Ebooks — here's how we can help

If you are starting with a print book, then we make sure the designs and files can easily be adapted for their ebook partner, either now or in the future. The nature of the content will help steer the choice between a flowable epub file or a fixed layout.

The design process is about making things look good, and about helping readers capture a visual representation of the words they are reading.

The process isn’t as scary as you might think. We are still using InDesign as our main layout software, and the proofing process is exactly the same; it's just at the finished art stage that we need to choose the pathway — pbook or ebook. Do we convert the file to a high-resolution printable pdf or do we create a fixed or flowable epub?

We have updated and tweaked our in-house InDesign workflow, so we can create clean CSS for every file. It’s all in the way we set things up, and the advantages are that you can choose to go down either the print book or ebook pathway whenever it suits you. Your files are already set to go.

When you go for an ebook, don’t forget about cover design; it still needs to look good, although the focus is very different from a print book. An ebook cover is often viewed at thumbnail size and the buyer will probably only look at it when choosing a book. The rest of the time the cover is not viewed. But if the concept of the cover is changed to a ‘cover wrapping’, incorporating the marketing of other titles in the end-matter, it offers extra opportunities.

Book Design isn’t just a design company, it is an exciting team of people with expert knowledge and an eye on the horizon. My business focuses on emerging trends in leadership so I particularly value Kim’s quest for knowledge and thirst to be on the cutting edge, particularly in the ebook field. Dr Cheryl Doig, July 2013

Every project is different. If you’d like some help, drop us a line.