When asked, Lee Child offered this advice for writers, “Writing is a solitary vision.” Taken to the extreme, like solitary confinement or being stranded on a deserted island (both of which I’ve scratched off my bucket list)*, solitude can drive you mad. How should a creative person keep sharp while seeking his vision?
Due to recent events that we don’t need to discuss, I decided to CROSS-TRAIN my brain.
To me, that means learn something new. Not cribbage (whatever that is) but something you can sink your teeth into. My first idea was “learn a language”. But–I suck at languages.
HTML is kinda like a language and can be easy/hard depending on how deep you dive in. CSS (cascading style sheets) adds a layer of depth for extended fun and torture.
So. Why not learn to make my own ebooks?**
I’ve had professionals build these books for me in the past and still believe pros are more cost-effective and produce a higher quality result. But, I did a bit of coding twenty+ years ago and loved/hated the precision and discipline it requires. What better way to spur/slow my descent into madness?
There are many tools to help you code HTML. I own a copy of Adobe Dreamweaver and gave it a try. I also tried Sigil, Scrivener, Calibre, and glanced at a few more. I also have experience with programmer’s tools like J-edit.
I don’t yet have a finished product ready to put on Amazon. But I’ve learned a lot. First of all, there might be more than one way to skin a cat, fifty ways to leave your lover, but there are about six hundred different ways to code CSS. You pick one and move forward.
I was looking for a tool that put both total control and ease-of-use in a single box.
Dreamweaver is the best software for building and analyzing your HTML and CSS files, but my version (CS5) doesn’t have any ebook-specific tools. You can build an incredible website but not an ePub. Odd. If you’re not deep into Photoshop or one of the other requirements for becoming an Adobe addict, I’d not recommend the expense and required Adobe knowledge.
Scrivener looks like a great tool for the writing side of things and I’m told it makes the quickest valid ePub files, but I found the CSS editing and the finished code as abysmal as Microsoft Word.
Calibre does great conversions. Put your book in, fiddle with a bunch of settings, click on convert, you’re done. But like Scrivener, no CSS inspection tools, no coding reports for unused settings or graphics, etc. SO: not a control-freak’s dream tool.
Sigil comes the closest to taking any document and allowing you to create a whole, controlled ebook with clean ePub output. And it’s FREE (a deal clincher for Indie author’s everywhere). But, it’s open source software, so updates are sporadic and support is tribal.
In the end, I’ll probably use Sigil on a regular basis but do my CSS development and serious tweaking on a component level in Dreamweaver.
What is your last step for ebook production?
Peace, Seeley
* Take it easy. I’m a fiction writer. I make stuff up for shock value. I’ve never been stranded.
** Allow me to plug two GREAT resources: Rik Hall, who does excellent work at phenomenally low prices; and The Editorial Department, whose Morgana Gallaway builds bullet-proof, first class ebooks for reasonable prices.
