Self-Publishing

Ebook Formatting Answers: Submitting a MOBI File vs. a Word File to Amazon

By |

Why would I want to create a MOBI file using Pressbooks if Amazon allows me to submit a Word file that Kindle will convert for me?

At first, a MOBI file was the only file Amazon would accept to publish in the Kindle ebookstore. Nowadays, you can submit a Word file to the Kindle store, and sometimes that works out fine. The problem is, when Kindle autoconverts your file, it may or may not look good on the other end. Realistically, you’d probably need to do a lot of work to your Word file to make it format properly and look good after the autoconversion process.

What Pressbooks does is make sure your ebook files are formatted and structured properly for all the different platforms and devices, such as the many Kindle readers. Without the proper formatting, you might get problems with your table of contents, your chapter headings and the like.

Also, if you use Kindle’s autoconversion to submit to Amazon, you will also still have to figure out how to get your EPUB if you want to be in the Apple store. And if you want to publish a print version, you will still have to have that designed (whereas Pressbooks generates these files too).

There are lots of different ways to make ebooks. Pressbooks is one. We think it’s the best single-source formatting tool to produce high-quality outputs on MOBI, EPUB and PDF for print. Using it, you can elevate and ensure the professionalism of your book’s appearance.