Total Read Time: 3 minutes
If you have an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad, this post is for you. In previous posts, I have covered how to check your ebook formatting on your Kindle, and how to check your Smashwords ePub formatting on your computer. But what if you want to test drive your ebook on an Apple device?
The more ways you can verify the formatting of your various ebook files, the better. The last thing an indie author wants is complaints from readers about unprofessional-looking formatting. Luckily, Apple makes testing out your ePub file pretty easy.
1. On your computer, launch iTunes and go to the iTunes Store. (If you already have the iBooks app on your device, skip ahead to step 5.)
2. Run a search for ‘ibooks’
3. If you are using an iPhone or iPod Touch, select the version of iBooks listed under iPhone. If you have an iPad, select the iPad version:
4. Download the app to your computer
5. Go to Smashwords and log in to your account
6. Click on the Dashboard link at the top of the page and select one of your ebooks from the list:
7. On the next screen, scroll down to the bottom to the Available Ebook reading formats.
8. Click the Download link beside the ePub format and save it to your computer:
9. In iTunes, select File from the top menu and Add File to Library from the dropdown:
10. Browse for and open your downloaded ePub file. If this is your first time using the iBooks app, you will see a new Books listing added to the left sidebar under Library. Going forward, you can drag and drop any downloaded ePub files to this section instead of using step 9.
11. Connect your Apple device to your computer and allow it to sync.
12. Once the sync is complete, eject and disconnect your device.
13. Turn on your device and select the iBooks app from the menu. Your ebook should now appear on your bookshelf. Select it to read it.
Tip: If this is your first time using the iBooks app, you may need to set up your book syncing options to get your ebook on your device. Here are the steps to follow if your book doesn’t sync the first time:
1. With your device attached to your computer, select it from the Devices section in the left sidebar of iTunes.
2. Once your device is selected, click on Books at the top of the device window:
3. Check the box beside Sync Books and decide whether you want to sync all or selected books.
4. Now click on the Sync button in the lower right corner of the screen. Follow steps 12 and 13.
Once your ebook is on your device, flip through it by tapping the screen (Left=flip back, Right=flip forward). You can tap the middle of the screen to show or hide the menu options. The bulleted list icon in the menu is your table of contents. Be sure to check this and any other links in the body of your ebook, in addition to the overall formatting. You don’t want to send your readers to the wrong place or a dead end.
Enjoy admiring your ebook in Apple form. :) If you have any questions, please let me know.
Great tips as usual!
ReplyDelete@Sophie Li Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this tip. Both of my books that I published to Kobo via SmashWords ended up with strange issues with TOC. This tip might have helped with that...or then again, the Kobo just might not like me! :-)
ReplyDelete@Scott Niven
ReplyDeleteWell if it is Kobo, I wouldn't take it personally. :) I've been waiting for months for them to get my first ebook uploaded to their site, never mind anything I've uploaded since then...