Which tools are you using to create PDFs that you sell?
I want to know everything. Which tools, which processes, is there any automation, gimme all.
Course creators, ebook writers, PDF/mobi file creators - now is your chance to speak about it.
I've written my first text-based course in asciidoc (suggestion from @dvassallo). It's ok, but I'm not so flexible with it. Also, didn't manage to create mobi version out of it, and with the default config I saw that on gumroad this pdf renders too small (there is an option to read pdf on gumroad as well, not so important).
Now I'm thinking about launching second version of that course and even creating some mini ebooks on different topics so I would like to know more.
From the cover creation, till the creating final file, what do you people use?
I have recently found that ebook-convert, the CLI tool that comes with a Calibre install, is surprisingly amazing at turning an ePub into a PDF file. Playing around with the options and flags gave me an almost-print-quality PDF. I'll write at length about the whole process of writing my book Zero to Sold (out in a VERY few days ;) ), and I'll include the script I use for my ePDFs.
will check it out... yeah, following your Zero to Sold book publishing story already on TW :D
It's been quite the journey, I can tell you that :D
Looking forward to read your process!
Thank you! Looking forward to it.
canva for free and fast outcome, Photoshop if you want to shell out some bucks and learn for other purposes too.
I'm writing with Vim and markdown, using pandoc + Xetex for converting into PDF / epub, and zathura to reload automatically the document.
Cool, I'll check it out. Does it have a support for MOBI format?
I don't think so, but you can use calibre tool
ebook-convertto convert from epub to mobi. It works well apparently, but I didn't try it.I used gitbook up until now for Deployment from Scratch to combine Markdown and HTML. Avoid it if you don't want headaches :).
I am now exploring a new "stack" where I will continue with Markdown, but pairing it with Latex. I will write about it once it's proven to work (probably on my blog).
how does gitbook plays with the code snippets, what's your experience?
ah Latex... worked with it on my past project, brings some bad memories xD
You can include code snippets just fine with Markdown syntax. I was mostly fighting the fact that not all HTML and CSS is actually working and that whatever I did in HTML like a box, needed some manual page breaks to look decent :).
Yes, I wrote both my theses using Latex. Although powerful, I wanted to do without it for my book. However here I am again. :)
yeah, I have the same problems with checking the pages generated with asciidoc. Any tool that can solve that problem? To have pages preview so I don't have to regenerate everything. Last time it was step by step process till I got till the end.
Google Docs.
Haven't got a final file yet, but I'm writing in MS Word, and will save to PDF.
Canva for the cover.
If the outcome doesn't look professional, I'll hire someone.