The easiest ways to convert Word to ebook

Are you a soon-to-be writer? A proud owner of a well-written story on your PC that you want to post on Amazon? Or just an ebook enthusiast? Then you should probably read these words of wisdom, or should we say these words of conversion? Either way, when it comes to writing and reading, it’s always good to know how to convert Word to ebook.

There are a few ways for you to convert Word to ebook (or any other document file format to ebook), and we did our best to found out the easiest and fastest ones. In case you were wondering, the answer is no, you don’t have to be a Word nor an ebook ninja to do this.

About Word and ebook files

Before we start talking about conversion, let’s go through some basic features of both Word and ebook files. Word files are well-known amongst all students, unemployed, employed, and every living human being across the world. They have plenty of file formats and are custom for different needs.

One of the most popular Word file extension is DOCX and is used for everything from resumes, cover letters, reports, newsletters, flyers, invitations, and many more purposes. This type of file can contain objects, text, rich formatting, images, and different styles. Similar to DOCX is DOCM format, except it can execute macros that allow automated repetitive tasks in Word. File extension that contains settings such as headers, footers, margins, font sizes, and similar pre-formatted document settings, and it’s used for business memos, envelopes, and company letterheads is DOT. There are also other Word’s native formats such as DOC, WBK, DOCM, DOTX, DOTM, and DOCB, but the program supports other existing file formats as well. All the Word and document extensions, in general, have its purpose, and it’s up to you which one is the best for your needs.

Ebook files, on the other hand, have slightly different purposes. Yes, they are used for storing text but in the form of a digital book. Ebooks also have various file extensions for its purposes, from those meant to be used for bestsellers to those who can store comics in its original form. The most popular ones are EPUB and MOBI, both used on Amazon and non-Amazon reading devices. Those secretly in love with a perfect combination of art and text called comics, know everything about CBR, CBZ, CB7, CBT, and CBA. But that’s not all, at least when it comes to ebook extensions. There is one particular file format worth mentioning, although it’s not super compatible with all devices, it has quite useful features. We’re talking about M4B, of course. The best feature this type of file has is the ability to pause playback and resume it later, just like any physical or printed book. Sound cool, right?

Those are just the basics, but now, let’s back to how to convert Word to the ebook part.

How to convert Word to ebook with Amazon tools

Amazon tools are quite useful when it comes to designing and formatting ebooks using Word. The first tool you could use is Kindle Create, the free software for previewing, and editing your book. All you have to do is to download it and install it on your Mac or PC and start working on Word or PDF file. The other one is Kindle Create Add-in for Microsoft Word – free plug-in for Microsoft Word users. It allows you most of the functionality found in the similar independent software, except it’s in Word. Unfortunately, this tool is not available for Mac users.  

The only downside of using Amazon tools is that files created with them are not compatible with other distribution sites. After all, one of the famous products associated with books and Amazon is Kindle. But you can solve this problem by converting files to another ebook file format.

How to convert Word to ebook online

This part of the story is specially created for authors. If you are not one of them, be free to skip this part. Or don’t because it’s always a good idea to learn something new.

Besides free online converters such as our Converter365, different platforms can help you convert Word to ebook. Developers made them mostly for authors who want to distribute their work. One of the popular platforms is Draft2Digital. Just create an account, upload your files, and export them in ebook format. If you need to edit files some more, you can use Calibre as well.

Caliber is a free ebook management software that allows you to edit EPUB files. You can first convert Word to ebook to EPUB to be precise, using one of many online converters, and then start using Calibre. It doesn’t matter if you are Mac or PC user because this tool is compatible with both.

If you are in search of a cloud-based creation platform, look no more, and use Kitaboo. Besides converting Word to ebook, it allows you B2B, B2B2C, and B2C distribution too. So, if you are a new author, this is an awesome opportunity for you.

Another free tool that acknowledges Word files is the Mobipocket ebook creator. It allows you to add content tables, cover photos, as well as modifying the meta-description section by adding author bio, illustration, ebook title, date of publishing, publisher name, and more.

EPUBee Maker is an easy to use and quite effective ebook creator and editor. If you are not a big computer and tools person, this ebook creator is a perfect choice. The quality of the file might not be like with the previously mentioned ones, but it will do the job.

For the professional look of your ebooks, you should use Scribus. It is licensed and a free tool competitive to high-end ebook creators that are usually expensive. However, you might need some time to understand and get used to it.

How to convert Word to ebook on Mac

Similar software to previously mentioned ones, created especially for Mac users, is Vellum. It allows you to design, format, and export ebooks with high quality and even better looks. You can start by uploading Word documents or directly creating files within the software. This tool is free to download, but to export files, you have to pay a one-time fee. It is perfect for authors who want to produce multiple ebooks over months or even years.

Another tool that will give you an answer on how to convert Word to ebook question is Sigil, a free, open-source editor specially designed for EPUB files. It is quite easy to use, but not so easy to download and install. It can be found on Github, and luckily there is a user’s guide that will help you with that. You can’t start with a Word file, but other text files are possible. It means that you’ll have to prepare Word files using TextEdit, for example. When you’re done with TextEdit, upload files to Sigil and start editing your manuscript.

And that’s about it. Sure, there are other ways to convert Word to ebook, but these are our favorite ones. Regardless of which one is your pick, we’re sure about one thing – all of them will do the job.