Fic-to-ebook guide.
Lately, you've probably seen me talking about reading fic on my Kindle. A notable part of that is thanks to AO3.
(Pick a random story - I'm using my Fringe fic "Interlude" for this guide, which you can find on AO3 - and click download, and there's four formatting options: .mobi (which is the Kindle-friendly format), .epub (which is compatible with most other ereaders), .pdf, and .html. If your Internet's even half as fast and reliable as mine, it takes seconds to download even the big stories.)
But say the fic you want to read isn't on AO3. Or the formatting's borked in the copy you downloaded from AO3. Or you want to include something that isn't in the AO3 version. Or you want a different format. Or you want to put your own fic in ebook form before you upload it.
That's what this guide is for. If you know what you're doing, it takes five minutes to make an ebook. Even better, if you have a computer and an ereader, it won't cost you a thing. (Or just a computer, if you just want to make a .pdf to read offline or something.)
Note: I use Windows, so that's the terminology I have. I think the two major programs I list have Mac versions, but I'm not entirely sure.
Fic-to-ebook guide
Step one: Put your fic into OpenOffice Writer.
I don't have the money for Microsoft Office, and I haven't used recent versions, so I can't tell you how to do this part there. OpenOffice is free and on my computer, so feel free to use your own version or skip this step if you know how to do it in Word.
Once you have OpenOffice writer open, all you have to do is either open the file you're using if it's your own story, or copy-and-paste from the browser. (This can take a little while if you're looking at a multi-part story on LJ. I think the most I've ever done was over twenty parts, but I've seen stories that range into the sixties, so it can be a pain.)
Extra tips
-If you want to do any special formatting, now's the time. A good example of this would be if you're making a .mobi, and you prefer indented paragraphs over line breaks (the format this post and most fic posts will use). I'd rather spend my time reading, so as long as nothing's horribly broken, I usually leave it alone.
-If you want to add graphics to your story, this is also the time. The ebook conversion method listed below has a cover addition option, but the only way I've seen covers on my Kindle is if they were in the body of the text.
-If you're making an ebook of your fic to share, I highly recommend leaving the fic header at the top of the story. From personal experience, I have a hard enough time keeping track of which fic is which in my Kindle, so being able to jump to the beginning and check the header saves me a lot of time.
Step two: Save your first file.
If all you want is a .pdf, this is your last step. On the second toolbar is a button that looks like a white page with a red stripe at the bottom, and it reads PDF in white letters. If you hover over it, it should say Export Directly as PDF. Click and save, and you're done. You can see what a .pdf made in OpenOffice looks like by downloading "Interlude" here.
If you want a .mobi or .epub or some other format, go to File > Save As and select HTML Document (OpenOffice Writer) (.html) (*.html), then save it under whatever file name and location you'd like. And move on to the next step.
Extra tips
-If you're saving as a .pdf and you intend to read it on a Kindle - which is how I used to do it - I recommend using Times New Roman 14 as your font. It's big without increasing your page count too much, and I found it easy to read. Obviously, your mileage may vary.
Step three: Import your HTML file into Calibre.
The program I use for ebook conversion is Calibre, which is simple, free, and lacking in DRM protections. (I have version 0.7.47, and there's a version 0.7.54, but I can't imagine it's dramatically different.)
To import the HTML file you just saved, hit Add books at the far left of the screen. (The button, not the arrow, is enough for one file at a time.) Select your file, click okay, and it should be imported.
Step four: Create your ebook file.
Click Convert books, which is the third button from the left. An extra screen should pop up prompting you to make any last-minute tweaks. Most of this isn't necessary, but there are two things you should do:
1. Make sure you hit the drop-down in the far right corner under Output format and select what you want. There's a lot more choices, some of which - .rtf and .txt, amongst others - you can get by using OpenOffice. Since I have a Kindle, I select .mobi.
2. Go to Page Setup and make sure your output profile goes with your ereader. Obviously, I go with Kindle.
And that's it! You've created your ebook! Here's the one I made using "Interlude". (If you don't have a program that reads .mobi, you can download Kindle for PC and give it a look.)
Extra tips
-I recommend filling in the metadata, particularly if you're sharing your fic with others. From my experience, adding an author name will show up in the Kindle menu, and that's really handy for identifying fic without opening it.
-Calibre has a tendency to leave a lot of files on the computer. I like to take the folder containing my ebook (go to the fic listed > right-click and hit Open Containing Folder), copy and paste it in my fanfic folders, and delete the ebook from my Calibre (hit delete or right click > Remove books). It'll put the folder and all the files in it in the Recycle Bin, so you have a chance to change your mind.
-Related to the above point, I also delete my HTML file once I'm done with this step. This is all fast enough that I don't mind redoing it if I screw up at some point.
Questions?
Feel free to ask me for help if something goes wrong! I can't guarantee I'll be much help - most of my knowledge on the subject's in this post - but I might be able to clarify something or try to replicate what's giving you problems.
Edit 1:
vickyblueeyez has a list of ebook-and-fic posts that are very interesting, and through it, I found FanFictionDownloader. I haven't tried it, and all the screencaps are for FF.net, but that's also an option.
Edit 2: Squeebook is also an option if you're not interested in downloading anything.
Edit 3 (9/13/11): I figured out how to include images if you're making a mobi/epub! You keep the images in the folder with your HTML file when you import it into Calibre, and Calibre'll keep it all in place for you. Very nifty.
Also posted on Dreamwidth (
comment[s]). Feel free to comment on either entry.
(Pick a random story - I'm using my Fringe fic "Interlude" for this guide, which you can find on AO3 - and click download, and there's four formatting options: .mobi (which is the Kindle-friendly format), .epub (which is compatible with most other ereaders), .pdf, and .html. If your Internet's even half as fast and reliable as mine, it takes seconds to download even the big stories.)
But say the fic you want to read isn't on AO3. Or the formatting's borked in the copy you downloaded from AO3. Or you want to include something that isn't in the AO3 version. Or you want a different format. Or you want to put your own fic in ebook form before you upload it.
That's what this guide is for. If you know what you're doing, it takes five minutes to make an ebook. Even better, if you have a computer and an ereader, it won't cost you a thing. (Or just a computer, if you just want to make a .pdf to read offline or something.)
Note: I use Windows, so that's the terminology I have. I think the two major programs I list have Mac versions, but I'm not entirely sure.
Fic-to-ebook guide
Step one: Put your fic into OpenOffice Writer.
I don't have the money for Microsoft Office, and I haven't used recent versions, so I can't tell you how to do this part there. OpenOffice is free and on my computer, so feel free to use your own version or skip this step if you know how to do it in Word.
Once you have OpenOffice writer open, all you have to do is either open the file you're using if it's your own story, or copy-and-paste from the browser. (This can take a little while if you're looking at a multi-part story on LJ. I think the most I've ever done was over twenty parts, but I've seen stories that range into the sixties, so it can be a pain.)
Extra tips
-If you want to do any special formatting, now's the time. A good example of this would be if you're making a .mobi, and you prefer indented paragraphs over line breaks (the format this post and most fic posts will use). I'd rather spend my time reading, so as long as nothing's horribly broken, I usually leave it alone.
-If you want to add graphics to your story, this is also the time. The ebook conversion method listed below has a cover addition option, but the only way I've seen covers on my Kindle is if they were in the body of the text.
-If you're making an ebook of your fic to share, I highly recommend leaving the fic header at the top of the story. From personal experience, I have a hard enough time keeping track of which fic is which in my Kindle, so being able to jump to the beginning and check the header saves me a lot of time.
Step two: Save your first file.
If all you want is a .pdf, this is your last step. On the second toolbar is a button that looks like a white page with a red stripe at the bottom, and it reads PDF in white letters. If you hover over it, it should say Export Directly as PDF. Click and save, and you're done. You can see what a .pdf made in OpenOffice looks like by downloading "Interlude" here.
If you want a .mobi or .epub or some other format, go to File > Save As and select HTML Document (OpenOffice Writer) (.html) (*.html), then save it under whatever file name and location you'd like. And move on to the next step.
Extra tips
-If you're saving as a .pdf and you intend to read it on a Kindle - which is how I used to do it - I recommend using Times New Roman 14 as your font. It's big without increasing your page count too much, and I found it easy to read. Obviously, your mileage may vary.
Step three: Import your HTML file into Calibre.
The program I use for ebook conversion is Calibre, which is simple, free, and lacking in DRM protections. (I have version 0.7.47, and there's a version 0.7.54, but I can't imagine it's dramatically different.)
To import the HTML file you just saved, hit Add books at the far left of the screen. (The button, not the arrow, is enough for one file at a time.) Select your file, click okay, and it should be imported.
Step four: Create your ebook file.
Click Convert books, which is the third button from the left. An extra screen should pop up prompting you to make any last-minute tweaks. Most of this isn't necessary, but there are two things you should do:
1. Make sure you hit the drop-down in the far right corner under Output format and select what you want. There's a lot more choices, some of which - .rtf and .txt, amongst others - you can get by using OpenOffice. Since I have a Kindle, I select .mobi.
2. Go to Page Setup and make sure your output profile goes with your ereader. Obviously, I go with Kindle.
And that's it! You've created your ebook! Here's the one I made using "Interlude". (If you don't have a program that reads .mobi, you can download Kindle for PC and give it a look.)
Extra tips
-I recommend filling in the metadata, particularly if you're sharing your fic with others. From my experience, adding an author name will show up in the Kindle menu, and that's really handy for identifying fic without opening it.
-Calibre has a tendency to leave a lot of files on the computer. I like to take the folder containing my ebook (go to the fic listed > right-click and hit Open Containing Folder), copy and paste it in my fanfic folders, and delete the ebook from my Calibre (hit delete or right click > Remove books). It'll put the folder and all the files in it in the Recycle Bin, so you have a chance to change your mind.
-Related to the above point, I also delete my HTML file once I'm done with this step. This is all fast enough that I don't mind redoing it if I screw up at some point.
Questions?
Feel free to ask me for help if something goes wrong! I can't guarantee I'll be much help - most of my knowledge on the subject's in this post - but I might be able to clarify something or try to replicate what's giving you problems.
Edit 1:
vickyblueeyez has a list of ebook-and-fic posts that are very interesting, and through it, I found FanFictionDownloader. I haven't tried it, and all the screencaps are for FF.net, but that's also an option.
Edit 2: Squeebook is also an option if you're not interested in downloading anything.
Edit 3 (9/13/11): I figured out how to include images if you're making a mobi/epub! You keep the images in the folder with your HTML file when you import it into Calibre, and Calibre'll keep it all in place for you. Very nifty.
Also posted on Dreamwidth (
comment[s]). Feel free to comment on either entry.