Websites For Format Conversion

Last week I gave you a step-by-step guide to publish with All Romance Ebooks.com. Here's the resource list to help you convert your file to the formats used by All Romance Ebooks.

(Note: This article was published in Writing Hacks, my free subscription newsletter for writers on Oct. 20, 2011. Subscribe to Writing Hacks so you can read articles like this as soon as they are available.)

Formats & Best Ways to Convert

1. Always start with a pristine, perfectly-formatted MS Word file. Many sites have problems with the latest Word file so remove that worry and use a version less than Word 10.

2. Be redundant. When you save a file with a different format, include the 3 letter file format designation as part of the file name. Sure, when you save, the 3 letter code at the end shows the specific file format, but you wouldn't believe how many people have uploaded the wrong file because they were tired and didn't pay attention to that format designation. So be redundant. Call your file -- BOOK_TITLE_PDF_MoDaYear.pdf.

3. Yes, I put the date at the end of my file title because I may want access to previous versions. Also, this is a good way to know at a glance on what date you uploaded a file to a digital publishing platform.

Formats

1. Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Rating: Easy. Worth it.

Save AS in Word to generate a PDF file is easiest. Be sure and fill out the meta data at the bottom.

2. Palm DOC/iSolo (PDB) Rating: Difficult. Worth it. I have NOT tried these yet, but I plan to do so. If you want to give it a shot, here are some links to learn more and then apps to download to try. Read thoroughly.

(a) http://calibre-ebook.com/

(b) For background information and other ways. Read first: http://www.isilo.com/ -- go here for the conversion app: http://www.isilox.com/

(c) More background info and another way. Read first: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4443 and read that discussion. Do NOT click the link in the article for Peter Gorod's PUblish Ebooks website because it's defunct. Use this link instead: http://publishebook.x10hosting.com/

3. Microsoft Reader (LIT) Rating: Very easy. Worth questionable because this reader is no longer supported by MS.

(a) http://calibre-ebook.com/

(b) http://2epub.com -- Do NOT download the software unless you want to buy it. Use the on-site converter. Near the bottom of the page, you'll see Step 1: Select up to 5 files. Click that and proceed. Each grayed out step activates when previous step is completed. When you get to save, select LIT and proceed.

4. Franklin eBookman (FUB) Rating: Difficult. Not worth it.

A dedicated eBook reader and personal organizer. Discontinued in 2002. The eBook products are sold in BOOKMAN Book Card, digital download (Franklin Reader, Mobipocket Reader, or other file formats) formats. They also made an eBook reader called eBookMan.

5. Hiebook (KML) (HTML) Rating: Difficult. Not worth it.

Hiebook as a reader was slated for online .kml book purchases and appears to be mostly for religious and scholarly works.
6. Mobipocket (PRC) and (MOBI) Rating: Easy. Worth it.

For the MOBI file format, use http://calibre-ebook.com/ or http://2epub.com

7. Rocket (RB) Rating: Easy. Worth it.

Use Calibre.

8. Open eBook (ePub) Rating: Easy. Worth it.

Use http://calibre-ebook.com/ or http://2epub.com

9. Print or POD (enter URL)

Just enter the URL where your print book resides.

About These Conversion Softwares

Easy and most popular conversion software websites are 2epub and Calibre.

2epub supports conversion with these parameters:

Input formats: doc, docx, epub, fb2, html, lit, lrf, mobi, odt, pdb, pdf, prc, rtf, txt.

Output formats: epub, fb2, lit, lrf, mobi

Calibre supports conversion with these parameters:

Input Formats: CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, DJVU, EPUB, FB2, HTML, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ

Output Formats: EPUB, FB2, OEB, LIT, LRF, MOBI, HTMLZ, PDB, PML, RB, PDF, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ

Good luck!

Takeaway Truth

Free resources abound. Try several and stick with the one that works best for you.