Most formatting errors in a published book are visible in about thirty seconds, if you look at the right place before you publish. A heading that wraps awkwardly, a chapter that starts at the foot of a page, a front-matter page that came out blank, a first paragraph with the wrong indent: all of these show up in a preview. The trouble is that one preview is not enough, because readers use different devices. This guide explains what to look for in an e-reader view, a phone view and a page view, which problems each one reveals, a checklist for a final pass, and how to use the four preview modes in Quillen's export.
The short answer
Look at your book three ways before you publish: as an e-reader page (the Kindle experience), as a phone screen (where most ebooks are now read), and as a printed page spread (for paperback). Page through the front matter, the first chapter, a chapter in the middle and the back matter in each. In Quillen, the export dialog has four preview modes (E-reader, Phone, Book and Standard) that update as you change settings.
Why preview in more than one view
An ebook is not a fixed page. It reflows to fit the reader's screen, font size and margins. A heading that looks fine on a tablet can wrap to three lines on a phone, and a long dedication may spill onto a second screen. A paperback is the opposite: pages are fixed, so you can see exactly how a chapter ends and how much blank space is left. You will catch different problems in each.
What each view shows
| View | Best for checking | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| E-reader | The Kindle-style reading experience | Front matter flow, chapter openings, heading size, scene breaks, drop caps (if used) |
| Phone | The narrowest screen | Heading wrapping, long words or names breaking badly, images that are too big, table fit in nonfiction |
| Book | A two-page printed spread | Facing pages, right-hand start, running heads, page numbers, where a chapter ends |
| Standard | A single printed page | Margins, the layout of one page in detail, running head placement |
A preview routine
Do not try to read the whole book in a preview. Look at specific places, in this order:
- The first screen. What does the reader see first? Title page, then copyright, then the story? Is the order right and the first screen attractive?
- Every front-matter page. Is any blank, empty or oddly spaced? Does the dedication look centred? Is the copyright wording complete?
- The first chapter opening. This is the most important page after the cover. Is the heading style right? Does the first paragraph read well, with no stray indent?
- A chapter in the middle. Check a scene break and a line of dialogue with quotation marks, which are easy to break.
- Special content. Maps, image pages, tables, lists, block quotes, anything unusual.
- The last chapter and the back matter. Does the story end cleanly? Is About the Author present? Are there any leftover blank pages?
Problems previews catch
| You see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| A blank front-matter page | A page is switched on but empty | Fill it in or switch it off |
| Chapter heading wraps to three lines on a phone | Long chapter titles or a large heading style | Shorten titles, or try a smaller heading style |
| A drop cap missing in the e-reader view | The reader ignores drop caps | Accept the fallback, or turn it off |
| First paragraph oddly indented | Inconsistent paragraph styling | Check the text in the editor |
| Image too large or off the page | An image placed in the text | Use an image page, or resize |
| Scene break disappears at a page end | No visible marker | Use a visible scene break |
| A heading stranded at the foot of a page (print) | Heading and text split | Adjust the break in your final Word file |
When a preview is not the real thing
A preview shows you how your own program will render the file. It does not show how every device will. Kindle devices, Apple Books, Kobo and phone apps each have their own rendering quirks, and the retail platform may convert your file again. After the preview, open the actual exported file in a real e-reader app, and then upload it to your retailer's own previewer, which is the last line of defence. For print, KDP's previewer shows the actual margins.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Checking one view only | Misses device-specific problems | Check all three, at least |
| Checking the first page only | Mid-book problems unseen | Look at the opening, middle and end |
| Not checking after changing a setting | A new setting breaks something | Preview again after every change |
| Treating the preview as the final proof | Retail devices differ | Also check the real file in a reader app and the retailer's previewer |
| Ignoring the sample | The first 10 percent sells the book | Read the first chapter as a stranger would |
Do it in Quillen
The Print, eBook & Kindle export dialog has a live preview with four modes. It updates as you change any setting.
- Open the export. Click Export in the header and choose Print, eBook & Kindle.
- Pick a preview mode using the four buttons above the preview: E-reader, Phone, Book and Standard.
- Select a page in the left list to preview it: any front-matter page, a chapter under Body, or a back-matter page. A red "Not included in export" label on the preview means the page is not ticked.
- Page through the book with the arrows below the preview. A counter below the preview shows where you are.
- Change a setting and look again. Chapter heading style, drop cap and running heads in Style & Layout, and the content of each page, update the preview straight away.
- Export and test the real file. Open the EPUB, Word or PDF you export in an e-reader app or Word, because the preview cannot show every device.
Checklist
- First screen, front matter and first chapter checked in the E-reader view.
- Headings and long words checked in the Phone view.
- Spread, running heads and page numbers checked in the Book view.
- A middle chapter, a scene break and any special content checked.
- The real exported file opened in a reader app.
- The retailer's own previewer checked before publishing.
Common questions
Why preview my book in more than one view?
Ebooks reflow to different screens, so a heading that fits on a tablet can wrap on a phone. Print pages are fixed. Each view reveals different problems.
What should I check in a book preview?
The first screen, every front-matter page, the first chapter opening, a middle chapter with a scene break and dialogue, any special content, and the last chapter with the back matter.
What preview modes does Quillen have?
Four: E-reader, Phone, Book (a two-page spread) and Standard (a single page). They update as you change settings.
Is the preview the same as how my book will look on Kindle?
No. The preview shows how Quillen renders the file. Kindle, Apple Books and Kobo each render differently, so also open the real file in a reader app and use the retailer's previewer.
What does 'Not included in export' mean in the preview?
It means that page is not ticked. Tick its checkbox in the left list to include it.