Crafting Beautiful Books: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Vellum for Authors
Creating a well-designed book is crucial for attracting readers and establishing your credibility as an author. While professional book designers offer expertise, their services can be costly. Vellum provides an accessible and powerful alternative, empowering authors to format their books with professional-quality results, all from the comfort of their own computers. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of using Vellum, from importing your manuscript to generating final ebook and print files.
## What is Vellum?
Vellum is a desktop application (currently available only for macOS) designed specifically for formatting books. It excels in creating visually appealing and professional-looking ebooks and print editions. Its key strengths include:
* **Ease of Use:** Vellum boasts an intuitive interface that makes formatting straightforward, even for users with no prior design experience.
* **Professional-Quality Output:** Vellum’s pre-designed styles and templates ensure your book looks polished and professional.
* **Ebook and Print Formatting:** Vellum handles both ebook (.epub, .mobi) and print (.pdf) formatting, saving you time and effort.
* **Automatic Table of Contents:** Vellum automatically generates a clickable Table of Contents for ebooks and a properly formatted Table of Contents for print.
* **Customization Options:** While user-friendly, Vellum offers ample customization options to tailor your book’s appearance to your vision.
* **Affordable Pricing:** Compared to hiring a professional designer, Vellum offers a cost-effective solution for book formatting.
## Getting Started with Vellum
Before diving into the details, let’s get Vellum installed and set up on your computer.
1. **Download and Install Vellum:** Visit the Vellum website (vellum.pub) and download the application. Vellum offers a free trial that allows you to format a portion of your book. To unlock the ability to generate final ebook and print files, you’ll need to purchase a license.
2. **Install Vellum:** Double-click the downloaded file (.dmg) and follow the on-screen instructions to install Vellum on your Mac.
3. **Launch Vellum:** Once installed, launch Vellum from your Applications folder.
4. **Create a New Book:** When you open Vellum for the first time, you’ll be presented with the option to create a new book. Click on “Create a New Book.”
5. **Import Your Manuscript:** Vellum supports importing manuscripts in various formats, including .docx (Microsoft Word), .txt (Plain Text), and .rtf (Rich Text Format). Choose the format that matches your manuscript file and click “Import.”
## Navigating the Vellum Interface
Vellum’s interface is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. Here’s a breakdown of the key areas:
* **The Navigator:** Located on the left side of the screen, the Navigator displays the structure of your book, including chapters, front matter (title page, copyright page, etc.), and back matter (author bio, acknowledgments, etc.).
* **The Editor:** The main area of the screen where you can view and edit the content of your book.
* **The Preview:** Located on the right side of the screen, the Preview shows you how your book will look in different formats (e-reader, print).
* **The Toolbar:** Located at the top of the screen, the Toolbar provides access to various formatting options, such as adding chapters, styling text, and generating files.
## Structuring Your Book in Vellum
Properly structuring your book is essential for creating a professional-looking and reader-friendly experience. Vellum provides several elements to help you organize your content.
### 1. Front Matter
Front matter includes elements that appear at the beginning of your book. Common front matter elements include:
* **Title Page:** The first page of your book, containing the title, subtitle (if any), author name, and publisher information (if applicable).
* **Adding a Title Page:** Vellum automatically creates a title page. You can edit the title, subtitle, and author name directly in the editor. You can also customize the title page style using the options in the toolbar.
* **Copyright Page:** Contains copyright information, ISBN, publisher details, and other legal notices.
* **Adding a Copyright Page:** Vellum provides a template for the copyright page. You can customize the information to reflect your specific copyright details.
* **Dedication:** A short message dedicating the book to someone.
* **Adding a Dedication:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Dedication.” Type your dedication in the editor.
* **Epigraph:** A quote or short excerpt that sets the tone for the book.
* **Adding an Epigraph:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Epigraph.” Enter your epigraph and its source in the editor.
* **Table of Contents:** Automatically generated by Vellum for ebooks and formatted for print.
* **Vellum handles the creation of the Table of Contents automatically. You don’t need to manually create it.**
* **Foreword/Preface/Introduction:** An introductory section that provides context or background information about the book.
* **Adding a Foreword/Preface/Introduction:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Title the chapter accordingly (e.g., “Foreword”).
### 2. Chapters
Chapters are the core building blocks of your book. Each chapter represents a distinct section of your story or non-fiction work.
* **Adding a Chapter:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Vellum will create a new chapter with a default title.
* **Renaming a Chapter:** Double-click the chapter title in the Navigator to rename it.
* **Importing Chapter Content:** You can copy and paste text from your manuscript into the chapter editor, or you can import individual chapter files (e.g., .docx) using the “Import” option in the File menu.
* **Deleting a Chapter:** Select the chapter in the Navigator and press the Delete key (or right-click and select “Delete”).
### 3. Back Matter
Back matter includes elements that appear at the end of your book. Common back matter elements include:
* **Epilogue:** A concluding section that provides closure to the story.
* **Adding an Epilogue:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Title the chapter “Epilogue.”
* **Afterword:** A concluding section from the author reflecting on the writing process or the book’s themes.
* **Adding an Afterword:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Title the chapter “Afterword.”
* **Acknowledgments:** A section thanking individuals or organizations that helped you during the writing process.
* **Adding Acknowledgments:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Acknowledgments.” Type your acknowledgments in the editor.
* **About the Author:** A brief biography of the author.
* **Adding About the Author:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “About the Author.” Write your bio in the editor. You can also add a headshot image.
* **Appendix:** A supplementary section containing additional information, such as data tables, charts, or glossaries.
* **Adding an Appendix:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Title the chapter “Appendix” and add the necessary content.
* **Bibliography/References:** A list of sources cited in the book.
* **Adding a Bibliography/References:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Title the chapter “Bibliography” or “References” and format your list accordingly.
* **Other Books By:** A list of other books written by the author.
* **Adding Other Books By:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Also By.”
* **Contact Information/Call to Action:** A way for readers to connect with the author or learn more about their work.
* **Adding Contact Information:** Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Chapter.” Title the chapter “Contact” and add your contact information.
## Formatting Your Text in Vellum
Vellum provides a range of formatting options to style your text and create a visually appealing reading experience.
### 1. Basic Text Formatting
* **Font:** Vellum offers a selection of fonts specifically designed for readability. You can choose a font for the body text and a separate font for headings. Select “Edit” then “Preferences” to select your font. The ‘Appearance’ tab will allow you to specify your font selection and a variety of other options.
* **Font Size:** Adjust the font size to ensure readability. Vellum recommends a font size of 11 or 12 points for body text.
* **Line Spacing:** Adjust the line spacing to improve readability. Vellum provides options for single, 1.5, and double line spacing.
* **Paragraph Spacing:** Add spacing between paragraphs to create visual separation. Vellum automatically adds spacing between paragraphs, but you can customize this setting.
* **Indentation:** Indent the first line of each paragraph to indicate a new paragraph. Vellum automatically indents paragraphs, but you can adjust the indentation size.
* **Alignment:** Align text to the left, center, or right. Vellum typically uses left alignment for body text.
* **Bold, Italic, Underline:** Use these styles to emphasize specific words or phrases.
### 2. Headings and Subheadings
Headings and subheadings are essential for organizing your content and making it easy for readers to navigate your book.
* **Heading Styles:** Vellum provides several heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, etc.) that you can use to format your headings. Select the text you want to format as a heading and choose the appropriate heading style from the toolbar (or use keyboard shortcuts: Cmd+1 for Heading 1, Cmd+2 for Heading 2, etc.)
* **Customizing Heading Styles:** You can customize the appearance of heading styles by changing the font, size, color, and other attributes. Go to “Edit” then “Preferences” and select the ‘Appearance’ Tab to select the heading style.
* **Using Subheadings:** Use subheadings to break down your content into smaller, more manageable sections.
### 3. Special Formatting
Vellum offers several special formatting options to enhance your book’s appearance.
* **Block Quotes:** Use block quotes to set off long quotations from the main text. Select the text you want to format as a block quote and click the “Block Quote” button in the toolbar. (or use the keyboard shortcut Cmd+Shift+B).
* **Drop Caps:** Add a drop cap to the beginning of a chapter or section to create a visual flourish. Select the first paragraph and use the ‘Element’ menu to apply a drop cap. You can customize the appearance of the drop cap in the “Edit” then “Preferences” panel.
* **Section Breaks:** Use section breaks to visually separate different sections of your book. Click the “+” button in the Navigator and select “Element” then “Section Break.”
* **Images:** Insert images into your book to illustrate your text or add visual interest. Drag and drop your image directly into the text or use the ‘Insert Image…’ item in the ‘Element’ menu. Vellum offers options for adjusting the size and placement of images.
* **Ornaments:** Vellum provides a selection of ornamental characters that you can use to decorate your book. You can insert ornaments at the beginning or end of chapters, or between sections of text. Use the ‘Insert Ornament…’ option in the ‘Element’ menu.
* **Verse:** Use Verse for poetry or song lyrics. Select the text to be formatted, then use the ‘Element’ menu and select ‘Verse’. This enables special formatting to better show verse and lyrics.
## Using Styles in Vellum
Vellum offers various styles to quickly and consistently format your book. Styles control the overall look and feel of your book, including fonts, headings, and spacing. The ‘Appearance’ tab under the ‘Edit’ then ‘Preferences’ panel allows you to select and customize these styles. Vellum offers the ability to preview the book in different styles, enabling an informed choice to be made.
* **Choosing a Style:** Vellum comes with several pre-designed styles that you can choose from. These styles are categorized by genre and mood.
* **Customizing a Style:** You can customize the pre-designed styles to your liking. You can change the fonts, colors, spacing, and other attributes.
* **Creating Your Own Style:** If you want complete control over the look and feel of your book, you can create your own style from scratch. You can then save this to use as a template for future books.
## Generating Your Book Files
Once you’ve finished formatting your book, you’re ready to generate your ebook and print files.
### 1. Ebook Files (.epub, .mobi)
* **Click the “Generate” button in the toolbar.** Vellum will ask you to specify the file format (ePub for most ebook platforms, and .mobi for Kindle). You can specify both and Vellum will generate both.
* **Choose the platforms you want to support.** Vellum allows you to optimize your ebook for different platforms, such as Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and others. Choose the platforms that you want to target.
* **Specify the output location.** Choose a location on your computer to save the generated ebook files.
* **Click “Generate.”** Vellum will generate the ebook files in the specified format and save them to the specified location.
### 2. Print Files (.pdf)
* **Click the “Generate” button in the toolbar.**
* **Select “Print PDF.”** Vellum will prompt you to select your paper size, margins, and other print settings.
* **Choose the print settings.** Vellum allows you to customize the print settings to match the requirements of your chosen printer. You can specify the paper size, margins, trim size, and other settings.
* **Specify the output location.** Choose a location on your computer to save the generated print PDF file.
* **Click “Generate.”** Vellum will generate the print PDF file and save it to the specified location.
## Tips and Tricks for Using Vellum
Here are some additional tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Vellum:
* **Use Styles Consistently:** Apply styles consistently throughout your book to ensure a uniform look and feel.
* **Preview Your Book Regularly:** Use the Preview feature to check how your book will look on different devices and in different formats.
* **Take Advantage of Vellum’s Templates:** Vellum offers a variety of templates for different genres and book types. Use these templates as a starting point for your own book.
* **Explore the Vellum Documentation:** Vellum has extensive documentation that covers all of its features and functions. Refer to the documentation for detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips.
* **Join the Vellum Community:** Connect with other Vellum users in online forums and communities. Share your tips and tricks, ask questions, and get feedback on your book formatting.
* **Proofread Carefully:** Before generating your final files, proofread your book carefully for any errors in grammar, spelling, or formatting.
* **Consider Using a Beta Reader:** Before publishing your book, consider having a beta reader review your book. A fresh set of eyes can help you identify errors and improve the overall quality of your book.
* **Check your generated files:** Preview the generated files in Kindle Previewer, Apple Books, and Adobe Acrobat Reader to ensure everything is correct.
## Troubleshooting Common Vellum Issues
While Vellum is generally easy to use, you may encounter some issues from time to time. Here are some common issues and how to resolve them:
* **Text Formatting Issues:** If you experience issues with text formatting, such as incorrect font sizes or line spacing, make sure you are using styles consistently and that you haven’t accidentally overridden any style settings.
* **Image Problems:** If images are not displaying correctly, check the image file format, size, and resolution. Vellum supports common image formats such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Ensure that your images are high resolution but not too large, as large images can slow down the ebook loading time.
* **Table of Contents Errors:** If the table of contents is not generating correctly, make sure that your chapter titles are properly formatted using heading styles. Vellum uses heading styles to generate the table of contents.
* **File Generation Errors:** If you encounter errors when generating ebook or print files, check the Vellum documentation for troubleshooting tips. You may also need to contact Vellum support for assistance.
* **Software Crashes:** Sometimes software crashes! It’s a fact of life. Make sure you save your work often. If crashes become frequent, check you have the latest version of Vellum, and consider restarting your computer.
## Conclusion
Vellum is a powerful and user-friendly tool that empowers authors to create professionally formatted books. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can use Vellum to format your ebooks and print editions with confidence. With its intuitive interface, customizable styles, and automatic features, Vellum makes book formatting accessible to authors of all levels. Embrace Vellum and elevate the presentation of your writing, making a lasting impression on your readers.