Support for Indie Authors discussion

I wrote and completed my book using a screenwriting software that has a novel option. It is obviouly in an 8.5 x 11 format. I need some direction in getting the current PDF down to the required 5.5 x 8.5 CreateSpace format. Thanks...

Are you able to download the template provided by Createspace and then transfer your content to the template? I have found that using the Createspace templates is the most seamless way to go.

Pdf retains its original format. You may have to go back to your software and set the page layout to 5.5x8.5. All writing software have options to change the layout.
It seem to me you just used the default A4 page layout.
The current pdf is 8.5x11 layout from your writing software.

Go back to your software and reformat the original book (NOT the pdf version) to any desired layout before you save or convert to pdf.

Missy, I have not tried that. should I paste a Word or PDF version? I have also considered putting everything in MS Publisher... my cover is already set up for 290 pages... just when I thought I was finished and ready to go

Sam, won't that change my page count?

I change the page size in Word and then convert it over to PDF (though, if memory serves, when uploading to CreateSpace, uploading the Word document works better than the PDF... or maybe that's KDP I'm thinking of). Either way, I change the page size before converting.

It will definitely change the page count . You will have more pages because you are now creating smaller pages 5.5x8.5 for 8.5x11 layout. You cannot make the letters smaller to fit the smaller size. The point size will remain the same but smaller page layout

I'm at Courier New 12. Will changing the font size keep my page count? Am I hearing I have to go back to my cover designer to alter the cover, spin and back? Noooooooo

If your cover is already created for 290 pages, just increase the spine on the cover page design to fit the new page count. You will have to print a new cover. Go to the original design and increase the spine to fit the new page count.

You should ideally wait to get the final page count before you make the cover page sing CreateSpace gives you the cover details based on your page count.

Sorry C. Erskine, I mean Since NOT sing

What is the font size for 5.5 x 8.5 books with 33 written lines per page?

My book are 5.5 x 8 and I use 12 points Cambria. That includes provision for page numbers. You have to set the margins. I normally set my margins to 0.5in except the inner margin which I set to 0.7in

C. Erskine wrote: "I'm at Courier New 12. Will changing the font size keep my page count? Am I hearing I have to go back to my cover designer to alter the cover, spin and back? Noooooooo"

Reducing the font front 12 to accommodate many pages will make your book undesirable. The fonts will be too small.
go to your original manuscript and set the layout to the new book format and you will be able to see it adds quite a lot of pages to your book.
Unfortunately the easiest solution is to increase the spine of the book to take the new pages. You will have to pay more to print it.

You try your luck making it a two series book instead.

Thanks all... this really blows...

Sam wrote: "Reducing the font front 12 to accommodate many pages will make your book undesirable. The fonts will be too small. ..."

I use Cambria 11 pt in my print books, and it's more than large enough to easily read. In fact, it compares favorably with most trad publications I've seen, and that is what I modeled my layout on. Spacing matters more than font size, and Cambria spaces nicely between lines to avoid the dense look of other fonts.

Ken wrote: "Sam wrote: "Reducing the font front 12 to accommodate many pages will make your book undesirable. The fonts will be too small. ..."

I use Cambria 11 pt in my print books, and it's more than large ..."

Thanks Ken. The problem is not the fonts but how to accommodate 290 pages of 8.5x11 to 8.5x5.5. This is effectively almost half of the original size based on 8.5 on both and 5.5 being half of 11. Two 8.5x5.5 books portrait = One 8.5x11 book landscape.
C. Erskine can get two volumes of 290 pages out of what he has got now. Reducing the fonts will not help him in this instance.

The thing to remember is that a word processor document is a description of the contents, which is designed to be editable. A PDF is effectively postscript with a wrapper, a description of the page layout. Because of this it's usually a bad idea to edit or change a PDF. It's far better to change the original document and regenerate the PDF from it. For my Createspace books I loaded the template into LibreOffice, copy-pasted the text then hit the PDF button.

It's easier to edit 5.5 X 8.5 pages at normal typefaces (11 or 12).
The lines are 9-12 words wide, like most published books. Page size doesn't matter when converting to HTML; WORD will expand the size to 15" X 15" or somewhere close. So you can keep your source documents at the smaller size. Delete pages numbers for MOBI-based products. Insert page numbers for PDF outputs.

Thanks all. I have begun the tedious process of setting everything up in Word.

Hey guys, I just want everyone to know that I have spent the last two weeks copying and pasting my entire debut novel into Createspace's template... It was a pain, (margins, indents, headers and footers) but it is finally done. Thank you for your feedback and direction.

C. Erskine wrote: "Missy, I have not tried that. should I paste a Word or PDF version? I have also considered putting everything in MS Publisher... my cover is already set up for 290 pages... just when I thought I wa..."
Sorry I missed your question!

You should do everything in Word.. the last step is to save to PDF and upload to createspace.

If you need help reformatting your cover for the correct page count, let me know.

I always use a template I downloaded from CreateSpace to write a new book. I use an 11 or 12 size font. All my books are 5.5 x 8.5. You can find the templates by putting "basic template" in the search field on CreateSpace and then choosing Interior templates. There are all different sizes and you can download the one you want. I write all my books right in the template. Works for me!

Don't use MS Publisher. It has bugs and is very limited as far as editing.

Easiest way to shrink a PDF is to format page sizes in your source document, preferably WORD. Page Layout: 5.5 X 8.5; Margins for paper editions: left/right .7" & top/bottom: .6"
Let WORD convert (Save As) to PDF.
P.S. In WORD Options make sure FIT TO LETTER SIZE PAGES is Unchecked.

I did finally end up using the CreateSpace template... waiting on my proof copy... but I am now having issues trying to figure out how to covert Word to Mobi or some other ebook conversion

Do you mean formatting to upload, let's say, to Amazon? Or do you mean actually create the mobi file?

If you need to make your file ready for Amazon to convert to Kindle, this ebook is the best to explain to you how to do it. It's free and an Amazon product.

https://www.amazon.com/Building-Your-...

Oh and congrats on publishing your print :)

To upload a Word document for Kindle, the easiest way is to save as an .htm file. It converts very nicely, I find.

Thanks G.G. and Dylan... I will give those a try