How to Create an Ebook Using Acrobat Pro
By Maya Austen
Adobe Acrobat Professional is a PDF editor. When you create an eBook using Acrobat Pro, the eBook is not actually written in the Acrobat application. It's written in a word processing application such as Microsoft Word and is then converted into PDF format using Acrobat Pro. The Microsoft Word document serves as the eBook template. All of the picture inserts and format specifications laid out in the Word document get transferred, as is, to the PDF form of the eBook during the conversion.
Preparation
Design a front and rear book cover for the eBook using a graphic arts application such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop.
Write the eBook using Microsoft Word.
Insert the image of the eBook's front cover on the first page of the document. Insert the image of the eBook's rear cover on the last page of the document.
Create a title page following the front book cover page. Do not include a table of contents. That will be created later in Acrobat Pro.
Format the eBook content. Consider implementing the following format standards:
Make everything single-spaced.
Choose a standard, easy-to-read font type such as Times New Roman.
Use an 11- to 12-point font size for the general content. Make the chapter heading font size larger. Use a 10- to 12-point font size for header and footer content.
Place page numbers in the header or footer of each page containing general content. Align the even numbers to the left side of the page and align the odd numbers to the right. Or align all numbers in the center.
Insert the author's last name and the book title in the header of each page containing general content. Place the author's name on even numbered pages, aligned to the left. Place the book title on odd numbered pages, aligned to the right.
Set all page margins to .75. Set the header margin to .4. Set the footer margin to .6.
Save the Microsoft Word template of the eBook. Close Microsoft Word.
Open the Windows "Devices and Printers" console. Right-click the "Adobe PDF" printer and select "Printing Preferences." On the "Adobe PDF Settings" tab, click "Edit" in the "Default Settings" section. Go to the "Fonts" tab and check the box next to "Embed All Fonts." Click "Save As." Name the setting "Standard eBook" and click "OK." On the "Adobe PDF Settings" tab, deselect "Don't Send Fonts to Adobe PDF." Click "Apply." Click "OK."
Create PDF eBook
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro. Select "Create PDF," then select "From File." Browse to the location where the Microsoft Word template of the eBook is saved, then select "Open" to convert the eBook to PDF.
Click "Select Text" in the Acrobat Pro menu. Scroll through the eBook from beginning to end. Whenever you come across a chapter title, highlight the text and type "Ctrl" plus "B" to bookmark the page. These bookmarks serve as the eBook's table of contents.
Open the "Document Properties" (often located in the "File" menu). Fill in the eBook's metadata. Click "OK" to save the metadata.
Select "Save" from the file menu to save the eBook.
References
Tips
- To convert a document to PDF from within the Microsoft Word application, open the Microsoft Word "Print" dialog box, select the "Adobe PDF" printer from the "Name" drop-down menu," click "Print," name the file, and click "OK."
Writer Bio
Maya Austen began freelance writing in 2009. She has written for many online publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from physical fitness to amateur astronomy. She's also an author and e-book publisher. Austen has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the New England Institute of Art and currently lives in Boston, Mass.