An EPUB is the standard file for an ebook. Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo and most other stores accept it, and Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) takes it for ebook uploads. Making a good one is less about technical wizardry than about knowing what an ebook needs, understanding that the text will reflow on every reader's screen, and checking the result on real devices before you publish. This guide covers what to include, how to set up chapter openings and front matter, how to test, and how to export an EPUB from Quillen.
The short answer
An ebook needs a cover, front matter (title page, copyright, optionally a dedication and contents), clearly marked chapters, and clean text with no manual page breaks or hand-made page numbers. Export it as EPUB, open it on at least two reading apps and a real device, check that the contents links work and the chapters start where they should, then upload it. In Quillen, use Export, then Print, eBook & Kindle, switch on the pages you want, choose a chapter style, pick EPUB e-book, and click Export.
What you need
- A finished, proofread manuscript. Fix typos first; every change means a new export.
- A cover image. KDP asks you to upload it separately, and an uploaded cover can also be embedded in the file.
- Your front matter text: title, author name, copyright wording, and any dedication or epigraph.
- A reading app or device to test on, such as the Kindle app, an e-reader or a phone.
What makes an ebook different from a printed book
A printed page is fixed: the same words fall on the same page for everyone. An ebook is reflowable. The reader chooses the font, the size and the margins, and the text rearranges to fit. That has practical consequences for how you prepare the file.
- No fixed page numbers or running heads. They would be meaningless when the reader can resize the text.
- No manual page breaks or blank lines to push text down the page. They cause odd gaps on other screens.
- Chapter starts should be clear structural breaks, not extra blank lines.
- Decorative layout is limited. Some features, such as large drop caps and chapter-opening images, are not supported the same way on every device. KDP itself notes that the EPUB format does not support all interactive Kindle features, including drop caps.
What to include, in order
Most ebooks follow the same order as a printed book, minus the printing details:
- Cover. In the file, or uploaded separately to the store.
- Title page: title, author, and optionally a publisher line.
- Copyright page. Year, author, rights and, for fiction, the usual notice that the characters and events are invented.
- Dedication (optional).
- Table of contents, with each entry linking to its chapter. Most readers expect a clickable contents page.
- Epigraph (optional).
- The chapters.
- Back matter: About the Author and an "Also by" list are common. A newsletter or website link is useful, but check the store's rules about external links.
Chapter openings and drop caps
Chapter headings in an ebook should be real headings, so that readers' navigation menus and your contents page can find them. Styles such as a large centered title, a spaced-capitals title with a rule, or a left-aligned title over a line are all fine, since they are built from text and not images. A drop cap, the enlarged first letter of a chapter, looks elegant but some e-readers ignore it and show an ordinary letter, so never rely on it for meaning.
Images and maps
Maps and illustrations work in an ebook as long as they are large enough to read on a small screen. Keep file sizes sensible, add a caption, and avoid putting essential text only inside an image, since readers cannot resize it. A full-page map in the front matter is a common and effective use.
Testing before you publish
Never upload an ebook you have not opened on a real device. Reflowable files can look different from one reader to the next. Work through this routine:
- Open the EPUB in at least two reading apps, and on a phone as well as a larger screen if you can.
- Click every contents entry. Each should land on the right chapter.
- Page through the first and last pages of every chapter, looking for stray blank pages, odd spacing and missing breaks.
- Change the font size and the font to see how the text reflows.
- Check the front and back matter are in the right order.
- Use the store's own previewer. KDP recommends validating your file with its Kindle Previewer before upload.
Uploading to KDP
KDP's help pages say it accepts EPUB (2.0 and 3.0), DOCX and its own KPF format for ebook manuscripts. It no longer accepts MOBI files for new uploads, so an EPUB is the standard route. Requirements change, so read the KDP page on supported manuscript formats before you upload. Upload your cover as a separate image, set your title, description and categories, and use KDP's previewer on the uploaded file before you publish.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-made page numbers and headers in the manuscript | They appear in the middle of reflowed text | Remove them; let the ebook have none |
| Blank lines or manual page breaks | Odd gaps on some screens | Use proper chapter breaks and let the file handle layout |
| No clickable contents page | Readers cannot navigate | Include a contents page whose entries link to chapters |
| Relying on a drop cap | Some devices ignore it | Make sure the chapter reads fine without it |
| Only checking on a computer | Phone and e-reader layouts differ | Test on at least two apps and a real device |
| Forgetting the cover | A plain placeholder in listings | Upload your cover separately and embed it in the file if you like |
| Uploading a MOBI file | KDP no longer accepts it for new uploads | Export an EPUB instead |
Do it in Quillen
Quillen has a dedicated export mode for ebooks and print called Print, eBook & Kindle. It lets you switch on the pages you want, choose how chapters open, preview the result, and export Word, PDF or EPUB.
- Open your book, click Export in the top bar, and choose Print, eBook & Kindle. (The other choices are for agents and publishers, and for audiobooks.) The window title confirms the mode.
- Switch on your front matter. On the left, under Front Matter, every page starts switched off. Tick the ones you want: Title Page, Copyright, Other Books, Dedication, Contents, Epigraph and Map. Click a page's name to edit its text on the right; for example, type your dedication, or the quote and its source for an epigraph. A page that is switched on but empty is left out of the export.
- Check the title page. It is built from your book's title, subtitle and author, which you change under Edit Details. You can add an optional publisher line.
- Copyright: Quillen starts from a standard fiction or nonfiction copyright page that you can edit freely, with a Reset to default button.
- Contents: lists your chapters automatically. In an EPUB each entry links to its chapter.
- Open Style & Layout under Body to choose how chapters open: Standard, Classic, Elegant or Modern. Tick Drop cap on the first letter of each chapter if you want one, remembering that some e-readers ignore it. The running heads and page numbers option applies to Word and PDF only; EPUBs reflow, so they have none.
- Add back matter if you want it: About the Author, and a back-of-book Map.
- Preview it. Use the buttons above the preview to switch between E-reader, Phone, Book and Standard views, and the arrows below it to turn pages. Click a chapter in the left list to see how it opens.
- Choose EPUB e-book at the bottom left, then click Export and pick where to save. If your book has an uploaded cover image, Quillen includes it in the EPUB.
- Test the file with the routine above, then upload it.
The Book preview shows the same chapter as an open two-page spread, which is useful when you also plan a print edition. Settings are saved with your book, so you do not need to redo them each time you export.
Checklist
- Manuscript proofread and final.
- Front matter pages switched on and filled in.
- Copyright wording checked.
- Chapter style chosen; drop cap optional.
- Previewed on E-reader and Phone.
- EPUB exported and opened on two apps and a real device.
- Contents links tested; first and last pages of each chapter checked.
- KDP's current format rules read, and the cover uploaded separately.
Common questions
What file format does Kindle Direct Publishing want for ebooks?
KDP's help pages list EPUB (2.0 and 3.0), DOCX and its own KPF format for ebook manuscripts. It no longer accepts MOBI files for new uploads. Check KDP's current supported-formats page before you upload.
Can I export an EPUB from Quillen?
Yes. Choose Export, then Print, eBook & Kindle, pick EPUB e-book at the bottom left and click Export. You can switch on front and back matter, choose a chapter heading style and preview the result first.
Why do some e-readers ignore drop caps?
An ebook reflows to fit each screen, and not every reading app supports large initial letters. Quillen warns that some e-readers show an ordinary letter instead, so make sure the chapter reads well without it.
Does an EPUB have page numbers?
No. EPUBs reflow to the reader's chosen font and size, so there are no fixed pages or running heads. Quillen applies running heads and page numbers to Word and PDF exports only.
Does Quillen include my cover in the EPUB?
If your book has an uploaded cover image, Quillen includes it in the EPUB. KDP also asks you to upload the cover as a separate image when you set up the book.