TOC s/b a tutorial all in itself (if you haven't already done one already). Best, Loretta
Yeah, each of those particular pages will get their own Tutorial. Like how to format a copyright page, ToC, etc.
Dave, thank you SO much. I'm new to the KDP world, and you just gave my manuscript a total "glow-up"! It looks SO much better. You're amazing, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
i really need help in this kdp....can you tutor me pls
I trying to format my first book on word while watching this in a split screen! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your efficient instruction! Thank you so much. I was going to buy atticus, but this is a low content book for starters.
Glad it was helpful!
This is the most comprehensive but easy video I have found on this subject. I've already used all this stuff. There is no way you can remember it all. I usuually fill out an index card with the high points. This is a most excellent video for that.
I'm using Atticus as well, although if I weren't, this video would be a tremendous help. One thing I didn't see addressed (apologies if I missed it), after formatting, I assume you would save as a PDF for uploading into KDP. Otherwise, this is a great overview of Word formatting in general, no matter what you're working on -- book, research paper, etc.
Awesome - Atticus is a LOT easier than using word. As for PDF, I thought that was in there at the end...but I'll have to check.
This is a great video, clear and concise with loads of information. I tried Atticus and I must admit I got confused. But I think I'll give it another try now. I see there's quite a bit I need to do to make my books look truly professional. Thank you for the video.
Glad you enjoyed the video, and best of luck with Atticus. I really think you'll enjoy it :)
This is a great quick tutorial! I use MS Word for my books and I learned a few shortcuts from you. A couple things you might want to add - make sure you center justify your header and add spacing before every chapter title so it's not at the top of the page.
Ah, great point!
Thanks Dave. Very helpful. Since many of us have books available in both electronic and pirnt versions, I suggest you discuss the difference in formatting that might require.
Great point!
Hi, I thought this video was awesome. It was a little fast for me but I'm sure I can pause it when I'm ready to format my book. Well done!
yeah, i'm going to try to slow down a bit next time. Thanks!
Great, easy to follow video. As someone who has formatted in Word before, I am now a VERY happy Atticus user.
I really like the clear text on screen to highlight content. It does often fall behind the closed captions (which I usually use). Perhaps keep in mind that the bottom of the screen should be treated as clear space.
Ah, great point - I'll try to work something with the camera and editing so that space is left open. Thanks!
@@Kindlepreneur it's just the text that needs to move. Having the bottom section of your t-shirt or the Word screen obscured isn't an issue. No offense to your t-shirt, of course :)
@@susiedinneen147 Well, the text for CC is always in the same spot on TH-cam (they are the ones that put it there). SO I can't adjust where the closed captioning shows. But if I move the camera a bit, that will create a clearer spot for the CC words. As for timing, I'll see if I can better time up YT's CC system. They do have an editing system. Thanks!
@@Kindlepreneur sorry I should have been clearer. By text I meant the highlights and explanations in the video, nit the cc.
@@susiedinneen147 Ahhh...okay. Check!
Hi Dave, Great job ... and very generous of you, like always. You do a great job of building confidence and explaining WHY. But since you asked, I did find a few minor glitches.
1. Even though PAGE BREAK is a simple concept, it feels rushed, thrown in at the end of that segment.
2. When you are discussing margins, you arrived at .375 as the best inside margin, and yet the video shows .38
3. When you're discussing line spacing, you illustrate using EXACTLY and 15. But the 15 doesn't mean much. I suggest you add the word POINT, as in 15 POINT.
4. There is an abrupt break in the video between CHAPTER HEADING and SETTING PAGE NUMBERS.
5. Seems to me the headers--BOOK TITLE and AUTHOR NAME--should be centered.
Like I said, all minor. You're the best--so kind and generous.
Ah, those are all great points. I'll have to check some of those out. Thank you.
Thank you for this video. I have always wondered how to change the header so this was very helpful and will probably save me money on book formatting.
You're welcome!
Great and timely video Dave.
Feel like it's been a crash course on book formatting but great video overall.
Awesome and glad it came when it did then.
Thank you for making these tutorial videos, Dave. Even if we aren't using Word, the concepts carry over nicely. Needs more sci-fi references, though. I'm still all warm inside from the Logan's Run reference in a previous video.
Glad you like it. I'm going to be doing more tutorial styled videos. As for Logans, haha..I'll see what I can do
Looks good. I have always used Word but did purchase Atticus a while back (though I haven't been writing recently). I will probably try it to redo some of my past books and also for new ones. I'm not a fan of the extra space you have between all of the paragraphs, especially if you're going to indent, too. The whole idea of the extra space is to show it's a new paragraph. Personally, it makes it easier for me to put a book down when the paragraphs are spaced like that. Anyway, enjoyed the video and always appreciate your guidance.
I too noticed the extra line after the paragraphs. The rule of thumb I was taught is to leave a line when there is no indenting on the paragraph (block formatting), and remove the line when the paragraphs are indented.
Good points
I’m nearly a minute in and, judging by the bullet points and my own experience, I now know you’re formatting a paperback. A beginner wouldn’t know that there are differences between formatting for pb and ebook (SO much easier!! 😂) so perhaps mention in the intro that you’re doing a paperback.
Want to double-down on the idea of specifically saying that this is for a paperback.
Good point
That is what I wanted to say. Also, that inside margins change a little depending on how many pages the book has.
E-books are fake; they literally aren't books.
Thank you so much for posting this video. You did an excellent job of covering a lot of ground in a video that is comprehensive, yet succinct. And your presentation style balances rigour with accessibility to people of all walks of life.
I can't wait to use Atticus myself for the beautiful formatting and for the ebook format and export! I use Word now; this video was great, and its tips significantly improve the formatting quality!
Wonderful and enjoy! Thanks.
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT TUTORIAL.....SIMPLY EXCELLENT AND EASY TO FOLLOW....THANK YOU!!!!☺
Thank you for this, Dave, another excellent tutorial that will help so many of us who use Word!
Glad it was helpful!
Great work. I recommend adding bookmark features to the video, so if someone wants to come back, go back to the beginning of a feature explanation, or is only stuck on a certain aspect, they can simply click the bookmark and jump to that section.
Agreed - someone else suggested that too - working to get those added because you're right!
Hey Dave, this is perfect timing. I still write in Word, but I upload everything to Atticus for my formatting, so getting stuff right before I do is pretty important. I bought Atticus last year when it first came out, and published one book, and so much has changed while I'm writing my other ones. Thank you for the videos and thank you, and Jenna and everyone at Atticus. You guys rock.
Oh, super cool and we'll keep adding to it :) Glad you're enjoying it.
Thank you for this video. This is my first book and this video was the most helpful one I've come across.
This is excellent: step by step and clear. Thank you!
Like most everyone else, I thought the video was great--very helpful and clear, as usual. Also, like most everyone else, I'm happier to just use Atticus now. My one critique on the video is that the sound quality of Dave's voice is not on a par with the sound effects. I had to crank my volume way up to hear Dave well, but then the effects were super loud. I am continually grateful for all you guys do to help indie authors sparkle!
Yes the volume was low
I did not realize that. Thank you ! I'll make sure we have the sound better - because you're right...the sound effects are way 'louder' than my voice. Thanks!
@@Kindlepreneur Happy to be helpful! Thank you for your constant efforts on our behalf.
Thank you for sharing, you're a good teacher!
Thanks for asking my opinion, Dave. I have learned a lot from all your videos. This one tells me things about formatting a manuscript that I could never figure out on my own. I spent many frustrating hours with MSWord on my first book before deciding to hire a professional, who described MSWord as "too brittle" to be used.
I think you might want to advise subscribers that certain book review services will not accept books that aren't professionally formatted, and that if they can afford it, to spend the money on a good professional service like those recommended by the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Those are really good points - I think I jumped right into the topic of 'how to' and probably should have given more context.
Very nice video 🌎 Thanks. Me learning and figuring out how to publish...I need to overcome Formatting first... Greetings from Colombia. The Venezuelan immigrant writer 🇻🇪
The video is great! I would like to see more videos on formatting picture books. I create children's books and just purchased Atticus. Thank you.
That's a great idea and enjoy Atticus!
Very helpful! Good timing as well because my next book is coming out in September! Thanks! Great, useful, video and excellent content.
Glad it was helpful!
I've been using Word for many years and to me it is much easier than learning new software. You didn't mention that in Word you can format the normal style so that the whole document changes the paragraph spacing, font, size, etc. When everything is how you like it you can create a template that you can apply to any other document. Word is great for writing also with all of its editing tools.
Great video Guys, a little fast for this old brain. I don't use Word anymore but I know this will be great help to anyone that does..
Thanks Keith, and yea, I think I can slow it a bit down.
I use Pages in Mac and I find it works very well. Maybe some tutorials for Mac Pages as there are some complications in the structure that beg for instruction by a guru, such as formatted numbering of pages, changing numbering type from roman to arabic, etc. I do download templates from Amazon for each book and work in Pages. Also, Pages sizing are in mm and not inches, which is always a conumdrum. They do not have a standard 6"x9" template, which I use often for many of my titles being prepared. Thanks for everything you do. You are a good and honest man and I respect your views enormously. Born tutor.
Awe, thanks Marie. Yeah, I might do a tutorial for Pages - someone else just suggested that.
Maybe a video on children’s book covers (different requirements for kdp and ingramspark, difference between sofcover and hardcover, etc)
A video on choosing pricing would be helpful (only instruction I’ve really found online is price comparable to competitors- which is a good starting point but I’d love to learn more)
I’d love a vid with advice On softcovers on both ingramspark and kdp. Ingram takes 30% min and 55% max, kdp does 40%, can you just have softcover on both platforms and use their free isbns associates with each platform?
It would be epic to have some instruction on Spanish versions of books- is it profitable, how does uploading differ, can it be linked to the English version, can kdp rocket search Spanish market in addition to English and German, etc.
Just throwing out some ideas :)
Awesome - marked those down!
It was a little too fast for me, but I've always hired my formatting out since I prefer writing over the tedious task of formatting. But maybe it wouldn't be so tedious if I took the time to learn. I've been tempted to purchase Atticus and would love to hear if it's easier to learn than formatting with Word.
I can absolutely say it's easier to learn than formatting with Word. As for the speed, I will definitely keep that in mind in the next tutorial. Thank you!
Hi Dave. Great content, the only two comments per your request are 1) The all caps and large fonts seemed a bit too big 2) For those subscribers that want to use CC, the on-the-screen text is positioned exactly where the text is, maybe consider moving it to another place on the screen.
Thanks - yeah, I agree on the font size and call caps. I'm going to work on that. As for the CC, I'll have to move the text with that in mind since we can't control YT's CC. Great observation.
Dave, great summary. Technically hits all the point (loved the hint about managing widows and orphans. My only cautionary comments are the delivery is machinegun fast, and I had to keep zipping back a few seconds when something wasn't clear. The other thing is your voice is very quiet, so when there's a sound effect, or-worse-youtube throws another ad in, they kind of bellow. Otherwise, a great tutorial
Ah, great point. And also with the voice. It's too low compared to the sound effects. I'll work on that.
Thank you Dave for your great video's. Formatting is over my paygrade but the video was in-depth.
Thank you - yeah, this can really be dense topic.
Hi Dave and oldest daughter, great info regarding book formatting. I'd also suggest a short discussion about templates from KDP. They can be a bit tricky to setup for full formatting as suggested, especially the title and author name in the header and where to start them...
Great point - I also created a free online Word Template generator that I probably should have mentioned too - kindlepreneur.com/formatting-templates/
Hello Dave. Thank you for the wonderful products that you have created.
Could you please do a video on what should be the added to the front matter and back matter of print books.
I have been doing e-books for several years now but I am yet to make the jump to print books.
Thank You.
Great suggestion!
Hi, Dave. Very clearly explained, as usual.
I have a Mac, so I now format using Pages. (I used to just let Reedsy do it all but I prefer to be able to tweak it myself) Most of the information here can be applied to Pages and I actually think it's easier to use.
I should probably make one with Pages.
Awesome video. Like someone else said in the comments I would also recommend including bookmarks in the video. It helps to go back and find quickly a particular segment.
Congrats on your oldest daughter graduating from college. 😊
Pierce
Yes, that's a GREAT idea. I'm going to add those.
Excellent, I learned a lot from the tutorial, and it absolutely escalate my writing book.
Glad it was helpful!
Dave, I think the video is excellent and I can't think of any suggestions to improve it.
Thanks for that!
Hello, great video. Is there line spacing requirements for paperback and ebook on KDP. Spend some time researching no definite answer like margins or page size.
I'll just echo that you should note this particular tutorial for for pbk only, not for ebook. But, I use Atticus now. I write in Word and then upload to Atticus. Can you do an Atticus tutorial about making changes to the manuscript once it's all formatted? I am finding that a bit difficult.
Very true. As for Atticus, absolutely - I've got a couple coming soon.
Great tips. A few comments: I never created a new style so I wonder how that would work with the automated table of contents feature; using the Amazon page template seems a lot easier than figuring the correct margins; does Amazon actually accept a Word doc as I thought it had to be a PDF.
For paperbacks, it has to be PDF. For ebooks, you can submit a Word doc.
Thanks - as for your question, what Frank said
Enjoyed it a lot ...can't think of anything to even tweak
Awesome - and glad you liked it.
Video is great! - you might mention the non-Mac CTL key is the Mac CMD key for the shortcuts.
Good call!
Great video Dave that was well presented. I use MS Word 2007 and as I am on a budget I am unable to buy the latest MS Word. However saying this there are free versions of MS Word that I am considering. It is because my laptop is now dying away and I will need to purchase a new one; I will definitely consider buying a Chromebook instead of a Windows one.
Thanks - as for the newer versions, I fully understand that. I was a bit reluctant to upgrade.
I formatted my mother's first book last year and unfortunately learned all those lessons the hard way. Thanks for making this video.
Ah, sorry you ran into that - I wish I had gotten this out sooner.
Your video is excellent. You are very clear in your delivery and your visuals are outstanding. My only concern is that you said nothing about gutters that I recall. While I understand what gutters are in formatting, I do not understand how you determine the size you assign to the gutter. Please tell me how I choose a number that can work for me in terms of gutter or do I just leave it blank? Please. Sup with a great videos.
Nice Information.
My two books published on Amazon:
1. Frugality: Being Mindful of Your Expenses
2. Nanu's stories for Amaaya
Happy Reading!
I publish a quarterly (genealogy) journal that requires footnotes and index. I know how to create footnotes but now that I am using Mac, can you recommend a video that shows how to do section breaks so that there is not continuous footnote numbering from one article to the next? Also an indexing video would be great.
Thank you Dave. Do you think we need a header? if not, should we reduce the margin size of the header and footer so they are not so large?
Anyone get the Abro bryggeri ad where the old men play Beethoven's 5th on beer bottles. Finally an ad I didn't skip. Great vid Kinklepreneur also.
Excellent, all the info you need. A little too fast-paced for me, could slow down just a little. Overall yet another highly informative and useful tutorial. Nice one!
Ah super - and I'll definitely work to slow it down.
good video. is step one determining what size paper to use? I normally write in normal sized paper but for my kindle book i want 6x9 format. do i start with 6x9 pages, convert to pdf and upload the pdf?
Thank you for such an informative video. I'll have to replay the part about adding book title and auhor's name. And for some reason, some of my pages leave bigger spaces at the bottom. So much to do, so much to learn. I'm definitely going to check on Atticus. But I wonder whether it's functional for nonfiction. I don't need the artwork. and stylish fonts.
I like to use word for the printing format so I don't have to juggle files. if I need to fix something in word, its already formatted to print. very useful tut. thanks!
Absolutely!
Thank you. This was very helpful. If you can add how to enter pictures or drawings. I have a family tree in one of my stories and would like to know the best method to do it.
That's a great idea!
You did a great job explaining the process, but there was so much information, I got a little lost. Granted, I get others to format my books because I don't have the patience for all the ins and outs involved. I also want to make sure it's done right. Thanks for all your videos, they are very informative and have helped me in the past.
Yeah, there are a LOT of steps to using word for formatting - definitely not the easiest option .
Very useful video as usual, Dave, thank you. Lots of detailed instructions about setup, like the alternative to the tab button for tabbing, and fixing widows and orphans manually. Your windows setup was sufficiently different from mine that I found it a bit difficult. I can only find paper choices in cms!
It seemed a bit odd to navigate to paper sizes via margin sizes. Is it possible to do paper sizes first?
Lovely explanation of why inner margins are larger than outer ones. One thing that might be helpful is to have time stamps along the way so people can go directly to something they want to check on a re-watch. I can see why people are using Atticus!
You totally can...although placement will depend on version. As for time stamps - absolutely. I'm going to get those chapters added to the video asap. Great suggestion.
This is helpful. For page set up the word gutter appears and that is the inner margin. Creating styles makes formatting easier in Word. I would encourage or suggest you showing how to create normal paragraph styles first, then chapter styles. Styles is key to formatting in word.
Discuss more on type of book being formatted and the parts of the book, how to separate front matter from the body or chapters especially for non-fiction books.
Also show how you can change the headers to have each chapter title. This is missing. Yes, Atticus is easier but it does not handle non-fiction books well that have special formatting needs and different fonts, images, graphs etc. for some types of non-fiction books.
yeah, I think I'm going to make more specific videos based on type or genre - which can allow me to get into chapter theme design better.
Thank You. this was really helpful
God bless
Hi Dave: Good job. Amazon has written and video instructions for formatting using MS Word. You repeat much of that basic material which is okay - your presentation is good. You add some things that MS doesn't talk about like handling widows and orphans (at least they didn't last time I looked). You also rely on the user to make decisions about font, line spacing, chapter designation and so on based on how the page looks/readability. It might be better to tell users to look at comparable authors in their genre and do what they do. If I were doing this which I'm not, but you asked for feedback, I'd do one section on a review of what Amazon tells you. Another section on what Amazon doesn't tell you. And a third on how to decide the best formatting for your book based on genre and whether you're doing fiction or nonfiction. This would include what to pay attention to like font, chapter heading position, interior blank pages, graphics, self-advertising, and so on. A new session that might be useful is one that breaks down the key formatting decisions for main genre like mystery, thriller, romance, sci-fi etc. based on what the best sellers do. Glad for a chance to offer some feedback - hope it helps, as your videos have helped me through the years.
This was spot on. Great review. Also fonts to use per genre. How to download new fonts could be a video tutorial too. Word may not have the font desired. I know Dave's articles on formatting are comprehensive. He could link to those in his videos too so the viewer can learn more of the formatting rules.
That's true. I found it hard to prepare the content for this and have it work for all - but not be too long. But perhaps I could make more videos that are specific to genre or nonfiction.
This is very helpful. I love Word but It's all I've ever used, so I'm biased towards it.
Haha....fully understandable.
Awesome tutorial 💯I didn’t know I could do half of this 😅 very informative
Glad you liked it!!
I am asking you this because I find you to be an expert on formatting for manuscripts. Is there ever a way that one can make corrections and modifications to one’s manuscript while it’s in PDF form on the KDP website and being viewed there as an upload?
That would make things so easy. Just a question…
Overall, the video is a very helpful and detailed review of using Word for formatting. I agree with other comments that Dave's audio could be louder, and the sound effects are too loud and jarring. I also much prefer Atticus for formatting.
Thanks - and I agree...we'll get that fixed :)
Well done! One question? The extra line between paragraphs and dialog. What is the rule of thumb for that?
When it comes to this, there are actually a lot of rules of thumb. I'd say the best way is to look at what books in your genre or subject are doing, that you like, and do that. I know that's not an official thing, but I think emulating what works and what you like is a great approach.
When I uploaded with kindle create. The preview looked fine but when I published it and ordered it much of my ebook has large chunks of text randomly highlighted. What happened and better yet how can I fix it. Thanks. Love your work
Very helpful video. Thanks so much for this information. One suggestion: please work on your miking setup. Your volume is very low. I had to crank my MacBook's volume nearly to maximum to hear you, and then, of course, the next video that played boomed. A lapel mike would work, or even a boom mike would be great. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
I love this video! It's very informative and helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
I am always working on several projects at once, deadlines and uploading and covers and all the many, many tasks required of a writer;) but i am struggling as to how to keep them all organized. Not just my outlines and manuscripts, but the projects as a whole, steps to formatting, etc. Is there an application or some program you use that--at a glance you can see the status/progress of each project? Please let me know! Thank you thank you!
thank you so much, everything looks so much more professional and neat. 😁
Thank you so much for this amazing video. You helped me a lot.
Very, very helpful - thank you! Kind of glossed by the margin discussion on the importance of gutter settings. It makes setting the inside margin so much "safer" and eliminates the trial-and-error approach since the value is number-dependent and predefined. No? I find it so easy to use KDPs page-number-related gutter setting to give my books a very nice result no matter the number of pages. Just sayin' . 🙂 Thanks again.
Thanks for all that you do Dave.
Awe shucks...glad to help :)
Are there any specific requirements for title page and published info such as font or type size?
I've seen a lot of modern book releases (especially YA) who choose to omit indentation and add double-space between paragraphs.
How to do a full bleed interior for paperback? Please make video on that
Sadly, using something like Word for this would be a major pain. But using something like Atticus.io for that is incredibly simple.
Superb! So many times have I burned the midnight oil trying to get my books just right only to find KDP saying 'NOPE!' As you can imagine there were words used that cannot be written on here. Dave, you're awesome! Thanks so much for this very insightful video on how to for mat properly in Word. As soon as my wife will allow, I will get Atticus and be able to produce books of a far more professional quality. Keep up the great work.
Oy - I know exactly what you mean. As for Atticus, that sounds good and I hope you guys enjoy...should definitely cut down on time.
I personally prefer Vellum, but good luck with your new videos!!
I'd definitely prefer a program like that or Atticus over Word. So, agreed!
@@Kindlepreneur But this is a great video for people who don't want to spend money on something like that and already have Word! :)
is it ok to single space and use 12 and what font, what do publishers, agents want
First time writer. Do you have to format your book pages and save them into docs first? Before the ebook?
It's best to write your book first. Then after you're done and have worked in editing it, it is time to focus on formatting your book. If you own a book formatting software, like Atticus, you can enter that into the software then and start making it look the way you want. IF you don't and are using Word to do it, then start following the instructions above. Hope that helps.
@@Kindlepreneur Thank you for answering my question.
What is the appropriate size for cookbooks?
Aloha Dave, I'm replying to your email. The video is very helpful and clear, as per your usual style. I guess you are specifically addressing the formatting for a paperback and that were assuming it would be obvious to upload the finished product as a PDF rather than a Word file. That said, the final mention to Atticus made Word look like a revisitation of Jurassic Park. Just one more comment: the audio level was rather low, even if pushed to the max, but this could only be my MacBook Pro. (Worth mentioning?)
Regarding your request for suggestions re future videos. there is one I'd love to see... A clear step by step guide (your style, you are the best) on how to build an email list from scratch, or several ways. All I have seen around the internet seem to focus on how to increase on what already there, but nothing on how to start from zero potential addresses. (I have family and friends both very disinterested in my writing, and replacing them would take too long and be quite painful). Thank you, ciao.
PS: congratulation to your daughter for her outstanding results! What a champion!
Thank you for that. Yeah, I had someone else say that my voice was lower than the sound effects which caused problems. I'll have to adjust for that.
As for the Email List, I've really be toying with this idea. I am a HUGE fan of email lists, and guide like that should include how to get them, and then how keep them engaged. Plus there are so many things you can do with the list. This subject is dear to my heard :)
And thank you - she's pretty awesome, just like her momma :)
Nice intro to formatting with Word. Styles are definitely one of the most useful things in Word that so many people don't seem to know how to use.
It's such a shame Amazon didn't keep up with the Kindle Create plugin for Word. It has the formatting options of Kindle Create and more, but with the versatility of being able to edit the document with additional styles, as well as not ending up with a Kindle only format document. I still have it and use it all the time, even if it does have a couple of bugs.
Yeah, I think Amazon isn't updating Kindle Create as a whole and just letting it fall further behind as they make changes to their own formatting requirements. But the good news is that I'm working directly with their Head of Kindle software and my organization and theirs are working on something that will help authors. :)
Jammed packed with great info. Just a bit fast for this old gal. :)
Thanks and I'll slow it a bit down.
For a 100 page or so NON FICTION book, would you recommend 5x8 or 6x9?
so grateful for this video!
Glad it was helpful!
I format my books in Word using styles. The video shows how to create a chapter heading. All styles are created in the same way. Ideally, styles should be created for 1) chapter heading, 2) chapter title (if applicable), 3) the first paragraph of a chapter, 4) the first paragraph of a scene if it's different from the first paragraph of a chapter, and 5) the remaining paragraphs of the story. I use slightly different styles for the front and back matter.
But first, for the header to behave properly (title on odd pages, author on even pages + page number), a section break-next page must be used (Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Next page in Word 2016). Using section breaks allows the page number and title/author to be dropped on the first page of a chapter (which all professional books do).
Even though styles scare many, at the very least, the Normal style should be defined to cover the most commonly used text, which in a book is the body of the text (all paragraphs except the first one in each scene). This ensures that text across all chapters is formatted the same way.
Inside margins depend on the number of pages. The greater the number, the greater the margin so that when the book is open, the text is visible between the right/left pages. The outside margin can be picked based on preference (as long as it's >= the KDP minimum).
A book should be right/left justified and either use 1) indentation for the first line of a paragraph without a blank line between paragraphs, OR 2) a blank line without first-line paragraph indentation. Never both.
The easiest way to ensure that the first scene paragraphs are the same is to create a style for it, and set Format > Paragraph > Indentation > Special = None. For Normal story text, Special = First line, with By = value (I use 0.2").
I would never recommend adjusting line spacing to force a line back on a previous page to control orphans. The way to deal with this is to force text from the previous page to remain with the orphan text (but only as a last resort). Select the start of the paragraph that should fall on the next page with the orphan text and use the option Format > Paragraph > Line and page breaks > Keep lines together". If the line spacing of a page is decreased, even by just a tiny bit, the line spacing has now become inconsistent with the rest of the book. Some readers (I would be one), would notice right away. I would actually reread the text and see if I can edit it down before I would override Word's orphan control. And should some text be added to the chapter in the future, the line spacing might end up changing partway through a page, which would be even more noticeable.
The negative of Word is setting up drop capitals at the start of a chapter (or each scene). These have to be done individually and yes, they are quite a pain (at least they are in Word 2016).
You might want to add the missing i in the "Style of writing" @ 3:32 min.
A lot of great suggestions - and thanks.
Good video. How do you feel about the extra spacing between paragraphs? Sometimes i feel it looks strange, especially in a fiction book. Why are so many authors doing this extra spacing more? Also, in word you can also add images and designs at the beginning of chapters, etc.
I agree. Blank lines between paragraphs is weird. I indent the first line of the first paragraph of the page and the first line of the first paragraph at section breaks, then indent subsequent paragraphs.
I think authors are doing it for the same reason people are using apostrophe s to write plurals. I'll leave it at that.
@@12thDecember could be to get a higher page count to