Re: Steps of creating ebook ? Att: Brenna Lyons

Hi Brenna,

My friend is going to convert my ebook using a fairly new Adobe Acrobat.  Is she going to have to go through these steps as well?

Thanks.
Sandi

--- In [email protected], Brenna Lyons <brennalyons4168@...> wrote:
>
> On Sun, Dec 13, 2009 at 10:38 AM, Joe Prentis <joe_prentis@...> wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > Brenna,
> >
> > You once posted the procedure you used to format and flush the unwanted
> > formatting codes from a manuscript. I think it was one of the most
> > informative and helpful things I have read on the subject. If you still have
> > the info where you can post it again without a lot of trouble, I think
> > everyone will find it useful on this loop as well as some others.
> >
> > Joe Prentis
> >
> 
> I think I know which one you mean, since I had different ones for different
> purposes. I do the following to remove garbage code that pads the file size
> and causes errors in conversion...
> 
> 1. Turn off all autocorrect/autoformat functions. Turn off track changes.
> 
> 2. Change all em dashes (and en dashes, since WORD seems to make this coding
> error) to -- and all ellipses to three periods. Take out all special
> characters, like copyright symbol, trademark symbol, foreign alphabet
> letters, and so forth, and replace with the simplified TXT form for them
> (i.e. (c) for copyright and TM for trademark). Don't worry. You'll get them
> back later.
> 
> 3. If you have any other special autoformats, like line separators, remove
> them as well and leave a * * * or # type separator instead. Chances are, the
> publisher or conversion won't like them anyway.
> 
> 4. Save the file as filename_preformat or some other moniker that will let
> you show it's a different file.
> 
> 5. Save the file again as TXT. This will delete all noxious code, but it
> will also remove formatting.
> 
> 6. Open the preformat.RTF or preformat.DOC in another pane, so you can use
> this one to regain your formatting in the TXT file.
> 
> 7. If you are sending a portion of a novel or a short story as an in-line
> e-mail or in a form, take the portion you have to use and do the following.
> If not, skip to step 8.
>      a. Make sure you have no curly quotes left. You should have already
> lost them, but WORD sometimes screws up. So do a find/replace on them now to
> make sure they are all gone.
>      b. Place a blank space between each paragraph (for using forms, because
> many forms do not allow you to put in leading spaces on paragraphs) or add 5
> leading spaces on each paragraph. Since you want this to work in TXT, do not
> add coding to tab in or format in an indent!
>      c. Use find feature on the preformat.FTF/DOC file to find your italics
> or underlining. In the TXT version, put * before and after the portion that
> should be italicized OR _ before and after what should be underlined.
>      d. Copy and paste this sanitized version into the TXT e-mail, and you
> shouldn't have errors on the other side, no matter how they view it. It's a
> pain, but it works!
> 
> 8. If you are further submitting or publishing the file, as a whole, you
> should turn it back to RTF or DOC. Most of my publishers prefer/require DOC,
> so let's assume it will be DOC for this discussion. When turning it back,
> rename it again. I typically use something like filename_clean.DOC or
> filename_scrubbed.DOC, but use whatever you will recognize.
> 
> 9. Put your formatting back in with all the tracking and auto features
> turned OFF. Use the opened preformat file to find italics or underlining.
> Use the find feature to find separators and things like "chapter,"
> "epilogue," "prologue," "author bio," etc. that may need special formatting
> like centering on the page. Also, change fonts, if you need a particular one
> for submitting.
> 
> 10. Use the preformat page to put the special characters back in. Some older
> conversion types need those replaced (item by item) with the HTML coding for
> them, but most can handle them straight from WORD these days. I know
> Fictionwise had a problem with it...oh, five years or so ago. Very nasty
> formatting for that conversion, back then.
> 
> 11. Reduce the size to 75% or so, which allows you to see several pages at
> once, to do a final check on formatting, across the entire file, one page
> comparing to another. Correct as needed.
> 
> 12. Rename the file one last time with something that let's you know it's
> the final formatted scrubbed version. Anytime you have to do tweaks for
> submissions on that file, make sure to turn off all auto and track programs
> first, and your file should be lean and mean and without all the garbage
> code.
> 
> Brenna
> -- 
> http://www.brennalyons.com http://www.myspace.com/brennalyons
> "I found the world Ms. Lyons created to be realistic. Both main characters
> had humanistic characteristics but also the genetic makeup of their Xxanian
> ancestors as well. I blushed more than once, that's for sure. CLOSE ENOUGH
> TO HUMAN was an exceptional read." Reviewed by Natasha Smith for Romance
> Junkies 4.5 Ribbons
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>




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