In a recent post I talked about how all of you would-be eBook authors should know your file formats, or at least be somewhat familiar with the most commonly used ones. As an author, you want to make your work as accessible as possible, which means making your content able to be read on as many devices as you can. Since it is Read an eBook Week, and Lulu is giving away three Apple iPads, I thought it might be useful to provide a how-to tutorial for the most universal eBook format: ePub.
Many new authors might make the mistake of thinking that if they have a portable document format (PDF) of their book it means that it can be read on an e-reader or other mobile device. While in many cases the PDF can be opened, the text is far too small because it is a static or unchangeable image. ePub makes it so your text is resized to fit the screen of any given device. Since the text in ePub format can be changed in terms of size, font and color, reading an ePub book becomes a much more personal experience for the reader. Sounds great right? But how do you make an ePub book?
You really have three options: let Lulu do the work for you with our conversion services, use a conversion program like (Adobe InDesign, eCub, Calibre, Google ePub Toolkit, etc.), or you can do-it-yourself. If you decide to do-it-yourself, I’ve added some great directions I found over at jedisaber.com.
What You’ll Need:
* A text editor (like Text Edit or Notepad) that can edit text files, HTML, and XML.
* A program that can create .zip files (which should be built into OS X or Windows).
Alright, first you’ll need to get all of the files together that you will later put into your master .zip file (called a container).
A Closer look at ePub files (*Be aware that file names are case sensitive*):
A .epub file has at least the following files/folders in it to function:
* mimetype – Typically a plain ASCII text file that has the line “application/epub+zip” in it. This file tells a reader/operating system what’s in the .ePub file. This file must be the first line in the zip file, and cannot be compressed.
* META-INF folder – Contains at least the container.xml file, which tells the reader software where to find the book in the container (typically in the content.opf file detailed below).
* OEBPS folder – Recommended location for the book’s actual content
* toc.ncx file – Table of contents arranged with navpoint tags. Make sure the UID matches whatever is in your content.opf file because some readers won’t display your book properly if it doesn’t. The play order values found in this file must also be in order and will return an error if the order skips over a number.
* XHTML files – The book’s literal contents are listed in these files which are like HTML files with closing tags associated with each element. It is up to you how you arrange your content but having a separate .xhtml file for each chapter tends to look better on e-readers.
Now that you have all your files in order, you can make the .epub container that houses all of them.
How to Make the Container File
* First create a new .zip file
* Copy the uncompressed mimetype file into the .zip file.
* Copy all of your other files (which should all be located in an OEBPS file) into the .zip file.
* Change the .zip file extension to .epub.
Once you are done with these steps, you should have a readable eBook in a format that works on most readers. Now, all you should have to do is upload your work to Lulu.
Making Your eBook Available for Download
- In the Publish section, click the ‘eBooks’ button.
- Click the ‘Start your eBook‘ button.
- Enter a title and author name. Select your project’s availability. Click the ‘Save &
- Continue’ button (any of these options can be changed at anytime).
- Upload the file you want to use by clicking the ‘browse’ button, searching your computer for the file you want to use and then clicking the ‘Upload’ button.
- If you upload multiple files to create an eBook, you will have to select a size for Lulu to create your eBook.
- Click the ‘Make Download-Ready File’ button to convert your file into an eBook.
- Download and preview your file and then click the ‘Save & Continue’ button.
- Create your cover and click the ‘Make Cover’ button. Then click the ‘Save & Continue’ button after the page reloads. Learn how to create a cover here and see What the eBook cover for.
- Fill in the Description fields and click the ‘Save & Continue’ button
- Set the price for your eBook and click the ‘Review Project’ button (eBooks with DRM cannot be offered for free).
- Review your project. Click the ‘Change’ button for any section that needs adjustment. If everything is to your liking click the ‘Save & Finish’ button.
Once you click the ‘Save & Finish’ button you should have a book that is ready to share with the world in cutting-edge fashion – something any reader on the go will appreciate.
43 Comments
My book is a graphic novel, with almost no actual computer text:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/furlington-mackelthwaite-in-the-awful-truth/890058
How can a book like this be adapted for ePub? And I have no ISBN; how do I find my UID?
Is the prices Lulu is asking for for conversion only or for conversion plus making it available for purchase through the app store?
If you make it available through the app store, I’ll happily pay it, but if it’s for ‘file conversion’ only, that seems rather steep. There’s freeware applications out there that you can drag and drop your document into that will convert it into an ePub in seconds.
what is an app store
Gregory
Okay.. I made my file.. how in god’s grace do I get it added in with my current book? *pokes it*
Which ebook readers out there can already read our ebook versions offered on Lulu.com? For example iPod, Sony, Kindle?
How is this ePub differant than downloads? Right now clients can download my novels for $6.25. Why should I pay to have it converted to ePub.
I have 189 books on Amazon Kindle.
Can I start a new project on LuLu as only ePub??
I’m wondering the same. Does Lulu also distribute the book? Or just the file conversion to their own Web site. Let us know!
Eric Knisley,
Converting a graphic novel to ePub is more or less the same process. I have done a little research and have found that some people have had issues with the images bleeding over or being cut off. Comics, manga, and graphic novels are all best as jpegs housed in the OEBPS folder. It helps if each page or image is treated as its own chapter linked to the spine section (which lists the reading order) because some eReaders will try to load all of the images at once if they aren’t separated. Many of the newer eReaders out there have built-in picture browsers however that make reading graphic novels much easier. In regards to the UID, you can make that pretty much anything as you create your ePub – the UID in the toc.ncx file and the content.opf file just have to match each other for the ePub to function.
Robert Yannetta and Kelly Bruning,
I’ll get back to you about that.
Gregory Ghica,
Robert is referring to the application store available on iphones and the ipad. The app store is where users are able to buy and download new programs for their mobile devices.
Nix,
I am not sure what you mean by “adding in with your current book.” Once you have everything together, you have to house it into a .zip file, then convert that to an .ePub file. Once you have that .epub file, you more or less just upload it to Lulu and you’re done!
Claude B,
Like my article states, most readers can read a PDF or standard download already, but will appear too small. If you follow the hyperlink I provided in the first paragraph that says “commonly used ones” it will take you to a page with a table of popular eReaders and the formats they can read. Another useful table is located here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats.
Sue Raymond,
I mention in my article that there are many different types of file formats. Just like you can have different kinds of text documents (.doc, .docx, .txt, .pages, etc.), you can have different eBook formats. Just like a .pages text file won’t open in Microsoft word, some eBook formats won’t open in some ereaders. ePub happens to be the most universally accepted format and any author should consider it because it means their work will be able to reach that many more people. “Downloads” is a blanket term that could mean anything you could download from a PDF to a music mP3. Check out my comment to Claude B for links to tables that better illustrate popular eReaders and their compatible formats.
Nick Baer,
Yes you can! Just upload you ePub and you’re pretty much done. You can choose whether or not you want to offer it in print or download only. Check out this link though http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats for a table of popular eReaders and their compatible formats. Note that the Kindle only accepts Amazon’s proprietary .azw files, PDFs, and plain text files.
On Amazon Kindle, when we create a new title, we upload our PDF and they do the conversion process to their file format.
I think LuLu should too, rather than have us try to follow the workflow steps in your article.
I added 189 photos books on Kindle, one at a time, by uploading my 50-page, 9MB PDF files.
Are you saying there is a direct sales channel relationship between LuLu and iPad (and the other ePub readers on the market).
I just tried to make an eBook. My file is PDF, 44 pages, self-cover (includes front and back cover).
When I click on make Download Ready, it gets stuck on a page where LuLu wants to make a cover for it. No button to “skip”.
I downloaded eCub, but it doesn’t work with PDF files.
Nick Baer,
Thanks for all the feedback.
Firstly, I agree that the workflow in this article can be very tedious and difficult, especially for anyone who has never had to build a file hierarchy from scratch before. That is why Lulu offers our conversion services (linked in the 3rd paragraph) for those that need help or simply don’t have to the time to build an ePub from the ground up. I’ll get back to you about your sales channel question, but the main thing you should take away is that ePub is the most universally compatible eBook format. Any author should highly consider it because it means their work is able to be read by that many more people. If I were publishing an eBook, I would format it for the iPad, Sony eReader, Kindle, anything just to make my work accessible to any potential reader. In regards to your cover situation, do you mean that the site takes you to the create a cover page, or that it will not load beyond that point (freezes, etc.)? The site is designed to take you to the create a cover page and will not let you proceed without one. You can upload your own cover by clicking the “background and pictures” tab, then “edit picture,” a little pop-up box will appear and you will see a button that says “upload a different file.” You can then upload you own cover and proceed. eCub is just one free option for authors that want to convert their files but may not be the best option for all – Lulu doesn’t directly endorse any 3rd party program, but the options are out there. Hope this helps! Thanks again.
My eBook already has a cover – front cover and back cover.
Why is LuLu forcing me to add yet another cover???
Nick Baer,
This process is to create a thumbnail image of your eBook that will appear in the Lulu marketplace. You’re not replacing the cover, just adding something for your customers to see beside the title of your book.
Is there any sample files in creation of ePub folder that I can view and learn from???
Thank you!
Thanks for the clearly written HOWTO on making an ePUB document. Do you have any recommendations for making ePUB booklets that have a relatively high degree of technical content like mathematical formulas, technical diagrams, and such. In the PDF world, such documents can be easily created with LaTeX. What are some ways a person could create ePUB technical booklets?
Thanks in advance for whatever thoughts you have on this.
J
I think I’ll wait until I can understand these directions!
Jason,
That is a great question. For a technical manual, you should treat it similarly to a graphic novel like Eric asked about. Converting your tech manual to ePub is more or less the same process. Any diagrams are going to come out best in jpegs format, housed in the OEBPS folder. It helps if each image is treated as its own chapter linked to the spine section (which lists the reading order). This will cause the diagrams to appear on their own separate page, but some eReaders will try to load all of the images at once if they aren’t separated like that. Many of the newer eReaders out there have built-in picture browsers however that make reading eBooks with high image content much easier. In regards to your formulas, these should work just like any normal text would, just make sure you properly embed your fonts for any uncommon symbols that you might use. Directions on how to embed fonts are here: http://bit.ly/9rdq0M. Thanks!
El March,
If you follow the link to JediSaber in the 3rd paragraph, he has an example file up that you can experiment with. Happy writing!
I have created an epub file on Lulu and it is listed as a project without ISBN though it does have one. There just wasn’t any place to add it in the process. This book is just text, do I have to go through some other process or conversion to make it available for I-Pad?
I understand everything here except how to copy a file into a zip file. Can you explain this step? I’m on Mac.
Bill Abbott,
You’ve made your ePub which is the first step for getting you book on the iPad. In order to get your eBook to the standard Apple needs to maximize user experience, you’ll have to follow the instructions here: http://lulublog.com/2010/04/03/lulu-on-the-ipad/
Todd Karr,
I have a Mac too, and making a .zip file is surprisingly easy. Check out this link for instructions and a screen shot – good luck! http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/zip.html
In regards to ” First create a new .zip file
* Copy the uncompressed mimetype file into the .zip file….”
I’m a little lost here. How can you “create” a zip file with nothing in it, and then place some uncompressed content into it, along with some compressed stuff? My only experience with zip files it to select a foleder I want to zip and zip it. I have no idea of how to: 1. Create a blank zip file. 2. Put anything, compressed or uncompressed, in it.
I’m on a Mac. Is there some kind of special zip software that will allow you to do this?
Thanks for your column, Very helpful.
Greg,
I have a Mac too, and making a .zip file is surprisingly easy. Check out this link for instructions and a screen shot – good luck! http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/zip.html
@AJ: I know how to create a zip file. I create them all the time, no problem. My question is how do you “Copy the uncompressed mimetype file into the .zip file”? What am I missing here (other than a brain, maybe)? Thanks for your help.
Nothing in regards to having compressed and uncompressed files in the same zip? Hmmm…
Greg,
Opps, I posted my answer to your question on the wrong blog. Sorry about that! In regards to your mixed file types question. I honestly had to double check this one myself. Any .zip file is able to store multiple files and compression is optional in a zip archive. If compression is used, it is applied on a per-file basis. So you can literally drag and drop your uncompressed mimetype file into the .zip file you create and it will stay that way. Then compress the rest of your files (right click on the file you want to compress and select “compress” from the menu that appears) and drag those into your .zip file. Hope this helps!
@AJ McDonald
And you’re saying you can “drag and drop your uncompressed mimetype file into the .zip file you create” with the Mac “make archive” built in zip app? I think you are wrong on that. Is there some other Mac zip application that will allow this? I’ve done some searching and no luck yet. Since you have done it on a mac, could you post info on what program you used to do it? What the heck am I missing here?
Nothing?
Greg,
Making an ePub completely from scratch is no easy feat and I found these great instructions over at jedisaber.com, but they are aimed at PC users. All the research I’ve done says that .zip files can house compressed files on a per-file basis, but like you, once I create my empty zip file, I can’t drag anything into it. I know they make programs that let you view the internal file hierarchy of a zip file and move files in and out of them, but again they all seem to be for PCs. I’ll keep looking around for a program that lets you do this on mac, and let you know if I find anything. It might be worth trying to get in touch with our friend at jedisaber to see what he thinks. Thanks.
Hi AJ,
Great post. Another option for Mac folks is to use Storyist, which exports ePub files. I’m the Storyist developer, and have posted a short tutorial screencast here:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/storyist/Creating-ePub-for-iPad.mov
-Steve
@AJ McDonald
Then can you point me to a Windows program that will allow this mixed compressed and uncompressed content in one file?
@AJ McDonald
Which program did you use to create this mixed content?
AJ, So my question is (mac user) after you finally format your ebook and you want to make your own website to promote it, how or what is the best way to protect it?? Or is it best to use someone else’s (let’s just say) book store pay the percentage and they provide the security? This is my first stab at this and book stuff and it has blood sweat & tears in it so don’t want to see my efforts kabashed. FYI it is a referance book so I feel it would be more targeted to Piracy.
Thanks Lisa
AJ, my eBook has (in addition to 15,000 words and 200 images) 9 short videos and what I call a living cover, ie a looping video with sound that plays while on page. I don’t see anything about putting video into an ePub, although I have read in many places that it can be done.
Thanks for your help.
Hi and thanks Aj,
My book is a book of music scores, all graphics. http://stores.lulu.com/knowmusic Page turning is already a headache while playing music, and well, what I’m getting at is this: converting a book of music scores to ePub or iPad or eBook probably doesn’t make any sense, hum?
Lisa,
That is a fantastic question. As the publishing industry continues to change, keeping the copyright on your content and maintaing its security can prove to be more and more of a challenge. Like music mp3s before ePubs, once you put your material out on the web, it can sort of take a life of its own. I believe that a person that is super dedicated to tracking their content could monitor where and whom it goes to, to some extent, but that would be a full time job in itself, and there would still be no guarantee that you’d catch all of your content’s distribution, unless you went with a proven, trackable method (like a tracking software). Many of these trackable programs can be pricey however, so I would highly encourage you, and anyone to sell through Lulu because it is absolutely free to publish, post, and sell your content electronically. Lulu gives you your own storefront to direct people to, but if you still want even more customization, Lulu offers its API to anyone that wants to use our backend tools to suit their needs. The other bonus with posting to Lulu, is that you content is dated and is copyrighted as soon as you publish it through our site, so if anyone did try to sell your content under their own name somewhere else, you could simply refer to your publication date on Lulu to refute them. Lulu is non-exclusive too, so just because you publish and sell through our marketplace, doesn’t mean you can’t turn right around and sell else where too. Lulu is a way to get your content, safely in front of that many more millions of registered readers. Good luck and happy publishing Lisa!
Frank Vitale,
Its funny you ask this, because while Lulu was at BEA we got the same question about 30 times a day. While we don’t offer any embedded video services for ePub at this time, Lulu is a technology company at heart, so we want to provide all of the tools to let authors publish in any way they want to best suit their needs. There is certainly enough demand for it, so stay tuned. I did see several people at BEA that had developed apps for the iPad that would do exactly what you are talking about. One person came over with one that was a photo book he had done, and you could click the pictures and it would play a movie, or activate a slide show, etc. It was very very cool and introduces a whole new realm of interactivity and possibilities for publishing. I would still encourage you to publish and submit a standard ePub to Lulu though because it is free to publish and sell through Lulu. And we are one of the only 7 aggregators that is allowed to submit ePubs to the iBookstore. So you could offer your eBook as an ePub on the iPad while developing your interactive content. Either way you end up with more content options for your readers, and everyone loves variety.
Teo,
I am a jazz drummer myself, and it’s always nice to meet a fellow musician. I think it is always a great idea to offer your content in as many formats as possible these days, because it makes your work that much more accessible to that many more people, and everyone likes variety. A great example is Lulu author and drummer Mike Johnston http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/linear-drumming/6243838?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1. I stumbled upon his downloadable book of drum charts a few months back and love that I don’t have to carry anything other than my phone with me when I practice. I already have to lug my drums back and forth, I don’t really want to deal with loose pieces of paper I’ll loose, or a printed book that I know I am going to mess up in the hectic chunk of time before and after a gig. I just plop down, sit my phone on my music stand and start playin’ away. If you’re concerned about turning pages while you’re playing, you could also save each sheet as a PDF image and set up a slide show that people could use on their phones and iPads that would automatically turn the pages for them depending on the tempo of the piece. Technology moves fast these days, and amount of ways you can offer your content is almost staggering, but I believe it is all a good good thing. Bands form all the time where the musicians never even meet, but compose cross-country. Musicians are able to publish and sell their compositions instantaneously through sites like Lulu. There are even programs that notate a piece in real-time as you’re playing it. It’s a fun time to be an artist!
I don’t understand this tutorial at all. It doesn’t go into depth on any of the points. I recommend using Calibre to create ePub files: http://calibre-ebook.com/
re the compression, uncompressed mimetype:
The word compressed is a mistake here, the requirement is “unencrypted.” The files that comprise the Book itself “may” be encrypted (and, if they are, must be declared so elsewhere); most of the other files in the folder are required to be “unencrypted.”
ok very good
I think this may be useful:
http://www.epubmaker.net/
A specially designed EPUB creation software for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch users.
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