Are you looking for a solution to create and distribute your own digital books? If you answer YES, then this guide is exactly what you need! Through this article, I will present you the best software to create and distribute your own digital books. All of the solutions were tested and selected based on their popularity, ease of use, price, or other criteria we discover while checking the solutions.
Do you want to create an eBook but not quite sure how? The good news is that you are a click away from accessing valuable information about ebook software free. There are many people today who would rather use technology to get things done as opposed to using their hands. In fact, with technology advancements occurring at a rapid pace, most people are now expecting things to be easily adaptable to their computer systems.
Canva
Every ebook needs a book cover. But hiring a graphic designer or buying pre-made covers can be expensive.
The best free solution is to use Canva to create your ebook cover.
It’s super easy to use and comes with a range of free templates for book covers.
You can read our tutorial on creating a free ebook cover with Canva.
Kindle Create
Before you publish your ebook, you will need to format it perfectly.
The easiest way to do it is to use Kindle Create. You can style your manuscript to make it a pleasure to read on Kindle devices.
It is free software from Amazon KDP, and it is available for PC and Mac.
Sonar
Before you self-publish on Amazon, you have to select two categories and seven search keywords.
A lot of new authors make the mistake of not doing any research and then guessing at filling in the boxes.
You need to research your keyword selections well before you publish your ebook.
The most popular tool for finding keyword data for books on Amazon is Publisher Rocket. But it is not free.
If you want a free alternative to Publisher Rocket, then Sonar will help you find relevant search keywords for your ebook.
I did a lot of searches with Sonar, and I didn’t notice any restrictions. Another good point is that it doesn’t ask for your email address.
Calibre – eBook Management
Calibre is a multi-platform free eBook creator which comes packed with all the necessary and cutting-edge features that can help you to build your personal eBook with ease. It helps an individual convert from an extensive range of file formats to an equally wide range of output formats.
It supports input file formats like, DOCX, PDF, PRC, HTML, EPUB, PML, AZW, CBZ, AZW3, CBC, and many more which can be converted to output document formats like, MOBI, ZIP, DOCX, HTMLZ, AZW3, TXT, PDF and to a host of other formats. It allows you to change edit any of your earlier eBook that has been printed or downloaded by adding author description, illustration, cover images and more.
In order to create an eBook go to the option that says “Add Books” and choose the input file format on your computer. Now add meta-description such as, author bio, illustration etc. or edit option to your digital book. While you can add a customizable cover image to your eBook using the built-in eBook cover creator, you can also add content table, word search, word replacement option and change the look of your eBook.
Now that you have successfully converted your eBook to the desired format, you can save it on your computer or you can transfer it to straight to any of the eBook readers that are connected to your computer. Calibre also helps you download eBooks, edit them and even lets you manage. Since it already has its own independent eBook reading software you do not need to download a separate one.
It offers almost everything under the sun that you need to create your own professional looking eBook. Calibre is compatible with Windows, iOS and Linux.
Mobipocket eBook Creator
If you need an all-round performance for free, Mobipocket is just the right bet for you. It offers an extremely user friendly interface which is easy to comprehend too. The program allows you to either bring in already written matter or create an eBook anew. It acknowledges DOCX, PDF, TXT and HTM as input file formats.
After you have imported all the existing content you can then add content tables, cover photos, meta-description etc. to your eBook. You can also modify the meta-description section by adding author bio, illustration, a title for the eBook, date of publishing, publisher name and more.
To begin your eBook’s conversion process go to the “Build” option placed on the top of the program, click on the button and there you go. Your eBook will be converted to file extensions PRC or PRCX. Your eBook can also be published straightaway from the application or helps administer your online issue. Mobipocket also works as an outstanding editor for your eBook.
Overall it is a fantastic software for creating eBooks with additional offerings like, integrated templates, photo gallery, dictionary, date book, index, quests and more.
MS Word to EPUB Converter
As the name suggests MS Word to EPUB Converter is a tool that helps alter MS Word documents to ePUB for free. It offers an interface that looks clear and is easy to use and comprehend. Once you have finished writing in MS Word, you can then simply convert it to the ePUB extension. You will have quick access to this within minutes of the conversion.
It supports input file formats that is .DOC or .DOCX of MS Word which can be altered to ePUB extension. Since this program only converts from an MS Word file, it offers restricted features. In order to start the conversion process you need to go to the option that says “Add Word File/Files” and choose the desired MS Word file from your computer and then select the preferred destination/folder where you want to save your eBook. Now initiate the process of conversion of the document and get it in the ePUB extension within minutes.
You can keep an eye on the progress bar to see when the conversion is over. You can alter an MS Word file without any restriction even on the demo version; however, it does not allow you to add all the MS Word documents together in the conversion string.
Considering that it is the elemental version of MS Word to EPUB Converter, it does not offer much functionality. It is quite close to the default add-ons of the MS Word which can be downloaded to do something similar to what can be done with the “Save As” option.
Sigil eBook
Helpful for both beginners and experts, Sigil is a great free eBook creator software that will help create your own eBook effortlessly and in no time. It also offers code view along with the regular view and WYSIWYG to fit other skill levels. Sigil boasts of a wide range of useful functionalities like, spell checking, content table creator and book browser.
Using Sigil you can alter file extensions like ePUB and HTML to only ePUB. While it allows you to make use of add-on features like adding visuals, audios or photos in your digital book, you can also modify words with the help of hyperlinks, tables, superscripts, lists, etc.
Sigil is compatible with and can be read on operating systems like, Mac, Android, Windows and iOS.
EPUBee Maker
If you are looking for an extremely simple and an effective eBook creator software, EPUBee Maker could just be the solution for your computer. This program is an add-in for the Microsoft Word which you can see as the “ePUBee Maker” option on your MS Word toolbar post the installation.
Once you have finished writing your eBook on the MS Word you can then convert the document into PDF and ePUB extensions. You need to click on the option on the toolbar “ePUBee Maker” after you have completed the text file and your eBook is ready for print. It will show you Quick Publish, Publish and Save PDF options for publishing. These options can be used for:
- Quick Publish – choosing this option will simply add your documents to the ePUB format without the requirement of adding any additional information to your eBook.
- Publish – choosing this option will ask you to insert a cover photo for your eBook (add eBook cover) and add meta data like author bio, illustration, eBook title, characters and more before you proceed to alter your Word file to ePUB version.
- Save as PDF – choosing this option will allow you to convert your Word file to PDF format.
Scribus
Scribus is an open source eBook creator software that is a powerful tool for desktop publishing. On some occasions, you just need a state-of-the-art designing tool that can transform your otherwise mundane project into a competent one and that’s when Scribus helps you to impart that much needed professional look to your eBook.
This program is licensed as a free tool and is a great and compelling alternative for all the expensive software available out there. It is extremely competitive even to the high-end and pricey eBook creator tools online. However, Scribus is a program that is not easy to comprehend at one go hence, you need to understand it first and get used to it which takes some time.
Once you get a hold of its concepts you will then be able to create brilliant designs for your tabloid or news daily. It is constituted of the free Q equipment with its original editions available operating systems like, OS-X, Windows, Mac, Unix/Linux based, Haiku and others.
Scribus also helps you to build advanced files that are fit for professional publishing or you can simply save them in PDF versions for online distribution. You can also make animated versions of PDF files as well as interactive versions.
Conclusion:
Free ebook creator software is the best choice for publishing ebooks for free. It is an ideal tool for people who need to make a large number of eBooks. Installing this software on your system will enable you to create, edit and publish your own books.