How to Format Your eBook for Kindle Sales

So you've written your first eBook that you want to offer for sale for the Kindle. Amazon allows you to sell eBooks through their Digital Text Platform for the Kindle. You walk through the registration steps on the Amazon DTS site, and lo-and-behold, your eBook that is in PDF format does not convert properly to DTP format due to the complexity of the PDF file. Google Docs can be used to convert your eBook to zipped HTML to load into DTP format on Amazon and other Kindle sales sites.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet Access

1. Register for a Google account if you don't already have one and open Google Docs in your web browser. If you have an account, log-in and open Google Docs.

2. Upload your eBook into Google Docs. Google Docs is able to import the following file types: HTML (.htm, .html), Text (.txt), Microsoft Word (.doc), Rich Text (.rtf), OpenDocument Text (.odt), StarOffice (.sxw), and PDF.

3. Review your eBook in Google Docs to ensure the book's formatting has not been altered during file upload. Once satisfied, save the file by selecting the "File->Save" menu option.

4. 
   Exporting an eBook from Google Docs as a zipped HTML file.

   Download your eBook as a zipped HTML file by selecting "Download file as -> HTML (Zipped)."

5. 

   Import your eBook into Amazon's DTP service by selecting the "Browse" file menu on step two of the DTP service and select the zipped file created in step four. Once the upload is complete, preview the DTP formatted eBook to check for potential errors from the translation process.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan ahead and use Google Docs throughout your writing process to avoid having to import and export your eBook multiple times.
• Google Docs has a 10 MB file size limit for importing PDF files.

Resources

• The Author's eBook on Making Money Freelance Writing converted for the Kindle
• Supported DTP Formats for the Kindle
• Additional information on Kindle formatting

[fessau]

on 8/26/2009 Thank you, excellent advice!

[msmabry]

on 5/20/2009 Thanks! I am going to look into this! 5*

[athome]

on 5/4/2009 Good information on fromating for Kindle, thanks for the advice. 5

[ampersand]

on 5/4/2009 Great tip for converting to a Kindle-friendly format!

[langleycornwell]

on 4/23/2009 This is great advice on formatting an eBook for Kindle sales. Thanks for the information, 5*s.