Blog to Book Project — Kindle Previewer

April 13, 2020November 23, 2019 | C.E. Flores

Before you publish your print book on Amazon, you must check it via Kindle Previewer. This section is under the Paperback (or eBook) Content tab after the Book Cover section.

Kindle will let you know if you have formatting errors and you’ll need to fix them before it can be published. Common problems are bleed issues (text or image goes beyond the margin) or low resolution images. If you have a hyperlink, it won’t appear in the print book.

Check every single page including the cover before approving. You can also download a PDF version if that works better for you. If there is something that you need to fix, do so, then upload the corrected manuscript and check it again. You need to approve the print preview before moving on to the next step.

The Kindle Previewer for ebooks can be downloaded if you have Microsoft Windows 7 or OSX v10.9 or later and a 1.2 GHz processor, minimum 4 GB RAM, and a screen resolution of 1024 X 768. Otherwise, you can use the online version.

Ebook checking is optional, but definitely something you should do. Since ebooks have a more fluid layout, you may not see exactly what a reader sees in the Previewer but it will give you a good idea.

You can preview by device type, orientation and font size just like you did with Cover Creator. You can look at specific elements like the tables, images, etc with the downloaded version. You can, and should, take the time to look over your book from end to end.

Remember the adage, you never get a second chance to make a first impression? Well, having your book formatted correctly is what will make the first impression to your reader. So take advantage of this option to look things over just one more time before publication.

Assignment: Use Kindle Previewer to check your ebook and print book. Make any changes, unload the corrected manuscript, and check it again.

Blog to Book Project — Sample Chapters

March 5, 2020November 23, 2019 | C.E. Flores

The first 10% of your ebook can be downloaded by readers through the Send a free sample option available on your book’s detail page on Amazon.

This option means you should think about what content you should include in your front matter to capitalize on this preview opportunity.

Do you want to waste all the valuable space on acknowledgments or can you move the acknowledgements to the back matter?

Will the list of tables and graphs really grab the reader’s attention?

Would including testimonials bolster your book and/or qualifications for writing it?

Does your introduction do a bang-up job of convincing the reader to buy the book?

Have you checked and double-checked for errors?

Assignment: Decide how to format the front matter to capitalize on the Send a free sample option.

Blog to Book Project — Title Page

January 9, 2020November 23, 2019 | C.E. Flores

Frontispiece

The frontispiece is a page with an illustration that is before the title page. It usually is facing the title page on the left hand (verso) side. This picture might be an illustration from the book, the author’s portrait or a dramatic rendition of the book’s topic.

You don’t need a frontispiece, but it is a nice addition. In my books, I often have a smaller version of the cover illustration without any text. Remember, you should have permission to use or own the copyright for any illustration you include.

Half-title Page

The half-title page is a page which only has the title of the book on it. Sometimes the title has a bit of decorative script or ornamentation about it. The author’s name, subtitle, publisher and edition are not included on this page. The reverse is usually left blank.

The half-title page is counted as the first numbered page in a printed book even if it doesn’t actually have a number on it. It is part of the front matter and would use lowercase Roman numerals for numbering. It should be on the right side (recto). Hardback books still include the half-title page, but paperback books typically leave it out.

A second half-title page is sometimes included after the front matter before the first page of the first chapter or part. It is almost always identical to the first half-title page.

Title Page

The title page should have the title, subtitle, author’s name and publishing company and city (or city and state). It also may include editor’s name, illustrator’s name, translator’s name, edition of the book, series number and year of publication.

You may also see:

With an introduction by….

Foreword written by…

Prologue by…

The reverse side of the title page is often the copyright page.

If you wish to add illustrations, creatively use font, or add some decorative bits, then feel free as long as the information on the title page is still clearly visible and legible.