Since time immemorial, books have been our best friends. In fact, when there were limited options for entertainment, the world of books provided an escape to a fantasy land.
The times have changed, and the format may have changed too, but books remain one of the most-loved possessions for many. The only difference is that now people prefer to read eBooks on gadgets that allow them to read on the go.
Whether you are a publisher or writer, you cannot escape from eBooks. They have become a popular book format, and ignoring them means losing out on significant opportunities.
Similar to printed books, the success of your eBook also depends upon the quality you offer to your readers. An eBook has to have a consistent layout and good readability to click with your audience. You can achieve this by using fixed-layout eBook conversion.
Why Convert Books to eBooks?
Since the world went digital, the way we consume information has changed drastically. This consumer behavior change has compelled publishers to adapt the creation and presentation of books.
eBooks have become popular with the masses because they do not require any physical storage space. They are easier to carry. Moreover, lesser printing means reduced use of paper. It is thus a sustainable practice that helps save the environment.
Why Do You Need Fixed-Layout eBook Conversion?
Converting your print book into an eBook sounds simple, right? You can approach any eBook production company or do it in-house. However, you may want to note that the book’s readability may be compromised in the process.
Readers do not enjoy it when they have to adjust font style, font size, margins, etc. It takes away the joy they get from reading.
Fixed-layout eBook conversion takes care of this for you. Hurix Digital offers additional features like read-aloud, glossary pop-up, search functionality, text highlight, page zoom, and audio/video integration. All of these can drastically enrich the readers’ experience.
Hurix also offers customized services to accommodate the specific requirements of publishers or clients for fixed-layout eBook conversion. We follow IDPF standard guidelines to enable you to upload and distribute your content.
What is the Ideal Page Size for Fixed-Layout eBook Conversion?
As a publisher, you may want to know the best page size when designing books to make fixed-layout eBook conversion easier. Unfortunately, there is no one answer as readers use multiple devices ranging from Kindle to iPads to laptops to read eBooks.
Thus, it is vital to create files that are readable across devices of different sizes and resolutions.
The most important aspects you can consider to give your users the best experience while reading eBooks are the page aspect ratio and the page dimensions.
How to Decide on the Perfect Page Aspect Ratio for Fixed-Layout eBook Conversion?
The former tells you how large the page’s width is compared to the height. The page aspect ratio depends upon the device your readers use and the page spreads.
For instance, iPad screens have a square-shaped design, and an aspect ratio of 4:3 may work the best for them. For other devices, an aspect ratio of 16:9 or 16:10 works better.
For double-page books, it is better to use a square page aspect ratio. This is because readers are more likely to use the landscape mode. A device with a 16:9 ratio screen will require the page setting of 8:9 or 8:10 for a double-page book layout.
What are the Ideal Page Dimensions for Fixed-Layout eBook Conversion?
The page dimension is measured and expressed in pixels instead of the standard units of measurement like inches or cm.
Setting your page to the same size as that of the screen for fixed-layout eBook conversion may not work. The quality may get compromised when the reader zooms in. Instead, producing pages that are bigger than the actual screen size may give you better results.
Amazon recommends making files double the size of the Kindle screen to support two times to provide the zoom facility. So, the page dimensions should be 5120 x 3200 for full-page portrait viewing. It can be 3200 x 5120 for a full-page landscape or 3200 x 2560 for a double-page spread.
Similarly, Apple also has recommendations to give readers the best experience when indulging in eBooks. Apple advises producing content that is at least 1.5 times the size of the screen.
Thus, the page dimension should be at least 3072 x 2304 for a full-page portrait or 2304 x 3072 for a full-page landscape. For a double-page spread, it should be at least 2304 x 1536.
Conclusion
Despite the influx of several media for information, books remain a favorite with the masses. The format may have gone digital, but they have not become redundant.
Providing eBooks is one of the best ways to ensure that your books reach a wider audience base. The information about fixed-layout eBook conversion in this blog can help you ensure that your readers get a first-class experience as they dive into the world of eBooks on their devices.
