Publish your Dream Novel in Smashwords in Ten Easy Steps!

I only just finished publishing an anthology called (WRIPE-6) If an Asteroid Falls in Smashwords and would like to show you how I did it in a very ten easy steps. Keep in mind, number one rule is simplicity!

(courtesy: Smashwords)

STEP-1 Copy-paste your entire story into a notepad

My story was in a Google document. I had to coordinate lots of collaborative editing online when I was putting together that anthology. Whatever is the source document just copy-paste the entire thing into a notepad.

STEP-2 Copy-paste from notepad into a .doc file

Save your notepad story. Re-open it. Highlight the entire story (Ctrl+A) and copy-paste it to a word document in your PC. Save it and close it.

Then right click on the word document and click on 'Properties' in the pop-up menu. You will see 'Type of file' as 'Microsoft Office Word Document (.docx)'

Open the document. Go to top left Windows File button and 'Save As' and select 'Word 97-2003 Document'. Save the document and exit.

Again right click on the word document and click on 'Properties' in the pop-up menu. You will see 'Yype of file' as 'Microsoft Office Word Document (.doc)'

Well done! You have converted your word document to your .doc file!

STEP-3

Turn off all 'Auto correct' options within your word file.

STEP-4 Edit your document using 'Change Styles'

Except for B and I icons, Big 'NO' to the ordinary buttons you use in the Home tab. NEVER use those!

There is a 'Change Styles' button on top right. That' the only thing you should touch.

STEP-5 Modify 'Normal' option

Hover the mouse pointer over 'Normal' option within the 'Styles' box. A down arrow would appear by its side. Click on that and go to 'Modify...'

Under Formatting, Select Times New Roman as font type and '12' as font size. Do not use multiple font sizes. What I recommend is use only 12 for normal text and 14 for all titles including book title.

The reader is going to read your book as an e-book using various app of his liking. He would most probably select his own font size as per his preference. Never waste time in contemplating on font sizes.

Go to bottom left and click on 'Format'. Select 'Paragraph'. Under 'Indents and Spacing' tab go to 'Indentation' section. Click on 'Special:' box and select 'First line'. Click on 'By:' box and adjust the first line indentation to 0.25.

Under 'Spacing' set 'Before' to '0' and 'After' to '10'. Set 'Line Spacing' to 'Single' which should turn the number in 'At:' box to 0. Click OK and leave the dialog boxes.

The entire document will adjust. If you are not okay with the spacing change the spacing a little bit by going back to the dialog box you just left.

STEP-6 Modify 'Heading 2' option

As before, hover the mouse pointer over 'Heading 2' option within the 'Styles' box. A down arrow would appear by its side. Click on that and go to 'Modify...'

Under Formatting, Select Times New Roman as font type and '14' as font size. Font color should be Automatic.

Go to bottom left and click on 'Format'. Select 'Paragraph'. Under 'Indents and Spacing' tab go to 'Indentation' section. Click on 'Special:' box and verify the number is set to 'none'. It should be that way by default.

Under 'Spacing' set 'Before' to '0' and 'After' to '14'. Set 'Line Spacing' to 'Single' which should turn the number in 'At:' box to 0.

Go to 'Line and page breaks' tab and tick the 'page break before' under 'pagination'. This will enable any title you select as 'Heading 2' to start from an entirely new page. Click OK and leave the dialog boxes.

Select all the titles one by one and click 'Heading 2' from the 'Styles' box. Interact only with this 'Styles' box.

STEP-7 Create 'Centered' option

Go to 'Styles' box and click on bottom left icon to create a new style. Rename 'Style1' as 'Centered'.

Under Formatting, Select Times New Roman as font type and '14' as font size. Font color should be Automatic.

Click 'center align' icon.

Under 'Spacing' set 'Before' to '0' and 'After' to '0'. Set 'Line Spacing' to 'Single' which should turn the number in 'At:' box to 0.

Click OK and leave the dialog boxes.

Select all the blocks of texts one by one and click 'Heading 2' from the 'Styles' box. Interact only with this 'Styles' box.

STEP-8 B and I icons

Select all the blocks of texts that needs to be either bold or italics (or both) and apply direct formatting from Home tab. But DO NOT use ANY OTHER direct formatting. Stick only to 'Styles' box on your right.

STEP-9 Compress Images and set them 'In line with Tex'

Go to 'Insert' tab and click 'Picture' and insert your images. Click on each image and go to 'Format' tab and ensure that their 'Position' and 'Text Wrapping' are set to 'in line with text'

Click on each image and go to 'Format' tab and 'compress the images'. Now you are ready! Do not try fancy things. If you do, Smashwords would reject your story.