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The complete eBook formatting masterclass

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Based on 58 ratings
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Michelle Campbell-Scott

UPDATES:

December 2020: The latest version of Sigil has been released. You can find it at Github, under Sigil-Ebook, then Sigil, then releases, then version 1.4.3. You don't have to update if you don't want to but new releases often fix niggling problems so if you have had any issues with Sigil it is worth updating.

November 2020: Sigil's latest version is out, 0.9.14. Udemy don't allow external links here, but you can find it at Github. Search for 'Sigil' and look for the releases section, then find 0.9.14.

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UPDATES:

December 2020: The latest version of Sigil has been released. You can find it at Github, under Sigil-Ebook, then Sigil, then releases, then version 1.4.3. You don't have to update if you don't want to but new releases often fix niggling problems so if you have had any issues with Sigil it is worth updating.

November 2020: Sigil's latest version is out, 0.9.14. Udemy don't allow external links here, but you can find it at Github. Search for 'Sigil' and look for the releases section, then find 0.9.14.

April 2020: The software we use in this course - Sigil - has been much improved recently & looks a little different to that seen in the videos. The course is being updated but, in the meantime, please see the April 2020 Update video & downloadable workbook to see the differences in the interface. It looks strange at first but, when you see the old and new versions side-by-side, you can tell there are just a few additions & a lot more color. Send me a message via Udemy if you run into any difficulties.

As a reader, it is irritating. 

As an author, it's the mark of an amateur. Take a look on book sales sites such as Amazon or Kobo and you'll come across reviews complaining about poorly formatted eBooks, with reviewers often noting the lack of a working table of contents. 

Yet it is so easy to do. 

One way is to buy a Mac & expensive formatting software such as Vellum - expensive and tricky to learn. 

Another is to pay for your formatting to be done by someone else. Great if you have the money, but not if you don't.  

Doing it yourself means that you'll be able to update your book when you need to, without having to pay a formatter again. 

In this course I walk you through Sigil, an open-source (i.e. free) program that is available for both Mac and Windows. 

FAQ  

Learning how to format eBooks using Sigil's free software. Sigil is available for both Windows and Mac computers, but the course demonstrates how to download and use it on Windows. For the simple reason that the instructor's Macbook died :(  - or it would be showing both systems.

Video lessons with downloadable documents and the ability to ask specific questions and receive help from the instructor. 

By watching, trying it out for yourself, and asking questions. At the end of the course you will be able to format your own eBook using Sigil and know how to upload it to Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, PublishDrive, etc. 

  1. Video lectures which can be watched online or saved for offline viewing via the Udemy app.

  2. Downloadable stylesheets.

Around an hour. Many authors complain that they spend a long time working out how to format their eBook then get it published and go write another one. A few months later, they try to remember how to format it and have generally forgotten. Not an issue with this course - you have lifetime access and can return to it every time you're ready to publish. 

You'll be able to produce a very professional, beautifully formatted eBook and upload it to online sales sites. You will generally be paid royalties monthly. The more professional your eBook is, the more likely you are to get good reviews and better royalties. 

If you have forgotten how to format it next time you have a book ready to publish, you can come back to this course to go through it again. 

I am here to give you support on your publishing journey. Once you have joined the course you will be able to ask questions and I'll answer those as quickly as possible - generally as soon as I get the notification from Udemy. I also assemble the most frequently asked questions into extra lectures and/or downloadable resources. 

Honestly? I'm guessing that if you're a new author you probably don't have a huge pot of money to chuck at your publishing venture. You're probably wise enough to not want to take a big financial risk. It's a great idea to try self-publishing out before investing too much in it. You want to see if you've chosen a good niche, if there's a strong market for your books, before splashing your hard-earned cash at it. 

You can buy expensive Adobe and other software for formatting eBooks. I don't know why you would but maybe I'm just cheap. If you're using - or want to use - open-source software such as Sigil, I congratulate you. It's a great choice. I've matched the price of this course to appeal to people like you - and me - who don't like being ripped off. 

My other courses are more expensive because they took longer to create and contain more lectures and downloadable resources. This is a short course. It will only take you an hour or so to complete.  I'm not going to charge you hundreds of dollars for something you can complete in an hour. 

Enjoy your publishing journey. It has changed my life - I have a good income from my books. I hope it improves yours and brings you wealth and happiness. 

Michelle :) 

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • At the end of the course you will be able to produce a beautifully formatted, professional-looking ebook that can be live on amazon within 24 hours.
  • Learn how to add a working table of contents to an ebook
  • Learn how to add images, bullets, special characters, the cover, and more.
  • Learn how to add markers and split the book into chapters and sections.
  • Learn how to convert the epub to mobi format ready for uploading to amazon's kindle direct publishing.

Syllabus

Sigil has undergone a huge update & it has freaked a few people out because it looks so different now.

Fear not, I'm doing a complete update of this course over the next month. In the meantime, though, don't worry as most of the features are the same as those shown in the course. The interface just looks different - it's very colorful!

This update video shows where to find the new version & what's different on the interface. Let me know if you have any issues with the new version of Sigil. You don't have to update if you don't want to.


(Please note - I've bowed to popular opinion and changed how I pronounce Sigil, so the original videos still have me pronouncing it Sig-il, rather than Sij-il!)

Read more

How To Create An eBook Using Open Source Software

This isn't a course about how to write a book, it's about how to format it and get it ready to upload as a professional eBook.

The software I'm demonstrating on here is Sigil, which is free and available for both Mac and Windows computers (I'm demonstrating on Windows but it is quite similar to the Mac version).

Sigil creates beautifully-formatted ePubs, which can be read on most eReaders or converted into MOBI for Kindle. I'll show you how to convert to MOBI as well.

The thing that lots of Indie authors get wrong is not creating a working table of contents for their eBook. That really annoys readers and can lead to poor reviews. Yet it is so simple and quick to do - when you know how.

I'd love you to join me for this course. If you do, you will be producing beautifully-formatted eBooks quickly and easily.

THE DOWNLOAD LINK

You can download the latest version of Sigil (free) at:

https://github.com/Sigil-Ebook/Sigil/releases/tag/0.9.9

This has changed recently and you may still see old links leading to the Google Code website, which used to host the Sigil downloads. GitHub is its new home.

An overview of the Sigil dashboard.

PageEdit has been thoughtfully provided by the developers of Sigil so we don't have to learn code - very good of them! It makes working with our manuscripts once they are in Sigil as simple as working in a word processor. It just takes a few steps to download & install it..

It is absolutely essential to clean up your manuscript's HTML before inserting it into Sigil.

This quick lecture explains how & the PDF in the Resources section shows it in workbook format.

You can follow along with the course by downloading the manuscript used in the course. Find it in the Resources section.

If you need to work on your own manuscript urgently, though, that's possible too. Just know that it's helpful to have it all in Styles first - saves some work in Sigil later. The body of the document should be one style (usually Normal in Word) and titles & headings in H1/H2, etc., styles. The course goes on to explain this later but I'm keeping things as simple as possible early on.

Quick text instructions of what to do to clean up a manuscript ready to paste into Sigil.

This is where you will paste your cleaned up HTML into Sigil.

Tell Sigil where you want your chapter breaks by adding split markers. Don't split it into chapters yet, though, there are a few cleaning up jobs to do that are easier when it's still one document instead of several.

How to split your eBook into chapters. This will create a separate HTML document for every section of your book.

Adding your book's metadata is very important. All you need to add is the title, author name, and language, but if you don't you book won't compile.

Bullets are often imported with the HTML from your manuscript but sometimes they get a bit mussed up. It's quick and easy to correct them, though, and this video shows you what's going on behind the scenes in the code.

How to make web and email addresses clickable by the reader.

Adding a working - i.e. clickable - table of contents is a major professional plus point for your book. It will make it stand out from other indies and give a much better reading experience. It could even mean better reviews too!

How to add special characters, such as the copyright symbol.

How to add your cover so it is part of your book. You will also need to add it separately as an upload to whatever platform you will be selling your book on.

How to add images to your eBook.

Stylesheets are the tools that can really set your eBook apart from the rest. Sigil comes with built-in styles but adding your own gives you more flexibility and choice. I have included some sample stylesheets and you can use these to experiment and see what you like for your eBook.

Don't forget that you can ask for my help if you get stuck.

How to run the ePub Validator

This is a fantastic part of Sigil and is the tool that makes us cut out lots of rubbish from our code, leaving us with a really clean document that should be fairly future-proof, as well as being readable on all the different types of eReaders that are currently in use.

How to download the Kindle Previewer

This allows you to see what your book will look like on different Kindles. It's great because it can highlight problems such as colored headings being a little washed out on black & white devices (e.g. Kindle eInk). Then it's easy to go back and change things in Sigil and check again in the Kindle Previewer.

The Kindle Previewer isn't the only way to convert ePubs to MOBI format - the free software Calibre is another - but I really like the Previewer as it quick and easy to use.

Convert the ePub to MOBI format using Kindle Previewer.

There are other tools to convert to MOBI. Some people love Calibre - also free - but I find Kindle Previewer very useful. It's quick, easy to use, and lets you see what your eBook will look like on different Kindles.

How to upload to Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing.

Wrap up of the course.

Course bonuses

A few for now, more later!

The ePub in the Resources tab contains a stylesheet and simple sample text for a book with:

  • Shaded box options - good for quotes
  • A dropped capital
  • A Heading 1 with a border underneath it

Thanks to student Louise for requesting this - she saw it in an existing book and asked how to do it so I played around until I came up with something similar! Will upload some instructions for using this if anyone gets stuck but you may be able to figure it out for yourself by this stage.

If you'd like to get me to see if I can come up with anything to make your book look even better, please let me know.

FAQ will appear here - and in the questions section - as they come up.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Uses Sigil, a free and open-source software, which lowers the barrier to entry for authors on a budget who want to format their own eBooks
Teaches how to format eBooks for multiple platforms, including Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, and PublishDrive, expanding reach to a wider audience
Covers essential formatting elements such as tables of contents, images, and special characters, which are crucial for creating professional-looking eBooks
Includes downloadable stylesheets and sample text, which allows learners to experiment with different styles and customize the look of their eBooks
Requires learners to download and install Sigil and PageEdit, which may require some technical proficiency and familiarity with software installation
Uses Sigil version 0.9.14, released in November 2020, which may not reflect the latest features and updates available in newer versions of the software

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Reviews summary

Mastering ebook formatting with sigil

According to learners, this course is a largely positive resource for self-publishing authors looking to format their eBooks using the free Sigil software. Students praise the clear and concise instructions and find the course effective in achieving a professional-looking result, particularly highlighting the guidance on creating a working table of contents and preparing files for platforms like Amazon KDP. While the core content is well-received, some learners note that the Sigil interface updates can initially cause confusion compared to the videos, though instructor efforts to provide updates are appreciated. The course is seen as great value and a time-saving alternative to figuring out formatting alone.
Questions are answered and updates provided.
"The instructor is very responsive and helpful when I had questions."
"Appreciated the updates the instructor made regarding the new Sigil version."
"It's great knowing the instructor is there to help if you get stuck."
"The FAQ section addresses common issues raised by students."
Ready files for publishing platforms.
"The course covers converting to MOBI and uploading to KDP, which is essential."
"I feel confident submitting my formatted eBook to Amazon and other sites now."
"Knowing how to prepare the final file makes the publishing process smoother."
"It guides you through getting your book ready for major platforms."
Achieve this crucial feature easily.
"Learning how to create a working TOC was worth the price of the course alone!"
"The section on the table of contents was incredibly helpful and easy to implement."
"My readers can now navigate my book properly thanks to the TOC guidance."
"This course made adding a clickable table of contents straightforward."
Learn to use Sigil for professional results.
"I finally understand how to use Sigil effectively to format my book properly."
"The course teaches you how to create professional epub files using free software."
"Sigil is a powerful tool, and this course shows you how to leverage it for formatting."
"My book looks so much better after using the techniques from this course."
Step-by-step guidance is easy to follow.
"The instructions were really clear and I could easily follow along with the videos."
"Very good step by step guide, made formatting my ebook simple and painless."
"Instructor breaks down complex steps into easy-to-understand actions."
"Everything is explained clearly, even for someone new to formatting like me."
Software updates cause some initial confusion.
"The Sigil interface looks different from the videos, which was a bit confusing at first."
"Had some trouble following along because my version of Sigil didn't match the screen."
"It took a moment to orient myself with the newer Sigil layout compared to the course."
"The update video helps, but seeing the exact version in the lectures would be easier."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The complete eBook formatting masterclass with these activities:
Review HTML and CSS Basics
Reinforce your understanding of HTML and CSS fundamentals. This will make it easier to understand how Sigil manipulates the underlying code of your ebook.
Show steps
  • Review basic HTML tags and attributes.
  • Practice creating simple web pages with CSS styling.
  • Familiarize yourself with CSS selectors and properties.
Review: HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites
Gain a deeper understanding of HTML and CSS. This will allow you to customize your ebook formatting beyond Sigil's basic features.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on HTML structure and CSS styling.
  • Experiment with the code examples provided in the book.
Practice eBook Formatting with Sample Text
Solidify your ebook formatting skills. This will help you become more comfortable with Sigil's interface and features.
Show steps
  • Download sample text from Project Gutenberg.
  • Format the text using Sigil, focusing on headings, paragraphs, and lists.
  • Add a table of contents and a cover image.
  • Validate the ePub file and convert it to MOBI format.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a Style Guide for Your eBooks
Develop a consistent style for your ebooks. This will improve the overall reading experience and make your ebooks look more professional.
Show steps
  • Define your preferred font, heading styles, and paragraph formatting.
  • Create a CSS stylesheet with your custom styles.
  • Apply the stylesheet to a sample ebook in Sigil.
  • Refine your style guide based on feedback and personal preferences.
Contribute to Sigil Documentation
Deepen your understanding of Sigil by contributing to its documentation. This will help you learn about the software's inner workings and improve your technical writing skills.
Show steps
  • Identify areas in the Sigil documentation that need improvement.
  • Write clear and concise explanations of Sigil's features.
  • Submit your contributions to the Sigil project.
Review: Vellum User Guide
Compare and contrast Sigil with other ebook formatting tools. This will help you appreciate Sigil's strengths and weaknesses.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the Vellum User Guide to understand its features and workflow.
  • Compare Vellum's features with those of Sigil.
  • Identify situations where Vellum might be a better choice than Sigil, and vice versa.
Format a Complex eBook with Multiple Images and Tables
Challenge yourself by formatting a complex ebook. This will test your skills and help you master Sigil's advanced features.
Show steps
  • Find an ebook with multiple images, tables, and complex formatting.
  • Format the ebook using Sigil, paying attention to image placement, table styling, and heading hierarchy.
  • Validate the ePub file and convert it to MOBI format.
  • Review the formatted ebook on different devices to ensure it looks good everywhere.

Career center

Learners who complete The complete eBook formatting masterclass will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Self Published Author
A self published Author handles all aspects of publishing their work, including formatting and distribution. This course is incredibly valuable for self published authors who want to maintain control over their book's final presentation. Authors can use the skills learned in the course to format their eBooks using Sigil, ensuring a professional look and feel. The course's emphasis on creating a working table of contents and optimizing images is particularly beneficial for enhancing the reader experience and improving reviews plus royalties. The course helps authors prepare their eBooks for upload to platforms like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, saving them money and giving them the flexibility to make updates themselves.
See salaries and explore the career path for Self Published Author
eBook Designer
An eBook Designer creates visually appealing and structurally sound digital books. This course directly addresses the technical skills needed to excel in this role. eBook design involves selecting layouts, formatting text, incorporating images, and ensuring a seamless reading experience across various devices. The ability to create a working table of contents, a skill taught in this course, is crucial for reader navigation and satisfaction. By mastering Sigil, as covered in the course, aspiring eBook Designers can efficiently produce professional eBooks for platforms like Amazon and Kobo, meeting industry standards and client expectations. The course's focus on open source software also makes it accessible for designers on a budget.
See salaries and explore the career path for eBook Designer
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from a remote location. This course may be useful for Virtual Assistants who are tasked with formatting eBooks for their clients. This course can help Virtual Assistants format eBooks using Sigil, add tables of contents, and prepare files for various platforms. The course's focus on creating a professional end product may allow the Virtual Assistant to offer a valuable service to authors and businesses.
See salaries and explore the career path for Virtual Assistant
Digital Publishing Specialist
A Digital Publishing Specialist is responsible for the creation and distribution of digital content, including eBooks. This course provides practical skills directly applicable to the responsibilities of a Digital Publishing Specialist. The course offers the knowledge to format eBooks using Sigil, add images, and create functional tables of contents. The course is particularly helpful for understanding how to prepare eBooks for various platforms, like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. Furthermore, the course's focus on open source software is relevant in a professional context.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Publishing Specialist
Editorial Assistant
An Editorial Assistant supports the editorial team in various tasks, including manuscript preparation and formatting. This course helps build a foundation in eBook formatting, a skill that may be useful for Editorial Assistants who work with digital publications. Learning to use Sigil for creating well formatted eBooks, adding tables of contents, and preparing files for distribution can enhance an assistant's capabilities. Because the course focuses on the core formatting principles and practical application, Editorial Assistants can contribute more effectively to digital publishing workflows.
See salaries and explore the career path for Editorial Assistant
Content Creator
A Content Creator develops written material for websites, blogs, eBooks, and other digital platforms. While content creation primarily focuses on writing, understanding eBook formatting can be a valuable asset. This course helps Content Creators format their own eBooks or collaborate more effectively with designers and publishers. The course's instruction on using Sigil to create tables of contents, add images, and prepare files for Kindle Direct Publishing may be useful to a Content Creator. This knowledge helps Content Creators produce polished and professional eBooks.
See salaries and explore the career path for Content Creator
Instructional Designer
An Instructional Designer creates learning materials, often in digital formats. This course may be helpful for Instructional Designers who need to format eBooks as supplementary resources for their courses. Instructional designers can leverage the skills taught in the course to format eBooks using Sigil, add engaging elements, and ensure compatibility across various devices. The techniques for creating tables of contents and incorporating images, covered in the course, may be helpful for designing accessible and user friendly eBooks.
See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer
Technical Writer
A Technical Writer creates documentation and guides for technical products and processes. This course may be useful if a Technical Writer is involved in creating eBooks as part of their documentation efforts. The course can help with formatting eBooks using Sigil, adding special characters, and converting files for different platforms. The course's focus on creating a polished and professional end product can be particularly helpful for Technical Writers who need to ensure their documentation is clear and accessible.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer
eLearning Developer
An eLearning Developer creates online courses and training materials. This course may be helpful for eLearning Developers who incorporate eBooks into their online learning modules. They could use the skills from this course to format eBooks using Sigil, add interactive elements, and optimize them for various devices. The course's focus on creating a professional eBook can be particularly valuable for enhancing the overall learning experience.
See salaries and explore the career path for eLearning Developer
Digital Marketer
A Digital Marketer promotes products and services through online channels. This course may be useful for digital marketers to create well formatted ebooks for marketing purposes. This course may give digital marketers the skills to format eBooks using Sigil, add images, and prepare files for distribution. A better understanding of formatting can help with producing high quality lead magnets and promotional materials.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketer
Web Content Manager
A Web Content Manager oversees the creation, organization, and maintenance of content on websites. This course can be helpful for Web Content Managers who are involved in publishing eBooks or digital guides on their websites. The skills taught may allow them to format eBooks using Sigil, add tables of contents, and optimize the files for online viewing. The course's emphasis on creating professional looking eBooks may contribute to the overall quality and user experience of the website.
See salaries and explore the career path for Web Content Manager
Archivist
An archivist is responsible for appraising, collecting, organizing, preserving, and providing access to historical records and documents. This course may be helpful for archivists who are tasked with digitizing and formatting historical documents into eBooks for preservation or public access. Learning how to format eBooks using Sigil, add metadata, and ensure compatibility across different platforms, as covered in the course, may allow the archivist to create accessible and well organized digital archives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist
Grant Writer
A Grant Writer prepares proposals to secure funding for various organizations. This course may be useful for Grant Writers who need to submit their proposals in eBook format or create supplementary eBooks as part of their grant applications. The skills taught in the course may contribute to the creation of well formatted and visually appealing documents that can help strengthen their proposals.
See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer
Copywriter
A Copywriter creates persuasive text for advertising and marketing materials. While copywriting focuses on the text itself, understanding eBook formatting principles may be useful for Copywriters who are involved in creating eBooks for marketing purposes. This course may allow Copywriters to better collaborate with designers or to format simple eBooks themselves. The course's focus on creating a professional end product can be valuable for enhancing the overall impact of their copywriting efforts.
See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter
Social Media Manager
A Social Media Manager handles a company's online presence across various social media platforms. While not directly related to social media management, this course may be useful for Social Media Managers who want to create eBooks as lead magnets or bonus content for their followers. The skills taught may help with formatting eBooks using Sigil, adding images, and preparing files for distribution. This knowledge may contribute to creating valuable and engaging content for their audience.
See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in The complete eBook formatting masterclass.
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Vellum popular ebook formatting software for Mac. While this course focuses on Sigil, reviewing the Vellum User Guide can provide insights into different formatting approaches and features. This is more valuable as additional reading to broaden your understanding of ebook formatting principles.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check

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Course image
Rating
4.3 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Empty star
Effort
1 total hour
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Michelle Campbell-Scott
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Uses Sigil, a free and open-source software, which lowers the barrier to entry for authors on a budget who want to format their own eBooks
Teaches how to format eBooks for multiple platforms, including Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, and PublishDrive, expanding reach to a wider audience
Covers essential formatting elements such as tables of contents, images, and special characters, which are crucial for creating professional-looking eBooks
Includes downloadable stylesheets and sample text, which allows learners to experiment with different styles and customize the look of their eBooks
Requires learners to download and install Sigil and PageEdit, which may require some technical proficiency and familiarity with software installation
Uses Sigil version 0.9.14, released in November 2020, which may not reflect the latest features and updates available in newer versions of the software
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