If you’re freaked out by the idea of formatting your own ebook… you are not alone. When I first started researching indie publishing, I was daunted by the idea of formatting my ebook. I mean, how the heck do you even begin to make an ePub file? Or a Mobi file? What even is that?!
Luckily, there are some well-crafted tools that make the indie publishing process a walk in the park! And today I’m sharing one of my favorites with you: Vellum. It’s a software that helps you to easily format ebooks and print books. I only use it for ebooks because I get really elaborate with my print formatting and Vellum is more minimal with its print options. (For my print books, I use Microsoft Word – video on that coming soon!)
But for ebooks, Vellum is my go-to formatting software. I would be lost without it! Not only is it super simple to use, but it makes the formatting process actually fun. (I know. Hard to believe.) The unlimited ebook license is $200 and the ebook + print package is $250, and in my opinion it is worth every penny.
I know what you’re thinking: why would I format my own ebook when I could just hire a formatter to do it for me?
A couple of reasons.
1: The money. You’re going to have to pay a formatter to format every single book you publish. And if you later find errors or simply want to change something in the book, formatters usually charge extra for revisions.
2: The control. When you format your own ebook, you get to decide exactly how the finished product looks, which plays a big role in the overall reading experience of your book.
Those are the two big reasons I chose to learn ebook formatting instead of just hiring it out. Now, let’s get into the tutorial!
Let’s talk.
Let’s talk formatting! Have you ever formatted an ebook? Do you use Vellum? If not, what are you waiting for! Try it here.
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Rock on,
Abbie
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