The Best Book Formatting Software 📚 How to Format a Book

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Get started and learn how to easily format your book with Adobe InDesign: bit.ly/formattingcourse

[@AphroditeLee]

Can you do a tutorial on how to format a Reverse/Flip/Tete-Beche style book PLEASE! I am losing my mind trying to sort it all out.

[@philinelehmann3654]

Thanks for posting this video. I'm just getting started on my KDP journey and always had a love/hate relationship with WORD from the time I was a student writing papers. Formatting was always an adventure. I had a draft of my first book written in WORD, but bought Atticus and uploaded it and LOVE IT! I'm still learning and playing around until I get the book to look the way I want it to, but this is just an amazing program!

[@savvychipmunk2228]

They have a 2024 interface version just out February and are assuming lots of great updates soon. But can you put multiple images ? like several on a page or a couple images per chapter, where you choose with text beside it a different size ? I saw a caption option but it's italicized.

[@westmaatita8822]

Every publication that I worked for used Adobe InDesign. From coupons, newspapers to magazine and books. It's the industry standard. And it's the simplest Adobe program to learn. I can't believe folks actually try to lay out a book in Microsoft Word

[@natalieerickson5519]

Thank you for your opinion on this, honestly - I was going mad trying to finish my book in Word. Prayers you and yours are blessed.

[@rocksreviewsreactions337]

Word was working super well for us, we got it formatted and looking nice, until we got to the full page pictures. Word really can't do full page pictures because it keeps wrapping the words around it so you gotta fiddle with it but it only turned out messy. Now we are having a bit difficult time trying to format our book from Word to InDesign. If anyone knows how to get insert full images into Word without problems, we'd be happy to hear the advice.

[@droidfan]

I just bought the course and will try to apply it to Affinity Publisher (I am interested in the principles - the tools I know can be translated). It seems the author is in partnership with Adobe (not a critique at all, kudos for it!) which is why I don't think an AP course would be viable in the near future. The thing is that Adobe is actually not as affordable for people literally starting with writing/designing books (I am more inclined to the design part). Affinity is not paying me btw haha but it's just 1 payment of $55 to anyone interested, and their suit of programs are giving Adobe a run for their money. Thanks to Ms. Lynn for all the info she kindly provides. We'll see how it goes for me now :)

[@julesm9551]

There's a good chance Affinity Publisher will be 50% off around Black Friday. It usually is.

[@droidfan]

@@julesm9551 huge sell like 2 months ago. Got their v2 versions of everything including iOS apps for $99 Now that was a bargain! Translating the course from ID to AP is just roo much work. Guess I'll have to look somewhere else for the info :(

[@gnostie]

Affinity Publisher wouldn't exist if it weren't for InDesign whose setup and a number of commonly used features were taken and released with a smaller price tag. Fine, but when it comes to innovations and excellence, Adobe is ahead and most likely will always be, unless a visionary designer appears in one of the smaller companies. And even then, such a person is likely to eventually gravitate to a place like Adobe.

[@discovermico]

@@droidfanMay I ask why you were thinking of switching from ID to AP?

[@droidfan]

@@discovermico Strictly for the price difference. I have some design experience and books designs and layout is something I always wanted to try out. I can't justify ID's pricing for something that is less than a hobby. 30 days trials don't work for me either. Again, It's a hobby, I don't want to stress about it because the 30 days are ending (I guess it would defeat its purpose?) So, at least for me, AP is the way to go.

[@jeanpolhamus4516]

I have memoirs and varia running to multiple volumes and upwards of half-a-million words, which have been hanging fire for at least ten years. I have until now been stumped by Word and how to format for private publication. Your course and recommended softward sound like just the tools I need to get them into hard-copy for my family and for the general record. I'll be taking your course!

[@martybauer1701]

Thank you very much for these explanations! So far, the price of InDesign had deterred us a bit. But now I see the difficulties with Word. Thus, we will probably subscribe to the software.

[@dawnkravagna3200]

I recently took a class on InDesign. It's become my favorite program. Very versatile to create all sorts of documents. Created my book cover and was super easy to change the background colors and text to decide which I liked the best.

[@oneeyewitch]

This couldnt have come at a better time. You are doing my cover (Tarot witch book 1. havent made the name of the book public yet) Going to enroll in this course

[@warrior4everandnow]

I am glad I came across this video. I have been searching for a book writing program I could use to add images but I could not find any. I have tried using Atticus; it is not designed to add multiple images.

[@savvychipmunk2228]

Please ! describe how "Atticus is not designed to add multiple images" ?? the website instructions doesn't act like there are any limitations - my example what if you want a couple of images per chapter or several on one page ?

[@authorashleynicole]

For those purchasing the course now, if you ever do any updates to the course do we get those or will we have to repurchase? Either way, I'm super excited for this course! I've been formating my own books in Word, but I do have InDesign (just no clue how to use it 😅)

[@MandiLynnWrites]

You get lifetime access to the course :)

[@authorashleynicole]

@@MandiLynnWrites awesome! Thank you so much! 💖

[@user-hq2gg3pq9z]

Hi Mandi, Thank you for the video. I want to create a poetry book. Having the ability to play with the look/effects/shape/sizing of imported images on the pages to accompany the text is important to me. Is Adobe In Design good for this sort of creativity? Some of the other software is very limited in this regard. Word is actually so much better for messing around with images, but I know from experience that your comments are spot on about how frustrating it is to format multiple pages in Word.

[@dr.sandramarstondscptfaaom3993]

Does your course teach how to put the cover design on there/ like complete project? In other words can it go From yout program right to Amazon or Ingram and be print ready? Or are other programs and systems needed

[@rinleeds]

I've bought your course. It looks very good. I havent completed it yet, but can you do tables in Adobe Indesign? I'm writing several medical textbooks for doctors, and need to do images and tables. Is that do-able? Is it just the one table design or does it give options to make them more creative or pleasing to the eye?

[@a.k.manning1600]

Have you done the layout for a textbook? It seems like it would be far more complicated than a novel, for example.

[@ElliotScottDating]

This is going to sound stupid but I am wanting to get your formatting course. It's for people like me who write the book in Microsoft Word and then format it in Adobe Indesign correct? Also, how do I go about fitting the cover and all that for my book? Or does it explain it all in the course?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Yes! The course teaches you have to take your manuscript from Word and bring it into InDesign. The course only covers the interior formatting process though, not the cover formatting process.

[@LetuliTui]

Aloha Mandi, I finished writing and formatting my book in Word and after watching your video… now I’m at a roadblock. Which is the best way to move forward since can publishing this book and next move to Adobe InDesign etc.

[@nvsilverlady]

so glad I found your tutorials so inspiring.

[@barbecuekat]

I found the course on your site. Thanks.

[@samdieter3961]

Will the course show us how to format book covers, spine, and back cover or is it just going to show us how to format the word novel part?

[@ChelSierra_Remly]

What's wrong with using Microsoft Publisher or Scribus?

[@toungewithgills1]

Would you recommend Affinity Software Suite? What about Atticus? What is the best Software Suite is best for book formatting and cover design?

[@rinleeds]

One other question. Why do books always indent the first sentence of each paragraph in a book? Is it something from old printing days in order to delineate between paragraphs (which represented new themes) - and space was at a premium - so then indented rather than spaced out paragraphs. But why do we still do it considering spacing is no longer an issue and paragraphs are now spaced out in books - so why the contineud need for indenting? Thanks x

[@anbcchurch]

God bless you Mandi

[@better2gether_mc]

Hi, I'm interested in taking your course. your course is affordable however there seems to be a difference in price quoted. In the video, at 7:09 you mention that your course cost $55 but when I clicked on the link in the description below and on the site it says $65. Is there a new link to the price for $55?

[@ayeshaabdulghaffar7308]

I want to sign up for the course but I first want to know if you will cover things like how to anchor images or background images? I understand this is a course about novels but I want to add a map and some background images to certain sections.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I do! There’s a lesson on adding images

[@reemasingh7374]

Hey Mandi I went to purchase your formatting course but the only way to buy the course is by Cards there no option to pay via PayPal. The problem with cards are you've to have the card with international payments allowed which takes a lot of time to get permissions from banks. Please add PayPal as a way to buy the course I'm very much interested in byy the formatting course.

[@nettie0376]

I'm so excited about this course! I do have a question...is this book formatting only for print books? Or do we follow the same steps for ebooks that have graphics for chapter headers?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

The course covers both ebook and print book formatting. There's an entire module on print formatting, and then another module on ebook formatting. You can view the entire class curriculum here: bit.ly/formattingcourse

[@nettie0376]

Ahhh I see it now! I totally missed the ebook portion somehow. Thank you so much! I have already purchased the course. I'm able to get to the courses on my mobile, but on my desktop it gives me a risk warning and recommends to not continue

[@dawnkravagna3200]

Hi. Looked at the course. But Draft2Digital doesn't take pdfs for upload. Do you explain other outputs, also? Thank you.

[@AtticusShaner83]

I just finished my first rough draft. A 93k fiction novel. It is written in Google Doc. Can I upload a Google Doc into Adobe End Design?

[@thespecialguy]

Nice sharing Ms. Interesting topic. Wanna work with you..👍

[@heatherkirchhoffwritesya]

Can't wait to get the course! 😍

[@okayboomernyc]

I am quite confused - doesn't draft to digital format your manuscript when you upload it or do you need to upload an Indesign format to draft to digital?

[@mebavalentine8230]

I'm trying to reach you...I just bought your course and am excited to start, however, I'm not getting access. I've emailed you but maybe you don't catch your emails often. Plus I've reached out to teachable. Can you please help?

[@ghanacryptogurl3574]

I tried typing on word for my books. In researching it says the line spacing should be two but in doing so I’m able to fit about 150 words in word and now my portrait mode looks like landscape

[@bunbacheso]

Hi! Can you talk about what you used to make the Book Launch Planner in terms of software and printing? Did you use InDesign for that? And did you have it printed by a print-on-demand service?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I used Adobe InDesign to design the pages of The Book Launch Planner Series. I currently use KDP to print the series, but the original planner was printed using a different company that required me to print in bulk and ship the orders myself.

[@bunbacheso]

@@MandiLynnWrites Thank you! This is very helpful. So now that you use KDP, are the books no longer spiral bound?

[@rinleeds]

As an experienced formatter, which do u think is better. Adobe Indesign or Atticus or Kotobee? I am planning to write a number of non-fiction medical books. Can you advise? Which one is good for inserting pictures, and in particular does any of them offer inserting tables with a variety of professional table designs? Which one can help "liven up" my book? Thanks. PS My books will be physical, not e-books.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Adobe InDesign will give you the most options and customizability. The other softwares are very beginner friendly, but can limit what you're able to do.

[@savvychipmunk2228]

Mandi, thank you but the affiliate link does not seem to work outside the States. Can you confirm ? Also, I can't find any youtubes showing the specific advantages of InDesign over Atticus. I only see generalizations.Not sure if anyone who reads this may know of any lists or videos, but thanks if....

[@treasad1494]

Do you teach Fore-edge printing set up?

[@lorettawarner]

Thank you so much, Mandi. My questions: #1- I have an old Adobe InDesign CS4 version, if I take your course, will this old version be okay? #2 - may I please have a converrsation about hiring you to do the formatting for me. ~Loretta

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I'm not familiar with that version of InDesign. It's possible, but I do all the lessons using the Creative Cloud version of the software that gets updated monthly. As far as getting hired for formatting, I'm not currently taking any new clients as I prepare for maternity leave.

[@melodythompson7755]

Can I use this at the library ?

[@campdav2000]

I want to do the course but I sign into my adobo acct and go to indesign and it bounces me back to express. Like to get the adobe part done solid then I'm going to buy the course. Hope you can help

[@louie115]

what about using ms publisher or scribus?

[@pam.h4007]

I looked at the course and it might be what I need, but what if I have a problem or question? The website has no way to contact you,…..

[@melodythompson7755]

Can I format this in the library

[@fkustaa]

You noted that it costs about $20 to subscribe to Adobe InDesign for e-book formatting and that one can subscribe whenever one wants to use the templates for book formatting using that software. Please explain how that can be done because most organizations here on the Internet refer to the monthly subscription fee, but then often they want to charge one’s credit card for the whole year in advance. I look forward to hearing from you.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

You can sign up for their monthly plan or yearly plan. The yearly plan you save a little more, but you can choose to pay month by month for InDesign.

[@Rebecca-qg8pb]

Can I use affinity publisher? I don't like monthly or annual payment just one time pay

[@thewoodsphotography]

Sounds like an amazing course!

[@cjones3995]

I have a children's book manuscript and illustrations complete - I would like to hire you to format it.

[@DrPardeshiMD]

I have two volumes of an acupuncture book already in print and an ebook. I have edited it and want to reload it at Amazon. Can you format it for uploading on Amazon me?

[@sphchurch]

I write pamplets in 4 X 6 size, facing pages. I want to create booklets to self print on my HP ColorLaser Jet printer. I try and do this in Affinity Publisher I used to use Indesign but when they went subcription I had to find a cheaper alternative. When I try to get the booklet to create I get a print workflow error. Any ideas there. I also want to learn how to setup ebooks. Any help appreciated. This is for my congregation use not trying to make my first Million, Hi.

[@RememberingMichaelJackson]

Thanks ❤

[@lynnebalzer6689]

Mandi Lynn, could you please tell me if Adobe In Design works with Libre Office (Linux) as well as Microsoft Word? I can't invest in your course unless I know the answer to that question. How can I email you?

[@jeffreybuzard9103]

In book formatting, does the Adobe InDesign allow for the insertion of Photos and the ability to write in captions?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Yes! It's something I'm doing right now for a memoir I'm formatting for a client

[@dangkoen]

Hi Can you add space between your paragraphs wether you made the story in Atticus or uploaded it? What does Atticus do in terms of publishing?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I don't use Atticus in this video, I use Adobe InDesign. But Adobe InDesign does let you control spacing.

[@dangkoen]

@@MandiLynnWrites Yeah, should have paid more attention, the video just popped up in my Atticus search. Thanks anyway for the reply.

[@phoenixfire9062]

the link to your course doesn't work :(

[@funny11744]

What version of InDesign is included ? Do I have to pay InDesign online software licence monthly or it is one payment ?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

InDesign isn't included in the course price. You'd have to pay and download the software through Adobe

[@meenabhatti6264]

I am interested in this course but would like to know how long is the course. And is it for me to keep.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

The videos add up to be about an hour and you have lifetime access to the course.

[@josieann4390]

💜💜

[@u_t_d_s_h-1_a]

Pageplus x6 works for me.

[@MichaelDFortner]

I prefer MS Publisher. I own 2013, so there is no more paying! Yeah. I used Affinity for a while but I have gone back to MS, Affinity was too buggy.

[@andreaagostinucci]

It's not letting me purchase the course. I keep getting the "something went wrong" error.

[@theboilershop1728]

Hey Mandi, I am interested in your in design course. I want to write instructional workbooks. Can you tell me, is there an option for inDesign to export the finished work as an editable pdf?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Yes, this is something you can do in Adobe InDesign. It's not something I cover in the course since the course focuses on novel formatting, but it's something that you can learn to do with Adobe InDesign!

[@destresswithyoga]

Awesome!

[@AbbySmithVSVEVG]

Maybe a silly question. But, if I take this course and use this software will I be able to easily upload it to Amazon KDP?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Yes! :) it teaches you how to make your book print ready for all print on demand companies, including KDP.

[@AbbySmithVSVEVG]

@@MandiLynnWrites great! Thank you for responding. Also, I'm thinking about buying your book formatting course. My first book is a cookbook. I assume it will apply to that type of formatting?

[@kimbernicole5025]

Can you write the book in Adobe indesign? Also once done can it be submitted to kdp

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I write my books in Word. I then import the Word document into Adobe InDesign. That entire process and how I do that is explained in detail in the course :)

[@halexp]

hands down, photshop pagewise

[@mikeshank177]

Hello Mandi Lynn, I am writing a weight loss book and It has several charts and graphs. My problem is on the popular formatting software like Vellum and Atticus, these do not translate over. The graphs disappear and the charts only come out as a jumble of worlds. Will Adobe be able to fix this problem/do you address this in the course? Thanks Mike

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Yes, you can add in whatever you want in Adobe, including graphs and charts

[@mikeshank177]

@@MandiLynnWrites Thank you.

[@Fratstafstsf]

Is Adobe InDesign available for chromebook?

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Yes

[@studentoftheword6115]

When I use the link on your course it says that there is a potential if I continue to have hackers find my passwords. Can you look into that please.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I looked and didn't find any issues. That may be the browser that's the problem, rather than the webpage.

[@torgervedeler6949]

I like Adobe software, but I don’t like the subscription system. I suppose this is personal, since I prefer to pay once and then not have to do it again. I also like not having to depend on an internet connection to operate software. Does Adobe Indesign let you work free of an internet connection? Yeah, I’m old. I’m still sorry they stopped using cuneiform tablets….

[@MandiLynnWrites]

They work off the internet. You just need internet when you want to do software updates

[@markcarey5673]

A question first. How good is InDesign at eliminating widows and orphans and standardizing vertical text alignment from page to page? It seems to me that these are two of the most important things that a publishing / book design program should be able to do perfectly.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

That’s something that has to be done manually

[@Handlebrake2]

What is the best free software?

[@samirbenabdallah9462]

Peace be upon you

[@brandonnikki4]

Is this course still available for $55? I went to your site and it says it is $65. Just checking.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I’ve added new content to the course so the price has gone up

[@brandonnikki4]

@@MandiLynnWrites Thank you for the response. I am so glad I bought your lesson. I can't tell you how much I needed this! It was a bit fast paced but that's what the pause button is for, right!? LOL! Though, I did run into an issue when trying to view the EPUB in Kindle Viewer. It says, "Kindle Previewer could not preview this book due to a conversion failure. Please refer to the Conversion Log for more details." Ideas? I made sure I was logged out of my novel in Microsoft and InDesign and I save my cover image as a GIF. I followed your directions to the T a few times just to make sure.

[@ScottOwens28]

Do you write your book on InDesign or write in Word then import or copy/paste to InDesign? TIA.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

I write the book in Word and then import it into InDesign. It's actually a pretty seamless process!

[@ScottOwens28]

@@MandiLynnWrites Outstanding, thanks. I'll be taking your Formatting Course soon.

[@trey4285]

Recommending a software she’s affiliated with. I’m sure there’s no bias here 😂

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Lol it’s a software I use everyday

[@MsShabriaGxo]

❤️👍🏾

[@tlotlosenai7304]

I'm just going to say it, Mandi is beautiful

[@tapiwamatsika4063]

You are so sweet 😘

[@justinsanegaming9724]

Adobe indesign is extremely expensive

[@markgutierrez9295]

Wow Inflation. The course went from $55 to $65 in just a year.

[@fouchedesigns2357]

I find that you must enjoy listening to yourself. You had not ever, start to the point for your true lesson introductions. You waste far too much time, you need to get directly too the point of your introduction.

[@MandiLynnWrites]

Lol well aren't you just the sweetest?

[@ChrisWRR]

Looks like someone needs to format their manners.

[@pam.h4007]

Hi, i have been working on a book about my family history. It is image-heavy with footnotes on many pages and endnotes with every chapter. The is a preface with pages numbered with Roman Numerals and the remainder of the book is numbered starting with 1. All of these components have given me problems. In fact, no matter whaI do, Word wont let me insert a running header and the main section of the gook starts at 2 instead of 1. I know I have taxed MSWord to its limits. Are these all issues that can be resolved using In Design?