Now that you’ve finished formatting for your eBook the next step in the process is to format for the interior, both paperback and hardcover. We will be using Word for Windows 97-2004 for this example. Here we will be creating an interior for a 6 x 9 novel. If you do this correctly, and plan ahead, you will be able to use the same file for both the paperback and the hardcover formats. Besides the formatting, one trick that we use is to document within the copyright page, the ISBN numbers for both paperback and hardcover books. This way you can use one file for both books!
This formatting tutorial will work for both Lightning Source and CreateSpace. The only difference in between the two is the output file format.
Open your eBook Word for Windows file and choose “Save As” and rename the document.
* If the e-book cover picture is on page 1, delete it. (The cover will be uploaded as a separate file).
Interior Document Formatting
Click on File > page setup to determine page size.
Manage custom sizes
- click on the plus
- give the paper size a name
- put in the wide and height of paper size
- under non printable area select user defined & put 0 in all fields
- click > ok
- Block justified
Paragraph Formatting
Indents should be .3
Paragraph spacing – Format > Paragraph
- Click on Indents and Spacing
- Spacing > select Multiple > type in 1.2
- (may need to adjust to cut down on book of pages)
Click on Line and Page Breaks
- click on Widow/orphan control & Keep lines together
Margins - Format > Document
Top 1″ (and all else should be .5″); Gutter .5″; Header and footers .5″
Click on > Apply to whole document
Font Selection
Select a font and font size.
Highlight entire document then select the font and size.
First Section — Interior
1. First page – right side blank page
2. Next page - left side, blank page
3. Next page - right side – Author Credits
4. Book name & author will be on the right side with the left page next to it blank
5. Next page – left side – Copyright details (single spaced-9 or 10pt font)
3. Next page – right side – Dedication
4. Next page – left side – blank
5. Next page – right side – Quote (if there is one)
6. Next page -left side – blank
7. Next page – right side – Acknowledgements
8. Next page -left side – blank
9. Next page – right side – Book title ONLY
10. Next page- left side - blank
11. Next page-right side – Prologue (if there is one)
Prologue page #’s should be in small roman numerals at the bottom of the page
12. Next page – left side – blank
Insert a Section Break - to start page numbering and headers
(THIS IS THE ONLY SECTION BREAK)
- First page of the book starts on the right side of the book.
- NO PAGE NUMBERS up to here.
Second Section — Interior
Headers
Title – right side – odd # of page > make a center tab and then tab over to put in the page #
Author – left side – even # of page – centered tab only Font size 9 (this could change with book each book)
(the first chapter is the only one that has to start on the odd/right side of the page)
Start chapters 1/3 down on the page -9 returns (starting chapter on line 10)
Chapter # – Centered, 16pt font (or left justified is a choice)
Between Chapter # and the start of the chapter, one or two returns
Chapter first line of the first paragraph not indented
Scene changes - first line of a change of scene not indented and no asterisks.
Chapter 1st Letter BIG – make a text box (if desired)
Insert > Text box > draw the box (all formatting will be within this text box if you have clicked on it)
type in the Capital letter > right justify
Open formatting pallet
- Styles > Wrapping: tight
- Wrap to: largest side
- Distance to text: .03
Font size: start with .48
Internal margins: all should be 0
Adjust text box to fit: start with .67 height, .5 width
Italics – check to make sure all italics show up.
Emdash – should replace a dash (do a find and replace to replace dashes with emdash-emdashes are longer the length of an m). —
Hyphenation – (The Last Step of the Formatting Process)
A hyphenation pass will tighten up the spaces within the words, on the line in your document.
Go to Tools>Hyphenation
- Settings should be: zone .25″, limit 2, deselect hyphenation caps; manual;
If there are 2 characters or less a hyphen is not recommended.
- A Hyphenated word should not cross over a page
- Proper names should not be hyphenated (at least the first time)
The Final Presentation
This is not the only way, but just one example of how to get started.
A very special thank you to John Locke for allowing us to use excerpts from his books “Lethal People,” and “Now & Then.” To learn more about his books, visit http://www.DonovanCreed.com
