Interesting article about Kindle uploading. Lots of people talking about Kindle now, both pros and cons.

Could you further explain a couple points you brought up?

When you mention replacing curly quotes with straight ones by using the find and replace actions, what do we enter to replace the curlies if only one key on the keyboard shows quote marks originally used. Where do we find the straight up and down ones?

As far as the total manuscript, you're saying to make a copy to upload using only single spacing all the way through, is that right? What about indenting paragraphs?

Thank you for your information. Am glad to find someone who's been through the process.

Mary Deal, author of the novels River Bones, a thriller, The Ka, a paranormal Egyptian fantasy, and The Tropics, a sea adventure

Hi Mary,

To insert straight up-and-down quotation marks, you can either use "insert special character" or whatever command your system uses, or you could copy it from Courier, which is the font this comment box automatically uses. I think they take uploads in Courier; that may solve the problem.
You can indent paragraphs using the "Tab" key.

Of course, since my post, someone pointed out that my ellipses (...) and dashes ( -- ) were being replaced by wacky symbols. I couldn't figure out how to correct those, but someone who knows the computer code was able to help me. I think if you have AutoCorrect turned on and you type three periods, it gets tuned into an ellipsis, but I don't know about those dashes.

Libby Cone, author of War on the Margins: A Novel

Thank you, Libby.

As you learn more about Kindle, will you post here? It doesn't really sound all too complicated, but since you've been through the process, you might notice more kinks. I'd be glad to hear about them. I have too much on my plate right now to get involved in uploading to this program, but I will.

Thanks again.
Mary Deal
http://www.writeanygenre.com
http://www.writeanygenreblog.com

If it uses html, why not just save your Word document as a webpage (.htm or .html)
Yeah, it's a bulky file (Word for WINDOWS after all), but it's quick. Then you can edit it with search replace (if you don't want double space, for instance, replace the P tag with BR)

Personally, I consider Kindle an overpriced, monopolistic evil grab from amazon (who are pretty damned evil)

Mobipocket seems like a better way to go.

So if your PDF file you want to upload on kindle is double spaced you can't use double space on kindle?

Best way to go about doing kindle is to send it to them in word they will format it for their reader from that format. not many e-book publishers will allow you to send it to them in PDF Format.

Keep in mind that the screen on the kindle is small, and they want as many words per page on the screen that they can get thus single space everything. Also remember to have your own copy write and legal statement at the front of your page. You should also include any other works at the front before getting to the story this way your readers can take not of your other works as well.

Troy Veenstra
Veenstra Publishing

The easiest method I found for this is to follow the guidelines at "Smashwords.com." Their formatting is tedious in the beginning, but makes an incredibly clean manuscript.

Smashwords's system accepts .doc files only, so that makes it very easy. I usually format and save as a .doc for them, change the license to reflect a "Kindle Edition" and save (in Word) as a filtered, .html file. That should be a straight HTML file with no Word formatting.

Hope this helps.