How to convert your word document to EPub format using Calibre

A few things before we begin.

For those of you that don’t know, Calibre, it is and I quote “a free and open source e-book library management application developed by users of e-books for users of e-books”, in other words, this is the software you need to download to covert your word document into Epub file. Here is the link. It is free.

 

You can now convert your word document to ePub format. Epub, short for electronic publication, it’s designed for easy navigation and distribution. This format allows the reader to download the file or book to their device. If you are going to publish your book soon, you could create a an ePub file, for the book or just a few chapters, and have it available at your webpage. This is a very useful tool to promote your work.

I hope the following steps will make the process easier. (PS. read updates below before you start!! :D)

1. Open the word document you want to convert to ePub.

2. Change format style of the book title and all chapter titles to “Heading 1”. Highlight each before choosing the style mentioned.

3. Save your word document into an Html file. Use “Save as” under your Menu file. After the window opens, click the drop down menu and choose “Web Page (*.htm,*.html)

4. Open Calibre and upload your .html document by clicking the “Add books” icon, on the top menu.

5. Click the “Edit metadata” icon, on the top menu. A window will open. Enter the correct title of your book and click on the blue arrow next to it. Fill in all other information required, like Author, Series and tags. After you’re done, click OK.

6. On the main window, on the top menu click the “Convert books” icon. A window will open. Choose the desire output — in this case is ePub — by clicking the pull down menu at the upper right corner. You can later convert the html file to mobi or other useful formats.

7. In the same window, click the “Look & Feel” icon, the menu bar to the left. Click  the “Remove spacing between paragraphs” box.

8. At the menu bar to the left, select “Table of Contents.” Click the wizard icon to the right of the “Level 1 TOC (XPath expression).”  Then, a window opens, click the drop down “Match HTML tags with tag name” and choose “h1.” For more explanation about this step, click here.

9. Now it time to set up your margins. Click the “Page Setup” icon at the menu bar to the left. I changed my margins to – Left & Right: 50 pt.  Top & Bottom: 25 pt. It will give a white margin around the document. Here is mine for your reference.

10.  Hit the “EPUB Output” button, at the left menu. Click on “Preserve the cover aspect ratio,” this step is important, so the cover of your book does not stretch. Hit “OK” at the bottom right.

The conversion will only take a few seconds. You will see your name listed on the main window. Click on it, to open. Review to make sure it looks acceptable. If so, close that window. You are now ready to save it to your folder.

11. Click on the “Save to disk” icon. A window will open, choose a folder or create a new one to save this epub file. (Tip: I shared my epub book by uploading it to MagicScroll. It is a free website and easy to use.)

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Update Note: Through the year people have left great comments regarding instructions. Please read below. They are helpful!

* Please read JL Durfey comment below about MS word. 😀

* Please read Green and Prosperous comment below about margins.