Why eBook Conversion Services Matter for Self-Published Authors

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

You’ve written a beautifully polished manuscript. You’re proud of your work, and now you’re ready to publish. Should you publish an eBook in addition to a print book? There are lots of reasons to consider publishing an eBook, however, many authors get bogged down in the process of eBook conversion.

It can be a challenge if you’re not familiar with how to properly convert your manuscript to a format that can be read on different eBook devices. Not only that, but many eBook readers have their own proprietary formats. If it’s your first time learning about eBook conversion and image optimization, it can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, this guide answers some of the most-common questions out there about how to format an eBook for Kindle, Apple iPad, and other devices.

In this detailed guide, we’ll look at how eBook conversion works, learn why it’s important, and share how to choose the right eBook conversion service for your needs. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should have an eBook in addition to a print book, or you’ve wondered how to go about converting your print book to an eReader format on Kindle, iBooks, or another app, this guide will walk you through the process.

What is eBook conversion?

eBook conversion involves turning your manuscript into a format that’s compatible with the most popular eReaders, including Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad, and Barnes & Noble Nook.

However, converting an eBook is more than just changing a file name. Because most manuscripts are designed for print, an eBook conversion involves tending to the unique differences of eBook readers and different devices so that the pages flow and illustrations look just as crisp and sharp as they do in print.

Why does eBook conversion matter?

There are several reasons why eBook conversion matters, and why the process is more involved than just making your manuscript fit a smaller screen.

Device compatibility

eBooks can be read on a variety of devices. Many people choose to read eBooks on their tablet or smartphone, including Android and iOS. That means that your eBook needs to be converted to formats that are compatible with these devices.

Without proper conversion, your book may not display correctly on different devices. Words may flow right off the page, chapters may get broken up into different segments, and illustrations may not show correctly. All of this results in a poor user experience.

Professional presentation

A properly converted eBook looks polished and clean, with properly aligned text and optimized images. Margins and spacing make the book easier to read on a smaller device. Proper conversion also helps you avoid formatting issues. Blurry images or broken links can frustrate readers and impact your reviews and sales.

Improved distribution

Many online retailers, including Amazon, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble, require specific file formats like ePub or MOBI for publication. By using a professional eBook conversion service, you’ll be able to meet these technical requirements and make sure your book adheres to industry standards, which paves the way for wider distribution on eBook marketplaces and websites.

Reader-friendly features

Professional eBook conversion also enables eBook-specific features like hyperlinks and book searchability. Using the eBook reader, readers can independently adjust font sizes, highlight text, or seamlessly move from chapter to chapter, providing an intuitive reading experience.

Now that you better understand why eBook conversion is important, the next question is, how exactly is it done? Here again, it’s about more than just saving your manuscript as an ePub or MOBI file. The conversion process combines a variety of technical skills, knowledge of devices, and much more.

How is eBook conversion done?

Understanding how eBook conversion is handled can give you more insight into the process. At BookBaby, our professional eBook conversion services take your manuscript through several steps, including:

Preparing the files

The first step in eBook conversion is to prepare the manuscript. It needs to be styled consistently and free of errors. You may need to have it professionally edited and proofread. Images also need to be resized and compressed for digital use without losing quality.

Converting the files

The most-common files converted to an eReader-friendly format include Microsoft Word documents, PDFs, and Adobe InDesign files. While there are software programs like Calibre, Sigil, or other tools, if you’re not experienced in how to use them, it can cost you even more in terms of the time and learning curve involved.

Adding metadata

Once the conversion process is done, it’s time to add the metadata. This data is used by search engines and specialty robots on ecommerce sites (like Amazon) that crawl and collect information about your book so that they can catalogue it properly. Metadata includes information such as the book title, author name, ISBN, and keywords. For eBooks, these are embedded into the file itself to help retailers and readers discover your book when they search for your genre on eBook websites.

Design and layout

Once the conversion is done and the metadata is added, it’s time to move on to design. eBooks need to be styled accordingly. That means applying fonts, headers, and page breaks in a way that lends itself to the overall reading experience on smaller or specific devices. It also means creating a clickable table of contents and links so that readers can navigate your book easily.

Proofing and quality assurance

Once the eBook is converted, it’s then tested across various devices to make sure that it’s free of formatting errors, display issues, or any technical glitches.

Distribution

After the eBook is approved, it’s time to distribute it to various platforms like Amazon, Apple Books, and more. BookBaby simplifies this process for authors by uploading the eBook to multiple retailers in a single step, broadening your distribution and getting your book into the hands of more eager readers.

Additional points to keep in mind

When converting your eBook, whether you choose to do it yourself or hire a professional eBook conversion service like the one offered by BookBaby, there are a few additional points to keep in mind.

Fixed vs. reflowable layouts

If you’ve searched for “how to convert an eBook” or similar terms, you’ve likely come across the terms “reflowable layouts” and “fixed layouts.” Reflowable layouts mean that the text adjusts dynamically based on the reader’s preferences as well as the screen size. Fixed layouts mean that the layout doesn’t change because the way in which the text and images are arranged are crucial to the structure of the book itself.

The most-common types of books that use fixed layouts include those with more complex designs like children’s books, graphic novels, or cookbooks, where text and images are arranged in a special way that, if changed, would affect the layout of the book itself.

Interactive elements

eBooks can also contain interactive elements including hyperlinks, multimedia (audio and video), and animations to add a touch of engagement.

What about an ISBN?

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is necessary for your eBook even if you already have one for your print book. This is because every version of your book in a different format (for example, print, audiobook, eBook) needs a different ISBN. You can easily buy an ISBN from BookBaby.

DIY vs. professional services

You may be wondering if you should hire a professional service for your eBook conversion process or try to do it yourself with a software program. There are some advantages to doing it yourself, but there are also several drawbacks. Here’s what to know:

Advantages of doing your own eBook conversion

Doing your own eBook conversion is very cost-effective, especially if you use a software program like Calibre, Sigil, or Amazon’s Kindle Create. If you’re on a tight budget and want to minimize your upfront costs, doing it yourself could be an option.

You also have full control over the formatting and design decisions and make changes or experiment with different layouts at your own pace. If you’d like to learn more about the eBook formatting and publishing process and want to gain the hands-on experience of working with different file types, metadata, and media, doing it on your own will teach you over time.

Drawbacks of doing your own eBook conversion

Even with eBook conversion software, it’s not a matter of just uploading your file and saying “convert to eBook.” The process is much more involved, and no matter what program you use, there is a steep learning curve. eBook formats like ePUB and MOBI have specific requirements. In addition to understanding how these formats work, you’ll also need to understand HTML, CSS, and metadata tagging, especially if you’re working with complex layouts.

Doing it yourself also leads to quality risks. You may inadvertently convert your eBook and realize later that there are errors in formatting, navigation, and layout, which create a poor user experience. In addition, if images aren’t correctly optimized for digital devices, you run the risk of a poor display, which can also affect the quality perception of your book.

Need help? Oftentimes, even with software, you’re on your own. If there’s a technical issue, you’ll have to find the solution yourself. Some retailers, like Apple Books, have strict guidelines that are harder to work with unless you have a considerable amount of eBook formatting experience.

What’s more, books that contain a lot of images, charts, or fixed layouts, like cookbooks or children’s books, are more difficult to convert to eBook format.

Advantages of using a professional service

eBook conversion services like those offered by BookBaby work with top-notch professionals who understand the technical and aesthetic requirements of eBooks. We’ll ensure that your book meets the highest quality standards of all major eReaders and retailers alike. You’ll save time over doing it yourself, as we handle the entire process from start to finish. This frees up more of your time to market your book and interact with your readers.

Professional eBook conversion companies like BookBaby can also help convert books with complex layouts, such as those that need fixed layouts, include multimedia, or otherwise have intricate designs. This ensures greater consistency across devices and screen sizes and creates a rewarding reading experience for everyone.

Many services, including BookBaby, handle metadata tagging and distribution to major retailers including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Kobo. We’ll also provide you with a proof of the eBook (as an .ePub file) before it’s finalized so you can see precisely what your readers will see when they download and read your book.

Drawbacks of using a professional service

There are very few drawbacks for using a professional service. There is a higher cost than doing it yourself, but the turnaround time is much quicker than if you tried to learn HTML, CSS, metadata, and other conversion tools entirely on your own. Because the work is being handled by professionals, you’ll have less direct control over the formatting and design process, however, at BookBaby, we offer a satisfaction guarantee!

Should you DIY or hire a professional?

So should you DIY or hire a professional? If you’re comfortable with basic formatting tools and you have a book that’s mostly a text-based manuscript, like a novel, you may find it easier to try and convert your manuscript to eBook yourself. If you also have a limited budget or want to learn how to convert eBooks on your own, doing it yourself can give you that feeling of satisfaction.

However, if you have a visually complex book, or you just want a polished, professional product without the steep learning curve or technical expertise needed, an eBook conversion service is a better option. If you also want a wider distribution network and need additional help with formatting for your book to meet retail requirements, using an expert conversion service is a better option.

Now that you know the pros and cons, why choose BookBaby as your eBook conversion service of choice?

Why choose BookBaby for your eBook conversion?

There are lots of reasons why you’ll want to consider BookBaby as your source for complete eBook conversion.

Professional formatting

We format your eBook to make sure it looks and reads professionally across all major platforms and devices. That means crisp, clean fonts, properly aligned text, fully optimized images, and intuitive navigation from chapter to chapter. Avoid common beginner mistakes like broken links, formatting inconsistencies, or misaligned text!

Reflowable and fixed layout options

We offer reflowable formatting for text-heavy books like novels to make sure your book adjusts perfectly to different devices and screen sizes. For image-intensive or design-critical books like cookbooks or children’s books, we offer fixed layout eBooks that preserve the existing arrangement of your text and images.

Device compatibility

We rigorously test your eBook across multiple devices including all major eReaders like Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Nook, and Kobo.

Support for complex and custom designs

If you’re worried about eBook conversion with a book that has charts, tables, images or other special formatting, with BookBaby it’s no problem! We’ve formatted complex or custom designs, including academic texts and guidebooks, so that they look professional, flow well, and are easy to understand.

We can also add in multimedia elements such as videos, audio, or hyperlinks to make your eBook more engaging and interactive.

Free ePub proof and revisions

We provide each eBook conversion customer a free ePub proof of their book to review before we publish and distribute it to eBook retailers. This lets you review the converted book in detail for any errors or design changes you’d like to make. We also strongly encourage you to give us feedback about the proof to ensure the final product meets your expectations. If you need revisions, we’ll take steps to perfect your eBook and make sure it’s exactly what you’d hoped for!

Broad distribution network

BookBaby helps simplify global distribution of your eBook by handling all of the technical requirements for you. Your eBook can be distributed to all major platforms while meeting the specific formatting requirements of each one. In addition, your book will be available to a large global audience of millions of readers around the world!

Custom metadata creation

We’ll add essential information about your eBook to boost its discoverability including the book title, author name, genre, keywords, and ISBN. We’ll also take steps to make sure your eBook is fully optimized for search engines and retailer-specific algorithms to maximize your visibility in online stores and platforms like Amazon.

Image optimization

We’ll fully optimize your images while converting your eBook to make sure they’re designed for a digital format without sacrificing quality. These steps make sure that your images display in a way that looks crisp and clean even on high-resolution screens like retina displays. High-quality image optimization is important for all types of eBook conversion, but it’s especially important for books like photography, art, cookbooks, or children’s stories.

End-to-end service

BookBaby offers a complete end-to-end service, saving you hours of trial and error over doing it yourself. From manuscript preparation to proofing, formatting, and distribution, we manage every step so that your finished eBook will truly shine. Plus, we work quickly and efficiently so you can focus on marketing and promoting your book and spreading the word to readers who love your genre as much as you do!

Support and guidance

Everything we do is designed to support and guide your growth as an author. Whether it’s your first time publishing an eBook or you’re new to the world of self-publishing, we want to make your experience as simple and straightforward as possible. We offer free templates and guides that are designed to walk you through the process.

Our eBook conversion experts are available to help and answer any questions you may have about the process. Choose a service that’s built to help authors get the most out of their self-published books. Reach a whole new audience of enthusiastic readers and tap into your genre with portable digital books that go anywhere!

Getting started with BookBaby eBook conversion services

At BookBaby, you can rely on a superior eBook conversion service from start to finish. Plus, there are never any hidden fees or charges. You’ll know the price of what it costs to convert your eBook (even specialty books) before you ever pay, so you can tailor your budget accordingly. Plus, all authors who use our Bookshop as their author website can sell their eBooks directly to readers and make the highest possible royalty rates.

Bookshop is a great way to not only support indie authors, but also tell the world about your book via a professional, beautiful website that includes your book details, author bio, and much more. Add your Bookshop website to your promotional material and use it as yet another sales vehicle to market your eBook!

There’s never been an easier way to get started in the world of eBook publishing with professionals who are by your side every step of the way. From graphics optimization to worldwide distribution, count on BookBaby to help you get the word out about your book while ensuring a flawless reading experience from start to finish. Contact us today to learn more or get started with our comprehensive eBook conversion services!