How to Compile an eBook Free: Top Tools & Step-by-Step

How to Compile an eBook Free: Top Tools & Step-by-StepCreating an eBook without spending money is entirely possible today. Whether you’re a writer, educator, marketer, or hobbyist, free tools can handle every step: writing, formatting, compiling, and exporting to popular eBook formats (EPUB, MOBI, PDF). This guide walks you through the best free tools, how to choose the right pipeline, and a clear step-by-step workflow so you can compile a polished eBook at no cost.

Why compile an eBook yourself?

Compiling your own eBook gives you control over:

• Design and layout — choose fonts, spacing, and chapter breaks.
• Format flexibility — produce EPUB (widely supported), MOBI (Kindle legacy), and PDF (print/readable everywhere).
• Cost savings — free tools eliminate software expenses.
• Learning and future reuse — once you know the process, future books take less time.

Top free tools (what they do best)

• Calibre — eBook management and conversion powerhouse. Best for converting between formats and editing metadata.
• Sigil — WYSIWYG EPUB editor that exposes the underlying HTML/CSS. Best for hands-on EPUB creation and corrections.
• Pandoc — Universal document converter. Best for converting Markdown, Word, or LaTeX into EPUB or PDF via a command line with precise control.
• LibreOffice Writer — Full-featured word processor. Best for writing and exporting to EPUB or DOCX as an intermediate format.
• Google Docs — Cloud-based writing and collaboration. Best for real-time editing and exporting to DOCX/HTML as inputs for converters.
• Reedsy Book Editor — Free online editor tailored for authors, exports clean EPUB and print-ready PDF.
• Pressbooks (Free tier) — Online book formatting tool; the free tier supports basic exports and is easy for non-technical users.
• Calibre’s Editor / EPUBSplit Tools — Useful for final polishing, splitting or merging eBooks, and manipulating cover art.
• Kindle Previewer — Although not a compiler per se, essential for testing MOBI/KF8 output and Kindle compatibility.

Choosing the right workflow

Pick a workflow based on your comfort level and final goals:

• Non-technical, collaborative: Google Docs → Reedsy or LibreOffice → Reedsy/Calibre for conversion → Test in Kindle Previewer.
• Technical, reproducible: Write in Markdown → Pandoc → Sigil/Calibre for EPUB polishing → Kindle Previewer for validation.
• Rich layout or print-ready PDF: LibreOffice Writer or Pressbooks → Export to PDF/EPUB → Calibre for conversions.

Consider:

• Do you need print-ready PDF (exact layout) or reflowable EPUB (adaptive layout)? Reflowable is best for reading apps; fixed layout/PDF is better for image-heavy or design-focused books.
• How much manual formatting are you willing to do? Pandoc + Markdown minimizes formatting complexity but requires learning Markdown.

Step-by-step: From manuscript to free eBook

Below is a general step-by-step pipeline that balances ease and control. I’ll include optional branches for different tools.

1. Prepare your manuscript

   • Write and proofread your content in your preferred editor: Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, or any Markdown editor.
   • Keep a clear structure: title page, copyright, table of contents, chapters, front/back matter.
   • Use consistent heading styles (Heading 1 = chapter titles, Heading 2 = sections) if using a WYSIWYG editor.

2. Clean and format source

   • If using Word/Docs: remove manual line breaks, use paragraph styles, and ensure images are inserted at appropriate sizes.
   • If using Markdown: ensure headers use #, images use , and links are properly formatted.
   • Optimize images: compress to 72–150 DPI for eBooks, use JPEG/PNG, dimensions suited for e-readers (max ~1600–2500 px on longest side depending on target).

3. Generate a table of contents

   • HTML/EPUB needs a navigable TOC. Most export tools auto-generate TOC from headings.
   • Pandoc and Sigil create a navigable EPUB TOC automatically when headings are present.

4. Convert to EPUB

   • Option A (GUI): LibreOffice — File > Export > Export as EPUB. Or Reedsy/Pressbooks export.
   • Option B (Calibre): Add your DOCX/HTML and Convert book → choose EPUB. Use conversion options to tweak CSS and TOC behavior.
   • Option C (Pandoc): Command:

     
     pandoc manuscript.md -o book.epub --toc --metadata title="Book Title" --metadata author="Author Name" 

   • Inspect resulting EPUB in Sigil or Calibre’s viewer.

5. Edit and polish EPUB

   • Open EPUB in Sigil or Calibre’s editor to fix metadata, manifest issues, spacing, or stray HTML/CSS quirks.
   • Add cover: 1600×2560 px is a common high-quality size; include both embedded and manifest references.
   • Validate EPUB with EPUBCheck (Calibre can run it) to ensure store compatibility.

6. Create MOBI/KF8 for Kindle (if needed)

   • Convert via Calibre: EPUB → MOBI/KF8 (or use Kindle Previewer to generate KPF).
   • Or use Kindle Previewer to open EPUB and export as a Kindle-compatible file.
   • Test on Kindle Previewer and, ideally, on real devices.

7. Produce PDF (optional)

   • For fixed-layout or print-like output, export from LibreOffice or use Pandoc with a PDF engine (wkhtmltopdf or LaTeX):

     
     pandoc manuscript.md -o book.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex -V geometry:margin=1in 

   • Review pagination, widows/orphans, and image clarity.

8. Final checks

   • Test navigation, links, images, and fonts across viewers (Calibre, Apple Books, Kindle Previewer, mobile apps).
   • Check metadata: title, author, language, publisher, identifiers.
   • Run spell-check and final proofread on exported formats.

Tips for covers, images, and typography

• Cover: Use bold, legible typography and simple imagery. Export at least 1600×2560 px for good quality across devices.
• Images: Compress but retain quality. Use progressive JPEG for photos; PNG for line art/transparency.
• Fonts: Embed only if licensing allows. For EPUB, avoid embedding too many custom fonts — reflowable readers may substitute.
• Accessibility: Add alt text to images and ensure a logical reading order.

Common problems and fixes

• TOC missing or broken: Ensure heading tags are used consistently; regenerate TOC in the converter or edit the EPUB’s NCX/HTML.
• Strange line breaks in EPUB: Remove manual line breaks in source, use paragraph spacing instead.
• Large file size: Compress images, remove unused assets, and avoid embedding large fonts.
• Kindle formatting issues: Convert to KPF with Kindle Previewer or test different MOBI/KF8 options in Calibre.

Example quick pipelines

• Fast and simple: Google Docs → Reedsy Book Editor export → Calibre minor tweaks → Kindle Previewer test.
• Markdown power user: Markdown → Pandoc → Sigil → Calibre → Kindle Previewer.
• Print-focused: LibreOffice Writer (layout) → Export PDF → Calibre for EPUB conversion → Polishing in Sigil.

Free resources and references

• Calibre official site — eBook conversion and management.
• Sigil — EPUB editor and HTML/CSS access.
• Pandoc documentation — multi-format conversion and options.
• Reedsy Book Editor — browser-based book editor and export.
• Kindle Previewer — test Kindle compatibility and export formats.

If you want, I can:

• Provide a ready Pandoc command tuned to your manuscript (tell me source format and output targets).
• Create a simple CSS snippet for EPUB typography.
• Walk you through converting a specific file you have.