One of the best things we can do with our files is to convert them to another type. This opens a wide range of possibilities.
One of the best conversions is to convert a Microsoft Word file to an Epub file. Epub is a file used for ebooks. These can be used on digital book readers such as Apple Books.
Digital books, or ebooks, have become a revolution. If you convert Word to Epub, you will be able to work wonders.
How to Convert Word to Epub
You can now write your own books, essays, short stories, pamphlets, and many other types of documents on Microsoft Word. You can then convert them to Epub and sell them and gain an audience of avid readers.
If you write in Google Docs – as so many writers do today – we suggest learning how to convert from Google Docs to Word first.
You will need to know how to prepare your word document. And you will also need to know what are the best applications for converting files.
Here is how to prepare your Word documents first:
1. Titles and Table of Contents
As an Epub can have clickable links, the first thing you need to do is change your chapter headings to be in the Header 1 format. If you have any subheadings that you want to be easily accessible, make them in the Heading 2 format.
Then, navigate to your Table of Contents page. Go to the References tab in the Word toolbar. Choose the Table of Contents option and choose a format of your liking – making sure that it is under ‘Automatic Table of Contents’ not ‘Manual Table of Contents.’
2. Spelling and Grammar
This should be obvious but you would be surprised at how many authors and publishers overlook this. If you are going to publish your Epub files online, they will likely be rejected if they are full of spelling and grammar mistakes.
Using Word’s spell check is fine. We would suggest using Grammarly, in addition, to completely check that the grammar is up to par. You may also want to use the Hemingway App to make sure that your writing is clear. While this latter application is optional, you want to produce a quality document after all.
After you have confirmed that the spelling and grammar is accurate you are ready to move onto the formatting.
3. Formatting
There are several formatting rules that should be followed. As mentioned in the previous step, all chapter titles and subheadings should be formatted using a ‘Header’ setting. These titles and subheadings can be bold and can be a larger font size – though we wouldn’t suggest going over 14 pt.
Your text should be font size 12 pt. You should go with a standard and commonly used font – with Times New Roman being the ideal. You want to make sure that the margins are set at default – do not make any changes to them.
You want to make sure all your links are clickable. By default, they will be in blue text to differentiate them from your regular text. We would also recommend making the links in bold so that they can stand out.
Once this is finished you should save your file as a DocX format as well as a PDF. You can then use a software application to preview how the document will look in a digital format. One popular application is Kindle Previewer. While Kindle files are not the same as Epub, they still give you a great impression of how the file will look digitally.
Finally, if you have page numbers on your document – go ahead and remove them. Epub files are usually not intended to have page numbers.
Once the document is to your liking, you can convert it to an Epub file.
Converting to Epub
Once your Word document is prepared, here are the best options to convert it to Epub:
1. OffDrive
We have a free file conversion from PDF to Epub. All you have to do is upload the PDF file of your Word document and within minutes it will be converted to an Epub file!
Next, you can download the Epub file to your computer and are then ready to publish it. Before you do, we recommend running it through a previewer software to see if it is to your liking. If you are a Mac user, for example, you can simply add your Epub file to Apple Books. You can then read through the whole book to see how it will look once it is available for wider distribution.
2. Draft2Digital
The next application to use is from Draft2Digital. This is an online platform for authors who wish to publish their ebooks. Even if you do not wish to publish an ebook, you can still use their conversion tool for free.
The process is straightforward. All you have to do is upload your Word document to the conversion application. Wait a few minutes and then the file will be converted to Epub. You can then download the Epub file – and again, you do not have an obligation to publish anything to Draft2Digital.
3. Reedsy
Another great option to use is Reedsy. This is a publishing platform where you can find professionals to help you with publishing an ebook or digital document. There are also several online collaboration tools and applications on Reedsy.
Among these is an application to create an Epub file. While you cannot upload your Word file to the application, you can copy and paste your text and create your Epub file.
4. Vellum
This is a pricey software application available for Mac users. If you are an independent author and plan on continuously producing ebooks, then this will be a great investment for you.
You can upload your Word documents to the application interface and then it will be converted within a matter of minutes.
Show Off Your Epub
Now that you know how to convert Word to Epub, you are ready to publish your ebooks, documents, stories, and other written content and share it with the world!
Be sure to read more great content on how to make the most out of your software.