You finished the book. You edited the book. And now you find out there's a whole step between "my manuscript is done" and "my book is on Amazon" called formatting.
Good news: it's the easiest part of the process once you pick the right tool. Here's what it is, what your options cost, and how to choose.
What formatting actually is
Formatting turns your manuscript into files a store can sell:
- An ebook file (usually an .epub). Ebooks are reflowable: the text rearranges itself to fit whatever screen it's on, and readers can change the font size. So you aren't designing pages. You're setting styles: how chapter headings look, how scene breaks look, where the table of contents goes.
- A print file (a PDF), if you want a paperback. Print is fixed: every page is designed for a specific trim size, with margins, headers and page numbers.
A formatting tool does both for you. You bring in your chapters, pick a style, add your front and back matter, and it builds the files.
Your options, side by side
| Tool | Cost | Works on | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vellum | $199.99 for ebooks, $249.99 for ebooks and print, one time | Mac only | Mac users who want the most polished result with the least effort |
| Atticus | $147, one time | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook | Anyone not on a Mac, or anyone who wants writing and formatting in one app |
| Reedsy Studio | Free (optional paid extras) | Any computer, in your browser | A clean, free ebook and print file |
| Draft2Digital's formatter | Free with a free account | Any computer, in your browser | Turning a Word file into ebook and print files fast, for free |
| Kindle Create | Free | Mac and Windows | Only if you'll never sell anywhere but Amazon (see below) |
Prices change, so check each company's own site before you buy: Vellum, Atticus, Reedsy Studio.
Vellum
Vellum is the tool a lot of full-time indie authors swear by, and the results show why. You import a Word file, it splits your chapters automatically, and you pick from a set of book styles with matching chapter headings, scene breaks and drop caps. It handles your table of contents, your front and back matter, and different ebook stores' quirks for you. It works offline, and updates are free.
The catch: it only runs on a Mac, and it's the most expensive option. Vellum Ebooks covers ebooks only; Vellum Press adds print. You can download it and try it before you pay, but you can't use the exported files until you buy.
Atticus
Atticus is the main alternative for people who aren't on a Mac. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook (it works in your browser and can also work offline), and it's both a writing app and a formatter. It has ready-made themes plus a theme builder if you want to design your own look, and it exports .epub, print-ready PDF and Word files. It's a one-time purchase with free updates and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The catch: it's newer than Vellum, so it's had less time to polish, but for most romance books the output is clean and professional.
Reedsy Studio
Reedsy Studio is a free writing and formatting app that runs in your browser. You can write in it or import your manuscript, choose a template, set your trim size, and export a ready-to-upload .epub and a print-ready PDF. The core writing and formatting features are free. Paid tiers add extras like advanced outlining and writing stats, but you don't need them to format a book.
The catch: fewer design choices than the paid tools.
Draft2Digital’s formatter
Draft2Digital is a distributor (it sends your book to stores other than Amazon), but you can use its formatting tool even if you never publish through it. Make a free account, upload your Word file, add your book details, choose a template, and download your ebook and print files. The template you pick applies to both.
The catch: you need your manuscript in decent shape in Word first, and you have less control over the details.
Kindle Create
Kindle Create is Amazon's own free formatting tool. It's simple, and KDP accepts its files directly. But it saves your book in Amazon's own format, and you can't export a standard .epub from it. So the file can't go to Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, an ARC service or your own website. If you ever want to sell anywhere else, start with one of the other tools instead.
How to choose
- On a Mac with the budget? Vellum.
- On Windows or a Chromebook with the budget? Atticus.
- Budget is $0? Reedsy Studio or Draft2Digital. Both are genuinely good enough to publish with.
- Going wide, or using ARC services and direct sales? Anything except Kindle Create.
- Planning paperbacks? Make sure your tool does print (Vellum Press, Atticus, Reedsy Studio and Draft2Digital all do).
Start free if money's tight. When your royalties can cover it, a paid tool pays for itself in saved hours across a whole catalog.
Before you import: clean up your manuscript
Formatting tools work best on a tidy file. Before you import:
- Use real headings for chapters (Word’s or Google Docs’ “Heading” style), not just bold text.
- Delete manual spacing: tabs and spaces used to indent, and extra blank lines used to push text down a page.
- Use one scene-break marker everywhere, like a blank line with * on it. Your tool will turn it into a pretty divider.
- Remove manual page breaks and fake table-of-contents pages. Your tool builds the contents for you.
What every book needs before upload
- Front matter: a title page and a copyright page. Keep the rest short so readers get into chapter one fast.
- Back matter: a link to the next book, your newsletter page, an “Also by” list and a short author note. (More on this in front matter and back matter that sell your next book.)
Check it like a reader
Before you upload, open your .epub in Kindle Previewer, Amazon’s free preview app, and click through it on the phone, tablet and Kindle views. Check:
- every chapter starts where it should
- the table of contents works
- scene breaks show up
- every link in your back matter goes where it should
- nothing looks odd at a large font size
KDP accepts .epub and Word files for ebooks (KDP Help: ebook formats), but a clean .epub from one of these tools gives you the most control over how your book looks.
Go deeper
Chapter 14 of Plot. Publish. Profit. walks through formatting, uploading and launching your first book step by step.
