M J Johnson
  • Blog
  • Home
  • Books
    • Niedermayer & Hart >
      • Reviews for N & H
      • The Prologue
      • Sample the Book
      • Animations
    • Roadrage >
      • Reviews for Roadrage
      • Roadrage Sample
  • Contact Me

People are Nice

19/2/2012

0 Comments

 
We hear so much about all the bad things that happen on the internet. There's no denying it, some unsavoury and all too often very nasty stuff certainly does go on there. However, I'm writing this post in praise of the nice things that can befall you on the web too. A week or so ago, in a state of high anxiety after several weeks of formatting and e-formatting N & H into a variety of different versions, things weren't going too well and I felt about ready to tear my remaining hair out by its roots and use it as kindling to set fire to my hard earned manuscript. Believe me e-formatting is not for kids, and definitely not the straightforward task I'd imagined - i.e. just copy and paste, convert to HTML, et voila! How very wrong I was!

I'd written the book using Microsoft Word on three different computers, each of which had left their own residual formatting traces. I'd also committed the cardinal crime of using the Tab button 4,231 times ( e-books have a fit of the vapours when they see a Tab and it sends their formatting all over the place). My book was going to look like total gibberish on an e-reader! However, once I'd calmed down a bit and taken the time to search the internet for some answers to my questions -  I found help was at hand, in fact many hands, all there just waiting to assist me.

I discovered many kind souls had actually taken the time and trouble to share their own hard earned experience, sparing the rest of us the hours of learning angst they had undoubtedly suffered. We live in cynical times and I can hear my head asking, 'What's their angle?  Self-promotion? Do they expect me to buy their book?'  But there is no angle - not really.  We all know there's crap around the roses, and that it's wise to be careful where you tread, but people are basically okay. That's what I choose to believe anyway. However, having said this, please don't go all-out-hippie on me (no offence to peace and love, man) and drop the anti-virus subscription.

Here are a few sites I found particularly helpful with regards to e -formatting:

 The Smashwords Style Guide by Mark Coker. This is a free e-book which can be downloaded from
Smashwords

Kindle Direct Publishing Forum (search on Google). You have to join up but if you already have an Amazon ID and password you're halfway there. In the forum you'll discover plenty of help and advice on just about every topic imaginable and members of the forum are eager to help. If you ask a question the response is knowledgeable and fast, least that was my experience. I found this particular article very helpful  indeed - How to Transform a Word File To A Kindle Ready Mobi Book - author jtbigtoad (thinks: maybe not real name?).

Another excellent resource is Guido Henkel's
free guide to e formatting

Good luck.
 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Available in paperback and ebook:
    Amazon.co.uk
    Amazon.com
    Picture
    Available in paperback and ebook:
    Amazon.co.uk
    Amazon.com
    Picture
    Available in paperback and ebook:
    Amazon.co.uk
    ​Amazon.com
    my read shelf:
    M.J. Johnson's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)

    M J Johnson

    You can join Martin on
    Facebook
    If you'd like to subscribe to this blog, click on the RSS Feed button below

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Books
    Family Matters
    Film
    Historic/Factual
    Might Raise A Smile
    Miscellaneous
    Music
    Niedermayer & Hart
    Places Worth A Visit
    Roadrage
    Tea 'n' Coffee
    Theatre
    TV Stuff
    TV Stuff
    Wales
    Wilhelm & Laszlo
    Writing

    Archives

    April 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    June 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011

© 2018 M J Johnson. All rights reserved.
             Contact               Blog                 N & H                 Roadrage