FAQ’s

If you are a graduate of the I am Published! Print Packages program, any subsequent books fall under the Next Book package rates, as viewable on the “Next Book” page in the menu above. If you already have accounts with a printer, distributor, copyright office, Library of Congress, etc., and are coming to us for the first time for additional service, you may also use the Next Book package rates

PDF/Word to Kindle/eBook FAQs

What files are included? Do you keep my files?

You will receive the converted files (EPUB and MOBI) to you to do with as you please. MOBI is for Kindle, EPUB for all other e-readers. If you choose a Basic Plus or Deluxe package, we will release these files to you after we set up your eBook with your chosen eBook distributor. We retain all files on record in case you need to change or update them in the future, but do not distribute them anywhere you do not ask us to.

Will my eBook have a clickable Table of Contents?

Yes, even if the TOC is not clickable in the PDF file you send us, we will hyperlink it for you.

Is editing included?

Editing is included with select print packages only. If you wish to purchase editing a’la carte for your eBook, click here to complete our a’la carte menu.

Many other companies charge a lot more for eBook conversion services. How is it you can do this for such a low price?

Other companies usually start with a “base price” for X number of pages, then go up from there. We’ve found by offering a fair “per page” rate (automatically calculated in the quote chart) we don’t need to overcharge for our service. Also, our conversion includes EPUB and MOBI formats, the common formats for Kindle, iPad, Nook and Sony Reader. There are other specialty formats you can get, such as EPUB3 with text-wrapping, interactive eBooks, all the way up to iPad apps. Our service is basic eBook programming only, and we have a list of partners who create the fancier formats.

My book will be “photo heavy.” Will that change the cost?

If you supply your eBook file in PDF format with all the photos where you wish them to appear within the text, there is no extra charge beyond what is automatically quoted. Keep in mind most e-readers do not “wrap” text around photos, so our basic programming includes the pictures centered on the screen with text above and below them. Also, each e-reader’s settings are different depending on the user, so some photos may appear to have a lot of space above or below them, or on their own screen/page, with text continuing on the next screen. That is beyond our programming control and will appear different on each e-reader device. If you’re using Amazon’s Direct to Kindle service, keep in mind they charge a “delivery” fee based on the size of file you submit to them, so this may have a bearing in the price you set and how many photos you include.

Do you prefer I submit a PDF or Word document? Does either one change the cost?

We prefer PDF format. If you supply it to us in Word or Pages, we will need to convert it to PDF, however, text may move or flow differently if you supply your eBook file in Word or Pages, due to various versions of the software. By submitting your file in PDF, you ensure everything will appear where you want it to be, to the best of our control.

If you can download a book directly to Kindle in Word and I can convert my book to Word on my own, why would I need your services?

You can send a Word file to Kindle directly, but it probably won’t look very good. Amazon’s “meat grinder” converts your Word file to XHTML, and inserts “junk” code that is guaranteed to cause massive errors and formatting issues, especially if you include any bullets or graphics. For simple formatting (books not containing bullets, indents or graphics), there are specific steps you must take within Word, then use a conversion software like Kinstant or Calibre to convert it to Kindle and EPUB format. Even if you know how to format your Word document to be cleanly converted by these programs, you may have poorly formatted areas if your eBook includes photos, graphics, bullet points, or special characters or text treatments such as many bolds and italics. These formatters are best used for fiction or short non-fiction works without these special additions.

Click here to read an article with more information on this topic.

Click here to get the Kinstant formatter.

Learn how to format your own eBooks cleanly and remove “junk” code with my exclusive DIY publishing system, Self-Publish On Demand.

Do you offer a guideline or any type of template to help us in sending you a complete and ready to go submission?

As long as the PDF you send looks like what you want in the final eBook format (allotting for the pictures issue discussed above), you do not need to use any special templates. Books can vary in size and format, so make your file how you want it to look with headings and subheads in the appropriate place, a Table of Contents at the beginning (this will be linked), and all graphics and pictures within the text where you want them to appear, and we will work to make the final eBook file match your PDF file as closely as possible.

Will I get a proof?

Your final converted EPUB and MOBI files also serve as a proof, and keep in mind it will appear different on every e-reader device. It will look different on the basic Kindle vs. the iPad vs. the Kindle fire vs. Nook. We proof each book in-house on a Keyboard Kindle, one of the devices that views eBook files the worst, to ensure that if it looks good on that e-reader it will look good on most other e-readers. You’re welcome to proof the eBook on your own devices as well, and we can supply you with the MOBI and EPUB files to do so. If there are errors in the formatting that can be corrected, we will correct them at no charge.

What if I need to make a change, what would you charge for any changes and another proof?

We expect all eBook files to be edited before formatting.Editing an eBook is not as easy as editing a print book, as it requires our programmers to read thousands of lines of code to find your exact error. There are no “pages” on eBooks, so it takes much longer to find the area you want to change and make that change. Therefore, if you choose to change anything that is not a formatting glitch, we will charge $5 per change. There is no charge for the first round of revisions if it is a formatting glitch that can be fixed (once again, every e-reader is different, so it may be an e-reader issue and nothing we can change in the code). Any formatting revisions past that first round are also charged at $5 per change.

Do I still own my copyright?

We never ever ever take the rights to your work. In the PDF to Kindle and Audio to Kindle programs, we convert your files to a clean, readable e-reader format, and act as a liaison to distributors on your behalf if you choose an appropriate package. You are the publisher of record, even if we set up the eBook distributor account on your behalf, because we set up the account in your name. If you choose for us to set up the eBook distributor account with all platforms (not just Amazon’s Direct to Kindle), the distributor we use requires that your eBook has an ISBN. If you do not have an ISBN, you may purchase one from them, but your eBook will then be published by them and not by you. This means you give them the distribution and publishing rights to your book. If you use your own ISBN, you will be the “publisher of record” and retain all rights, only granting the distributor the right to list your eBook with retailers.

Why can’t I open the files you send me on my computer?

You can only view the MOBI file in the Kindle Reader program, app, or on a real Kindle and the EPUB file on other devices such as iPad and Nook. These are converted files for e-readers. They’re exactly the same as the files you download from the Kindle Store directly onto a Kindle through Whispernet, minus messy issues when KDP’s meatgrinder “converts” a file when you directly upload a Word doc. A typical computer cannot just “open” them without a Kindle reader program. The absolute best way to proof the files we send you is to plug your Kindle into your computer and download the MOBI file into the “documents” folder inside your Kindle.

Do you format MS Word docs for Smashwords?

No. Our PDF to Kindle service is strictly for creating professional looking EPUB and MOBI files. The process for formatting a Word document for Smashwords is time consuming and you can learn how to do it yourself. Also, we highly do not recommend using Smashwords, as they will distribute your ebook no matter how bad it looks, and you endanger your reputation with negative reviews that may appear before you get the chance to review your book yourself. They use an automated “meatgrinder” system to convert your Word doc to EPUB format, and if you have a combination of special formatting like bullets, graphics, charts, indents, etc. you run the high risk of their meatgrinder grinding your words into an unintelligible form. For authors seeking expanded distribution, we highly recommend BookBaby for distribution to every major eBook retailer currently in business, with more smaller retailers being added all the time.

Why doesn’t my Kindle book open on my front cover or Table of Contents?

Kindles automatically read eBooks beginning on the first entry in the Table of Contents. If your first entry is “Introduction,” then that’s what your eBook will automatically open to. If you have no Table of Contents, Kindle will start at the very beginning, usually the cover image. Unfortunately this is simply the way the Kindle views eBooks and is nothing that can be fixed in programming. If you upload the MOBI file we supply you to Amazon’s Direct to Kindle program yourself and view it in their Kindle Previewer, you can cycle through the pages to see what your eBook looks like. This preview tool starts over again when you reach the end, so unless you’re paying attention to the percentages at the bottom of the preview tool, you won’t realize you’re starting the book from the very beginning again, which gives the illusion that the front matter is at the end of the eBook. Note that this only happens in the Kindle preview tool, as a real Kindle or Kindle app stops at the end of the book and the only way a reader can restart the book is to “Go to” the “Beginning.”

Why does my eBook appear slightly different on every reader?

Because each reader interprets the same code differently. It’s the unfortunate nature of an un-standardized eBook formatting system.

Why are some pictures by themselves on a page?

Kindle readers automatically resize pictures to fit the width of the screen. This means if you have a portrait-style photo, it may take up the entire screen. Sometimes we can resize the pictures to be smaller, allowing text to flow above and below the portrait-style photo on the same screen, but due to the way Kindle and other e-readers interpret the code, we cannot guarantee this will fix the issue.

I have a long list of bullet points. Why do some of them stop halfway down the screen and continue on the next page?

The best way to code bullet points so they appear indented, in line with each other, and clean, is to code them into an HTML table. A table is made up of cells, and each cell cannot be split in half. This means sometimes if you have long bullet points, they will appear whole on a page rather than split with the bulleted item beginning at the bottom of one page and ending at the top of the next. Usually this happens when going from a print format book to eBook with custom images for the bullets themselves. We have yet to have any readers complain about this issue, in fact the opposite is true as the custom design gives the book more of a “print” feel.

I have more strategic questions. Is coaching included in your packages?

Strategic coaching is included in our print packages, the amount based on the package you select. To keep our eBook conversion packages affordable, we do not include strategic coaching. If you wish to purchase coaching sessions directly with Kristen, click here to visit her coaching page and choose an affordable coaching package based on your needs. Coaching questions may involve what to title your book or eBook, how to create a series of Kindle books, when to place Kindle books “on sale” or in free promotion to maximize other eBook sales, which distributor best suits your goals, how to market your books, and more.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and PayPal, depending on the service. A credit card (V, MC or D) is required for all print packages due to setting up registrations in your name. Our PDF to Kindle conversion services are automated with a PayPal checkout system. Personal checks are only accepted from returning clients in good standing. A $35 return check fee will be charged on any bounced checks.