Hail, me hearties! Yes, I am back. I had to work a very long day yesterday so didn’t have time to blog. It’s really hard to put in an 8 hour day and then turn around and put in a few more hours shooting video but hey, that’s what I do, it’s who I am.

So, have you gotten started writing your book? I have more helpful tips for you. And if you haven’t read the first two posts about eBooks and writing them, the first post is here, and the second post is here.

Today, some of the helpful things I am thinking about:

Formatting: you know what to put your settings at in your document editor, and things to consider that will need to be done after you are finished. I am thinking about all this because I am getting ready for my next WIP a non-fic about Lifestyle Reboot. I will also include some info about creating a PDF and selling your work from your website, as well as through a distribution service.

Writing your eBook

After you get an outline or semblance together of what the book will be about, you can get started. Remember, it doesn’t have to be in the exact order that the outline is in, sometimes you need to move stuff around. You can work in sections, chapters, etc. but don’t be afraid to write out of order!

Formatting your document:font, graphics, etc

• The first thing to think about when putting your eBook into a word document (*I use Word--so that is what I talk about the most, but if you have another text editor and have questions just ask*) is what size finished book do you want to have, aka the trim size. The most common are 6x9 but some people still like the smaller 5.5x8.5 size.
• Next, consider the type of font you want to use. Font size matters, folks. Readers like easy on the eyes fonts like Arial, or Times New Roman. Bookman Old Style is also one of my favorites. Just don't use something weird and scripty. It's too difficult to make it through 80 pages oftrying to read that.
• Also, the right font size is very important too. Consider a reader reading your PDF on their computer. Consider the poor person trying to read your book on their computer. Now if you have font sizes that are too small, they will have to adjust it to fit their vision comfort. If you go ahead and start out with a good font size you might make them happy. Chapter headings are much larger than body text, and body text should be at LEAST 12 point.
• Another thing to plan for your eBook would be whether you want headers and footers in it. I have never used headers or footers in a book before but am planning on doing so in the future. One of my published author friends, has done this in her novels and it just adds something to the PRINTED book. She puts her name on opposite pages from the title. You also put your page numbers in the headers or footers.
• And do not forget your artwork! Every eBook needs a cover, and every printed book needs a full-wrap cover. Also, if you are illustrating your book, maybe for emphasis if it is a non-fic or with drawings if it is a children's book, or something else that requires it, be sure to plan for this part! Graphics take time and you may have changes you want to make, so be sure and consider the time it will take for this to be done by you or another who does artwork. I am for hire check out this page!

Whew, this turned out to be a big post…and I am not finished–never even got halfway! Wellllll…guess you have to come back to find out about different sections of your book, like the copyright page, the preface, and the author’s page. Oh yeah, and about creating a PDF etc. — so much to say, so little time!