Formatting Guides
Best Book Formatting Software for Self-Published Authors
A practical guide to popular book formatting tools for self-published authors, including Koberger, Vellum, Atticus, Reedsy Book Editor, Scrivener and Adobe InDesign.
Resources
Formatting and publishing guides for indie authors.
Compare tools, learn formatting workflows, explore publishing decisions, and get more from Koberger.
21 Articles
Formatting Guides
What Is Front Matter?
A practical guide to front matter for self-published authors, including title pages, copyright pages, dedications, epigraphs and tables of contents.
Formatting Guides
What Is Back Matter?
A guide to back matter for indie authors, including author bios, also-by pages, newsletter signups, acknowledgments and reader magnets.
Formatting Guides
Common KDP Formatting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A checklist of common Amazon KDP formatting mistakes, from blank lines and inconsistent headings to missing front matter and messy manuscripts.
Formatting Guides
How to Format a Book for Kindle
A guide to Kindle formatting for self-published authors, including reflowable ebooks, chapter structure, front matter, back matter and previewing.
Formatting Guides
How to Prepare a Word Manuscript for Formatting
A step-by-step guide to preparing a Microsoft Word manuscript for ebook and paperback formatting.
Formatting Guides
How to Format a Paperback for Amazon KDP
A practical guide to paperback formatting for Amazon KDP, including trim size, margins, bleed, front matter, back matter, page numbers and Print PDF review.
Formatting Guides
KDP Trim Sizes Explained
A practical guide to Amazon KDP trim sizes for paperback books, including common sizes, genre expectations, page count, margins and cover design considerations.
Formatting Guides
Bleed vs No Bleed Explained
A clear guide to bleed and no bleed for Amazon KDP paperbacks, including when authors need bleed, when they do not, and how it affects interior and cover files.
Formatting Guides
How to Create an EPUB File
A practical guide to creating an EPUB file for ebook publishing, including manuscript preparation, front matter, back matter, images, validation and previewing.
Formatting Guides
How to Format a Book Series Consistently
A practical guide to formatting a book series consistently, including shared styling, reading order, reusable back matter, and building box set editions.
Formatting Guides
How to Add a Content Warning to Your Book
A practical guide to adding a content warning to your book, including where it belongs in your front matter, what to include, and how to format it.
Publishing Guides
Self-Publishing Checklist: From Finished Manuscript to Published Book
A practical self-publishing checklist for indie authors moving from finished manuscript to editing, formatting, cover design, file review, publication and promotion.
Publishing Guides
How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP
A step-by-step guide to publishing a book on Amazon KDP, from manuscript preparation and formatting to Book Details, upload, previewing, pricing and proof copies.
Behind Koberger
Why I Built Koberger
The story behind Koberger: why an indie author and web developer started building a browser-based book formatting platform.
Behind Koberger
Why I Added the Preset Library to Koberger
How publishing multiple books shaped Koberger's Preset Library and reusable Section Library features for authors managing a growing catalog.
Comparisons
Koberger vs Vellum: Which Book Formatting Tool Is Right for You?
A practical comparison of Koberger and Vellum for indie authors choosing between browser-based and Mac-native book formatting.
Comparisons
Koberger vs Atticus: Which Book Formatting Tool Is Right for You?
A practical comparison of Koberger and Atticus for indie authors choosing between an all-in-one writing platform and a dedicated formatting workflow.
Comparisons
Koberger vs Scrivener: Which Tool Do Authors Need?
A clear comparison of Koberger and Scrivener for authors deciding where writing software ends and publishing production begins.
Comparisons
Koberger vs Reedsy Book Editor: Which Book Formatting Tool Is Right for You?
A practical comparison of Koberger and Reedsy Book Editor for indie authors choosing between a simple free formatter and a dedicated publishing workspace.
Comparisons
Koberger vs Adobe InDesign: Which Book Formatting Tool Is Right for You?
A practical comparison of Koberger and Adobe InDesign for authors choosing between a purpose-built formatting workflow and professional page layout software.