Formatting a PDF E-Book

How to properly format your font, paragraphs, and white space.

Jan 20, 2007 Kimberly Dawn Wells

There are striking differences between formatting a printed book and a PDF e-book.

With new technology and the ease of which it has become available, more and more people are choosing to publish e-books instead of traditional, printed books. The reasons for this are many. Experts in every field imaginable want to share information without the hassle, expense, or time restraints of a traditionally published book. Writers want to publish stories that are too short for a paperback but too long for the Web, and e-books make it possible for anyone to create their own viral marketing campaign.

Since e-books are much less standardized and regulated than print books, the design, layout, and style of many e-books has turned into a mess. Some are printed in alias fonts and some in anti-alias. Some are printed with itty bitty type that you need a magnifying glass to read, and some have bold letters so large they might possibly be visible from the space station. If you sample a few e-books, you’ll notice a variety of layouts, color schemes, and organizational techniques. Some e-books appear to have no rhyme or reason to their design.

PDF documents are a very versatile tool, and there are some ways to format your e-book that will make it more appealing to readers.

Table of Contents

Not only should you include a table of contents for books that are more than a few pages long, or contain more than one point, you should consider the flow of your topics. Start ‘at the beginning’ and arrange your sections in consecutive order.

Computer-Safe Font

In print, fonts such as Times New Roman and Georgia are easier to read, but on the computer screen, fonts such as Verdana and Arial are much easier to focus on. Stay away from script and dingbat fonts, except as embellishments.

Use your White Space

White space is king for electronic publishing. Write short, narrow paragraphs with a space between them. White space keeps the reader focused and helps the information look easier to digest. For many readers, a solid page of text is too overwhelming.

Use Large, Bold Fonts

You don’t have to crank your fonts up to 72, but a bold font in the 14-18 pixel range can make a world of difference to the cranked neck and squinted eyes of your reader. Additionally, by using a larger font, your reader can reduce the page view in their PDF reader which naturally results in a narrow block of text in a clear font; this is much easier to digest than a face full of tiny type.

Keep it Simple

Reading words from the computer screen takes more time than reading them in print. Avoid using filler and long explanations. Bullet points and short paragraphs can make a bold statement. You don’t have to be verbose to be educational.

With so many e-books available, it is important to make sure yours stands out. If you’re careful to avoid design flaws that will cause your reader undue eye strain or miscomprehension, you will design an effective e-book that is more likely to get the attention it deserves.

***

The copyright of the article Formatting a PDF E-Book in Editing is owned by Kimberly Dawn Wells. Permission to republish Formatting a PDF E-Book in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.