How to Format & Distribute eBooks

Ebooks are the fastest way to get your book in front of readers. No printing costs, instant global delivery, and readers can buy your book at 3 AM and start reading immediately. But there's a catch: you need to format your book correctly, choose the right distribution strategy, and understand the surprisingly complex world of ebook formats.

This guide covers everything you need to know — from the technical differences between EPUB and MOBI to the strategic choice between Amazon exclusivity and wide distribution. By the end, you'll have a clear path from manuscript to published ebook on every major platform.

Ebook Formats Explained

Unlike print books, which are just… paper, ebooks come in multiple digital formats. Each format was created by different companies, works on different devices, and has different capabilities. Understanding these formats is the foundation of ebook publishing.

EPUB — The Universal Standard

EPUB (Electronic Publication) is the open, industry-standard ebook format. It's used by Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, libraries, and most independent ebook retailers. If you're publishing an ebook anywhere other than Amazon, you'll use EPUB.

• Open standard — maintained by the W3C, not controlled by any single company
• Reflowable text — content adapts to screen size and reader preferences (font size, margins)
• Rich formatting — supports embedded fonts, images, CSS styling, and multimedia
• Current version — EPUB 3.2 supports advanced features like audio, video, and interactivity
• Universal compatibility — works on almost every e-reader, tablet, and phone except older Kindles

EPUB files are essentially zipped packages of HTML, CSS, and images — the same technologies that power websites. This makes them flexible and future-proof.

MOBI & KF8 (AZW3) — Amazon's Formats

MOBI was Amazon's original Kindle format. It's been largely replaced by KF8 (Kindle Format 8), which Amazon also calls AZW3. Here's what you need to know:

• MOBI — legacy format with limited formatting support. Still works on very old Kindles.
• KF8/AZW3 — Amazon's modern format with features comparable to EPUB 3. This is what your book becomes when you upload to KDP.
• KPF (Kindle Package Format) — Amazon's export format from Kindle Create, a bundled package ready for upload.

PDF — When to Use It

PDF (Portable Document Format) is not a true ebook format, but it has specific uses in digital publishing:

• Fixed layout — pages look exactly the same on every device
• Not reflowable — text doesn't adapt to screen size, making it terrible on phones
• Best for — heavily designed books (cookbooks, art books, textbooks), workbooks, and supplemental materials
• Not recommended for — novels, general non-fiction, or anything primarily text-based

Most ebook platforms don't accept PDF for retail sales. If someone asks for a "PDF ebook," they usually want it for personal use or as a bonus/freebie, not retail distribution.

Format Comparison Summary

EPUB vs MOBI: The Complete Comparison

For years, self-publishers had to maintain two separate files: EPUB for most platforms and MOBI for Amazon. That's changed. Here's the current state of play:

The Short Answer

Use EPUB everywhere. Amazon accepts EPUB uploads and converts them automatically. You no longer need to create separate MOBI files. EPUB is the universal ebook format.

Why EPUB Won

• Open standard — EPUB is maintained by the W3C consortium, not controlled by any single company. It evolves based on industry needs, not corporate strategy.
• Better feature support — EPUB 3 supports modern web technologies including CSS3, JavaScript, audio, video, and accessibility features like text-to-speech hints.
• Future-proof — because EPUB is an open standard, your files will remain readable as technology evolves. Proprietary formats can be abandoned (as MOBI effectively was).
• Universal acceptance — Amazon was the last major holdout, and they now accept EPUB. Your EPUB file works everywhere.

What Amazon Does With Your EPUB

When you upload an EPUB to Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon converts it to their internal KF8 format. This happens automatically — you don't need to do anything. Amazon's converter handles:

• Format translation from EPUB to KF8
• Generating the Kindle-specific navigation
• Creating multiple resolution versions for different Kindle devices
• Optimizing images for Kindle screens

When You Might Still Need MOBI

The only scenario where MOBI matters is if you're distributing directly to readers (not through a platform) and they're using very old Kindle devices that don't support KF8. This is increasingly rare. If you're using tools like Vellum or Atticus, they can still generate MOBI for these edge cases.

Ebook Formatting Tools Compared

The tool you choose for ebook formatting affects your workflow, output quality, and budget. Here's an honest comparison of the major options:

Vellum — The Gold Standard (Mac Only)

Price: $249.99 (one-time, ebooks only) or $299.99 (ebooks + print)

Vellum is the benchmark against which all other formatting tools are measured. It produces beautiful, professional ebooks with minimal effort.

• Pros: Stunning output, intuitive interface, real-time preview, handles all formatting automatically, generates files for all platforms simultaneously
• Cons: Mac only (no Windows version), expensive, limited customization for power users who want granular control
• Best for: Fiction authors, anyone who values quality and speed over customization

Atticus — Cross-Platform Alternative

Price: $147 (one-time, ebooks + print)

Atticus was built specifically as a cross-platform Vellum alternative. It runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux (including Chromebooks via Linux mode).

• Pros: Works on any computer, competitive pricing, includes print formatting, actively developed with frequent updates
• Cons: Output not quite as polished as Vellum, occasional bugs, younger software with fewer design themes
• Best for: Windows users, authors who want ebook and print formatting in one tool

Calibre — Free and Powerful

Price: Free (open source)

Calibre is a free ebook management and conversion tool. It can format ebooks, but that's not its primary purpose — it's more of an ebook Swiss Army knife.

• Pros: Completely free, extremely powerful, handles format conversions, batch processing, ebook library management
• Cons: Steep learning curve, dated interface, requires more manual formatting work, output quality depends entirely on your input
• Best for: Technical users, authors on a tight budget, format conversion tasks

Reedsy Book Editor — Free Web-Based

Price: Free

Reedsy's Book Editor is a free, web-based writing and formatting tool. You can write your entire book in it or import an existing manuscript.

• Pros: Completely free, no software to install, clean modern interface, includes writing features, produces professional EPUB output
• Cons: Requires internet connection, limited formatting customization, no print export, your content lives on their servers
• Best for: Beginners, authors who want simplicity, anyone testing ebook publishing without investment

Kindle Create — Amazon's Free Tool

Price: Free

Kindle Create is Amazon's official formatting tool. It produces Kindle-optimized files but is limited in scope.

• Pros: Free, Amazon-supported, produces optimized Kindle files, handles basic formatting well
• Cons: Kindle only (no EPUB export), limited formatting options, doesn't produce files for other platforms
• Best for: Authors exclusively publishing on Amazon who want simplicity

Tool Comparison Summary

Step-by-Step Ebook Formatting Workflow

Regardless of which tool you use, the ebook formatting process follows the same basic workflow. Here's how to go from manuscript to finished ebook:

Step 1: Prepare Your Manuscript

Before you touch any formatting tool, clean up your manuscript file:

1. Use a single .docx file — most tools work best with Microsoft Word format. Google Docs can export to .docx.
2. Remove manual formatting — no manual line breaks at the end of paragraphs (let text wrap naturally), no tab characters for indentation, no double spaces after periods.
3. Use proper styles — apply "Heading 1" or "Heading 2" styles to chapter titles. Don't just make text big and bold.
4. Mark scene breaks — use a consistent symbol (like "###" or "* * *") to mark scene breaks within chapters. Your formatting tool will convert these to proper visual breaks.
5. Remove the title page and copyright — you'll add these in your formatting tool, not your manuscript.

Step 2: Import Into Your Formatting Tool

Open your chosen formatting tool and import your clean manuscript. Most tools will:

• Automatically detect chapter breaks based on your heading styles
• Apply default paragraph formatting (indentation, line spacing)
• Create a table of contents from your chapter titles

Review the import carefully. Check that all chapters were detected correctly and that no content was lost or garbled.

Step 3: Add Front Matter and Back Matter

Ebooks need the same front and back matter as print books, with some digital-specific additions:

Front matter (in order):

1. Title page — book title, subtitle, author name
2. Copyright page — copyright notice, edition, ISBN (if applicable), rights reserved statement
3. Dedication (optional)
4. Epigraph (optional)
5. Table of contents — required for ebooks, readers expect it

Back matter (in order):

1. Epilogue or afterword (if applicable)
2. Note from the author (optional, but engagement opportunity)
3. Also by this author — critical for series authors, link to your other books
4. About the author — brief bio with photo
5. Email signup/mailing list link — capture readers for future releases
6. Acknowledgements
7. Review request — politely ask readers to leave a review

Step 4: Style Your Book

Apply visual styling to make your ebook look professional:

• Choose a theme — most tools offer preset themes with coordinated fonts and chapter styles
• Style chapter openings — add ornaments, drop caps, or custom formatting for the first paragraph
• Format scene breaks — convert your "###" markers to visual separators (ornaments, extra spacing, or symbols)
• Add images (if applicable) — insert images at appropriate sizes, add alt text for accessibility

Step 5: Generate Table of Contents

Every ebook needs a navigable table of contents (TOC). Your formatting tool creates this automatically from chapter headings. There are two types:

• Logical TOC (NCX/Nav) — the navigation menu that appears in the reader's device menu. Generated automatically, invisible in the book itself.
• HTML TOC — a visible page in your book (usually after the copyright page) listing chapters with clickable links.

Include both. The logical TOC is required by most platforms; the HTML TOC is expected by readers.

Step 6: Preview and Test

Never publish without previewing. Check your ebook on multiple devices or emulators:

• Kindle Previewer (free download from Amazon) — shows exactly how your book appears on various Kindle devices
• Apple Books — open your EPUB on a Mac to preview Apple Books rendering
• Calibre's ebook viewer — free, shows generic EPUB rendering
• Actual devices — if you have a Kindle, Kobo, or tablet, side-load your ebook and read it like a customer would

Check specifically for:

• Chapter breaks appearing correctly
• Table of contents links working
• Images displaying at readable sizes
• Drop caps and special formatting rendering properly
• Links in back matter working

Step 7: Export Final Files

Export your finished ebook in the formats you need:

• EPUB — for Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, Draft2Digital, libraries, and Amazon (yes, Amazon accepts EPUB now)
• MOBI (optional) — only if you're distributing directly to readers with legacy Kindle devices
• PDF (optional) — for direct sales of fixed-layout books or reader freebies

Common Ebook Formatting Issues (and How to Fix Them)

Even with good tools, certain formatting problems crop up repeatedly. Here's how to handle the most common issues:

Table of Contents Problems

Issue: Chapters missing from TOC or TOC links don't work.

Solution: Ensure all chapter titles use proper heading styles (Heading 1 or Heading 2) in your source manuscript. Manually formatted "big bold text" won't be detected as chapter titles. If you've imported already, most tools let you manually mark chapter breaks.

Image Issues

Issue: Images appear blurry, too large, or break page flow.

Solution:

• Use images at least 1000 pixels wide for full-width display
• Save as JPEG (for photos) or PNG (for graphics/illustrations)
• Don't use images for text — it won't scale and isn't accessible
• Test on actual devices — what looks fine on a computer may be unreadable on a phone

Font Embedding

Issue: Custom fonts don't appear on some devices.

Solution: Not all e-readers support embedded fonts. Some (like older Kindles) ignore them entirely. Design your book to look good with default fonts. If using custom fonts, ensure they're properly embedded (your formatting tool should handle this) and test on multiple devices.

Page Breaks

Issue: Chapters starting mid-page or content appearing where it shouldn't.

Solution: Use explicit page breaks before each chapter. Never use multiple carriage returns to create space — they'll render differently on different screen sizes. Your formatting tool should insert proper page breaks automatically.

Special Characters

Issue: Quotes, dashes, or special characters display incorrectly or as boxes.

Solution:

• Use proper typographic characters: "curly quotes" not "straight quotes"
• Use em-dashes (—) not double hyphens (--)
• Ensure your document uses UTF-8 encoding (standard for modern documents)
• Most formatting tools automatically convert straight quotes to curly quotes

Paragraph Formatting

Issue: Incorrect indentation, missing line spacing, or inconsistent paragraph style.

Solution: Choose one method for separating paragraphs: first-line indentation (standard for fiction) OR block paragraphs with space between (common in non-fiction). Never use both. Let your formatting tool apply this consistently rather than manually formatting in your manuscript.

Ebook Cover Specifications

Ebook covers have different requirements than print covers. There's no spine, no back cover, and the image is displayed digitally rather than printed physically.

Dimensions

The ideal ebook cover dimensions vary by platform, but following Amazon's recommendations covers all bases:

• Recommended: 2560 × 1600 pixels (1.6:1 aspect ratio)
• Minimum: 1000 × 625 pixels (same 1.6:1 ratio)
• Maximum file size: 50 MB

Other platforms have slightly different minimums:

• Apple Books: 1400 pixels minimum on shortest side
• Kobo: 1400 × 2100 pixels recommended
• Google Play: 1280 × 2048 pixels minimum

File Format

• Format: JPEG or TIFF (JPEG is more common)
• Colour space: RGB (not CMYK — that's for print)
• No bleed or crop marks — unlike print covers, what you see is what appears

Design Considerations for Digital Display

Ebook covers are often viewed as tiny thumbnails on crowded store pages. Design with this in mind:

• Large, readable title — if you can't read the title at thumbnail size, make it bigger
• High contrast — colours that pop on both light and dark device backgrounds
• Simple composition — detailed images become muddy at small sizes
• Author name visible — especially important for authors building name recognition

Ebook vs Print Cover Differences

If you have a print cover, you can often adapt the front panel for ebook use — just remove the bleed, convert to RGB, and resize to ebook dimensions.

Ebook Distribution Options

Once your ebook is formatted, you need to get it into readers' hands. There are two approaches: publish directly to platforms yourself, or use an aggregator/distributor to reach multiple platforms at once.

Direct Publishing Platforms

Publishing directly gives you maximum control and maximum royalties but requires managing multiple accounts:

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

• Royalty: 70% on books priced $2.99–$9.99, 35% outside that range
• Reach: Dominant global market share (60–80% depending on region)
• Payment: 60 days after month end, $10 minimum
• Notes: Only platform where KDP Select exclusivity is an option

Apple Books

• Royalty: 70%
• Reach: Every Apple device globally, second-largest market
• Requirements: Requires Mac with Pages or iTunes Producer (or use an aggregator)
• Payment: 45 days after month end

Kobo Writing Life

• Royalty: 70% on books $2.99+, 45% below
• Reach: Strong in Canada, expanding globally, Walmart partnership in US
• Payment: 45 days after month end

Google Play Books

• Royalty: 70%
• Reach: Android users globally, strong international presence
• Notes: Notoriously difficult to get accepted — they've closed signups repeatedly
• Payment: Monthly, $10 minimum

Barnes & Noble Press

• Royalty: 65% on books $2.99+
• Reach: US-focused, Nook e-reader users
• Payment: 60 days after month end

Aggregators & Distributors

Aggregators publish your book to multiple platforms from a single dashboard. You sacrifice some royalty percentage for convenience:

Draft2Digital

• Cut: 10% of your royalty (so you get 63% on a 70% platform)
• Distributes to: Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, libraries (OverDrive, Hoopla), Scribd, and many smaller retailers
• Pros: Free formatting tools, excellent support, ISBNs available, library distribution
• Best for: Authors who want wide distribution without managing multiple accounts

Smashwords

• Cut: 15% for most channels
• Distributes to: Apple, Kobo, B&N, libraries, Scribd, and their own store
• Notes: Now merged with Draft2Digital, older interface, strong library relationships

PublishDrive

• Pricing: Subscription model ($99/year basic) instead of per-sale cut
• Distributes to: 400+ stores including some unique ones (China, India, regional platforms)
• Best for: High-volume publishers, international reach

Direct Sales Through Your Own Store

Selling ebooks directly keeps 100% of the revenue (minus payment processing) and gives you customer data. This is where the real money is for authors with an audience.

Books.by — The Author's Direct Sales Platform

Books.by now supports full ebook publishing alongside print. Here's what makes it unique:

• 100% royalties — Books.by takes zero commission. You pay only the credit card processing fee (~2.9% + $0.30).
• No pricing restrictions — Unlike Amazon (which cuts royalties below $2.99 or above $9.99), price your ebook at any amount. $0.99 impulse buy? $19.99 premium nonfiction? Same royalty percentage.
• All formats — Deliver EPUB, MOBI, and PDF downloads. Readers choose their preferred format.
• Free ebook with print — Offer a bundled ebook download with print purchases. Readers love this, and it increases print order value.
• Lead magnet mode — Give away a free ebook in exchange for email addresses. Perfect for building your launch list or growing your newsletter.
• Customer data — You get email addresses for every purchase. Build direct relationships with readers.
• Ebooks + print in one store — Sell both formats from a single, professional storefront.

Other Direct Sales Options

• Payhip — simple ebook sales with built-in delivery, 5% fee on free plan
• Gumroad — popular with creators, 10% fee
• Shopify — more powerful but more complex, requires digital delivery app
• BookFunnel — handles delivery to all e-readers, popular for reader magnets (subscription-based)

KDP Select vs Wide Distribution

One of the biggest decisions in ebook publishing: go exclusive with Amazon through KDP Select, or distribute wide across all platforms? There's no universally right answer — it depends on your genre, goals, and risk tolerance.

What is KDP Select?

KDP Select is Amazon's exclusivity programme. You agree to sell your ebook only on Amazon for renewable 90-day terms. In return, you get:

• Kindle Unlimited (KU) — your book is included in Amazon's subscription reading service. Subscribers read for free; you're paid per page read.
• Kindle Countdown Deals — time-limited promotional pricing with a countdown timer displayed on your listing.
• Free Book Promotions — ability to make your book free for up to 5 days per 90-day term.

The Case for KDP Select (Amazon Exclusive)

• Visibility — KU readers face no additional cost to try your book, dramatically lowering the barrier to read. This can mean more "reads" than you'd get sales.
• Algorithm boost — page reads count toward Amazon's sales ranking, giving KU books more visibility in the store.
• Genre fit — readers in romance, thriller, science fiction, LitRPG, and fantasy consume books voraciously. Many read 10+ books per month through KU. If you're not in KU, you're invisible to these readers.
• Promotional tools — Countdown Deals and Free Promotions can spike visibility and launch books up the charts.

The Case for Wide Distribution

• Platform independence — putting all your eggs in Amazon's basket is risky. Algorithm changes, account suspensions, or market shifts can devastate exclusive authors overnight.
• Full sale revenue — KU pays approximately $0.004–$0.005 per page read. A 300-page book fully read earns ~$1.35. A full-price sale at $4.99 earns $3.49 at 70%. Wide readers generate more revenue per read.
• Long-term audience building — Apple, Kobo, and Google readers tend to be loyal to their platforms. Building an audience on these platforms creates diversified income streams.
• Genre fit — literary fiction, non-fiction, memoir, children's books, and poetry perform relatively better wide because readers in these categories buy selectively rather than binge-reading through subscriptions.
• Library access — wide distribution through aggregators gets your books into library systems (OverDrive, Hoopla), exposing you to readers who discover books through libraries.

Who Should Go Exclusive?

Who Should Go Wide?

The Hybrid Approach

Many authors use a hybrid strategy:

• Launch in KDP Select to build initial readership and visibility
• Go wide after momentum builds — once you have reviews, a following, and book 2+ in a series
• Keep some books exclusive — first-in-series as a reader magnet in KU, later books wide
• Direct your audience to Books.by — your email list, social followers, and website visitors should buy from your Books.by store where you earn dramatically more per ebook sale

For detailed analysis including income calculators and genre-specific data, see our KDP Select vs Going Wide guide.

ISBNs for eBooks: Do You Need One?

ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) are the 13-digit identifiers used to uniquely identify books. For print books, they're effectively required. For ebooks, the situation is different.

The Short Answer

You don't need an ISBN to publish an ebook on most platforms. Amazon uses ASINs (their own identifiers), Apple and Kobo assign their own IDs if you don't provide one, and Google Play doesn't require them either.

When You Should Get an ISBN

• Library distribution — many library systems require ISBNs to catalog books
• Professional positioning — some retailers and distributors prefer books with ISBNs
• Identifier ownership — your ISBN means you're listed as the publisher of record, not Amazon or another platform
• Tracking sales across platforms — same ISBN everywhere makes sales data aggregation easier

When to Skip the ISBN

• Amazon-only distribution — Amazon assigns a free ASIN, no ISBN needed
• Testing the market — don't buy ISBNs for books that may not sell
• Free aggregator ISBNs — Draft2Digital and others offer free ISBNs (the aggregator is listed as publisher of record, which is fine for most authors)

Important: Each Format Needs Its Own ISBN

If you do use ISBNs, you need separate ones for:

• Paperback
• Hardcover
• Ebook (EPUB)
• Audiobook

A single book across all formats might need 4+ ISBNs. At US prices ($125 for one, $295 for ten from Bowker), this adds up. Many authors use free platform-assigned IDs for ebooks and save paid ISBNs for print editions.

For complete ISBN information including how to buy them in different countries, see our How to Get an ISBN guide.

Ebook Pricing Strategies

Ebook pricing is both an art and a science. Unlike print books, there's no manufacturing cost to factor in — it's pure margin. This gives you flexibility but also makes the "right" price less obvious.

The 70% Royalty Sweet Spot

On Amazon, you earn 70% royalty on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99. Below $2.99 or above $9.99, royalty drops to 35%. This creates a natural pricing band for most ebooks:

Notice that $9.99 earns more than $12.99 due to the royalty cliff. Keep this in mind when pricing.

Books.by: No Pricing Restrictions

Books.by takes a fundamentally different approach: no commission, no pricing tiers. You pay only the credit card processing fee (~2.9% + $0.30), regardless of price point.

The difference is dramatic at price points below $2.99 (impulse buys, series starters) and above $9.99 (premium nonfiction, professional content). For authors selling direct to their audience, Books.by's flat fee model means pricing freedom.

Pricing by Genre and Strategy

Fiction

• $0.99–$2.99 — first in series, permafree strategy, reader magnets
• $3.99–$5.99 — most common for indie fiction, series books, standalones
• $6.99–$9.99 — established authors, longer books, premium positioning

Non-Fiction

• $4.99–$9.99 — how-to, self-help, business books (value-based pricing)
• $9.99–$14.99 — specialized expertise, textbooks, professional content
• $19.99+ — premium courses disguised as books, highly specialized professional content

Psychological Pricing Tips

• End in .99 — $4.99 feels cheaper than $5.00
• Anchor with print price — showing "$14.99 paperback / $4.99 ebook" makes the ebook feel like a deal
• Series staircase — book 1 at $2.99, book 2 at $3.99, books 3+ at $4.99. Readers invest progressively.
• Free first book — permafree series starters can generate thousands of readers who buy sequels
• Bundle ebook with print — on Books.by, offer a free ebook download with print purchases. Readers love this, and it increases average order value.

Free Ebooks as Lead Magnets

One of the most powerful strategies in self-publishing: give away a free ebook to build your email list. Use a novella, short story, or first-in-series as a reader magnet — you lose nothing on the "sale" but gain a direct connection to a reader who can become a fan.

Books.by supports lead magnet mode: offer free ebook downloads in exchange for email addresses. This is perfect for:

• Launch list building — collect subscribers before your next release
• Series starters — give away book 1, sell books 2+
• Newsletter growth — use as an ongoing signup incentive
• Course or business lead gen — capture leads for higher-ticket offerings

Price Testing

You can change ebook prices instantly. Experiment:

• Try $2.99 for a month, then $4.99, compare total revenue (not just units)
• Run limited-time sales to test price sensitivity
• Check competitor pricing in your exact subgenre

Frequently Asked Questions