Many problems can occur when converting your file to an eBook unless you know what you are doing. Just because your book is in PDF format doesn’t mean it can take advantage of the flowing text capabilities of eBook readers. Most eBook readers use different font sizes to the original print edition, and the book text ‘flows’ between pages to provide a comfortable reading experience. Because of this, eBooks do not maintain the page numbers from the original book. In addition, most eBook and Smartphone reader software includes the capability for the user to choose which font and text size they prefer. Moreover, a good eBook conversion makes the contents page into hyperlinks so the user can go to a specific chapter via a single click.   Plus, without your cover artwork and metadata in a suitable format, it is unlikely many readers will find your eBook. We make sure when converting your file to address such common pitfalls that many publishers encounter, so that your eBook will always be perfectly presented. The market can be confusing and rapidly changing; we make sure we are always on top of it.

There are a few things you will have to make sure are completed before sending us your files for conversion. You will need to obtain an ISBN number for each format in which the eBook is published. Typically, eBooks will be published in two formats, ePUB and .Mobi. These two formats account for the largest segment of the market, including Amazon, the iBookstore and most eBook readers (Please see below for a full list). There are over 150 ISBN agencies worldwide that can help you obtain an ISBN number, and it may take between 2-3 weeks for that agency to process it. You will also need to provide other simple metadata such as the title of your book, the author of the book as well as some descriptive text. We will supply you with a spreadsheet and a suggested template for completion. If you have many books for conversion, we can suggest a more heavy-duty solution to managing book information.

Vivlia distributes eBook files to retailers and aggregators in the following converted formats, as appropriate:

• ePUB: Along with .Mobi the most popular format for eBooks, an ePUB file is reflowable and is used in stores by the likes of Google, Apple and Blackberry.
• .Mobi/prc: Similar to ePUB except able to be used on Kindle devices.
• ePDF: An ePDF file is an Encapsulated Portable Document Format file and is better used when converting highly formatted and illustrated titles.
• Fixed layout files: Mainly used to convert books that have an elaborate or highly designed page layout, such as many children’s illustrated books.
• KF8: Amazon’s version of a fixed layout file.

The more complicated the layout the more expensive the conversion becomes. We will always give you a quote for conversion in advance if the layout requires extra processing. Please send us your file for an accurate conversion estimate.