Total Read Time: 2 minutes
2 weeks ago, I wrote about how to check your ebook formatting on your Kindle, which is an important step for previewing how your file will actually look on the device when customers buy it. If you are also using Smashwords to publish your ebook for other ereader devices, you will want to check the output files there as well.
Most of the file types available from Smashwords are easy to download and check right on your computer (HTML, PDF, RTF, and Plain Text), but ePub is a bit of a black box. You can test the ePub file online to see if there are any fundamental errors that will cause it to be rejected, but you can’t view the actual text output.
Since the ePub format is used by most major ereaders (Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, Apple devices, etc.) the output file is worth taking a look at. Although Smashwords’ Meatgrinder tool is handy for converting your Word document into all the various ereader formats, the final product isn’t always what you would expect. Some file formats may look just the way you wanted them to, while others for the same book might have issues.
1. Download and install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer (works on Mac and PC):
2. Go to Smashwords and log in to your account
3. Click on the Dashboard link at the top of the page and select one of your ebooks from the list:
4. On the next screen, scroll down to the bottom to the Available Ebook reading formats
5. Click the Download link beside the ePub format and save it to your computer:
6. Launch Adobe Digital Editions on your computer (if not launched already)
7. Click the dropdown arrow beside the word ‘Library’ and select Add Item to Library:
8. Browse for your downloaded ePub file and select it
9. The cover of your book should appear in the main window of Adobe Digital Editions once it has been successfully added to your library. Double-click on it to start reading. Your table of contents will be listed on the left side of the window below a thumbnail image of your cover.
Be sure to check your text alignment, font, and test out any inserted links. You will also want to make sure that all the links in the table of contents work correctly.
If you have any questions or tips for this topic, please let me know. :)