You are writing an ebook, you have most of the content done and now you need to decide on a layout. Part of this decision will depend on what type of software you use to make the ebook.
You basically have two choices, you can buy ebook creation software or you can use the free ones. As you might expect the paid versions have more options and templates for you to choose from, but I would suggest using the free software to start unless you already have a definite idea about what the final product needs to look like.
No matter what you decide in the area of software there are basic layout designs you can choose that either software packages can handle.
Step 1 – Look at Other Ebooks
This is the easiest way to get ideas.
Scope out a variety of ebooks and start to get a feel for what others are doing. Then, find ebooks pertaining to your subject matter and see if there are any common elements that stand out. The main thing is you get exposure to different layouts and readability. If one particular layout is hard for you to read, then it is likely that your readers will find it hard to read too.
Step 2 – Margins
Margins are really sizing your content in the pages.
My personal preference is a .75 right/left margin. This is slightly tighter than what is standard, but it all boils down to what looks good to you. Now, if you have a lot of content and want to keep your page count down you may want to expand the margins to reduce page count.
Any of the software packages allow you to play with margins, take some time with this and get it right.
Step 3 – Font Size and Type
Font size and type should be consistent throughout most of the book.
You want to choose a font size and type that can be easily read. Some people like to go with a lighter shade of black for a softer contrast, while others prefer the traditional black.
You always want to keep your reader in mind, you want them to absorb the content and not struggle with to small or inconsistent font types. The standard font size is 12 or 14.
Step 4 – Layout Patterns
What we mean here is the FLOW of your ebook.
Make you chapter titles the same size throughout the book, if you use subtitles be consistent with size and style. If you use BOLD then maintain that pattern throughout, if you go with the UNDERLINE augmentation on titles, then be consistent throughout the ebook.
Maintaining a consistent layout pattern makes your ebook easy to follow and more importantly it looks professorial.
Step 5 – Background Colors
Most books will have white pages with black letters, but it’s OK to experiment.
The beauty with creating electronic books is you can change almost anything about it and return back to the original design with the push of a button.
Whatever you do don’t make a final copy where the colors contrast so much that it hurts the readers eyes. In the initial stages of playing around with the software it is so easy to get flamboyant with all the options. It’s fun, it’s new and you should experiment for a while, but when you come back to reality keep your reader in mind. They are buying your ebook for content – not fancy colors.
Step 6 – Edit Your Ebook
This is a very important step.
The major elements here are paragraph construction and spelling. Spelling is a no brainer due to the fact that a spell check editor is included with the software. Paragraph construction is a little trickier, you can easily read over mistakes because you become blinded to them. It is sometimes suggested to get a third party to read over your ebook, they can immediately spot any errors in this area.
Notes:
Know it or not you are developing skills here. Each time you go back and edit or experiment on something you are learning a new skill. Each phase of creating an ebook requires a different skill you must learn.
I suggest keeping a copy of your first ebook and then comparing it to one you create a year from now, you WILL be amazed at how much you improved.
