How to Format a Book in Word | A Step-By-Step Tutorial 2022

Formatting your book with Word can be a bit complex, there is so much that can be done and without knowing exactly what to look for it can be a long process. There are some limitations with Word that we will show you in this video and how to avoid them or find ways around. But by following my steps in this video, you’ll be able to make a professional looking book with Microsoft Word.

We will be going through step by step exactly what you need to do to format with Word and will also show you a few tricks to get the job done even faster. So be sure to check out this video!

WANT TO SELL YOUR BOOKS LIKE A PRO:

GET MY FREE BOOK ON INCREASING YOUR EBOOK'S RANKINGS ON AMAZON

WHAT TOOLS DO SUCCESSFUL SELF PUBLISHERS USE?

LET'S SOCIALIZE!

*Timestamps*
Introduction: 0:00
Different Word Versions: 0:54
Prepare Your Document for Formatting: 1:14
Page Size: 3:24
Margins: 4:13
Line Spacing: 5:47
Indentations: 7:04
Chapter Styles: 8:05
Page Numbers: 8:47
Header Settings: 9:12
Tidying Up Your Document: 9:48
Widows and Orphans: 10:12
Ending on an Even Page: 11:17
Using Atticus: 11:46
Conclusion: 12:57

[opheliakee]

I'm not gonna lie. Atticus is much better. It does all of the work formatting the books. To format a 100k+ fantasy would take longer than writing it in Word. I recommend Atticus instead.

[TriciaLynne]

Hey Dave, this is perfect timing. I still write in Word, but I upload everything to Atticus for my formatting, so getting stuff right before I do is pretty important. I bought Atticus last year when it first came out, and published one book, and so much has changed while I'm writing my other ones. Thank you for the videos and thank you, and Jenna and everyone at Atticus. You guys rock.

[kaleyjanenigh]

Dave, thank you SO much. I'm new to the KDP world, and you just gave my manuscript a total "glow-up"! It looks SO much better. You're amazing, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[aveguevara]

My Word version is 15.36 aka "old" and I'm having a helluva time applying what you've taught regarding setting up margins, etc. As time is money here, and I have another book waiting to come out after this one, I think Atticus might be a smart decision. I've been at this almost all day and my left & right brain hemispheres are sizzling on overwhelm. Writing is not just a hobby for me. Then of course there's the marketing aspect, etc. So I don't want to spend a fortune of time/energy trying to figure out margins "the hard way on an old version of Word" if I can zip through it on Atticus. I really like your style of teaching, I actually can understand what you're saying!!! Thank you!

[tambikhai]

This and the previous video are excellent introductions for using Word to format a POD book. I use Word to format my own and my client's books, but I'm an advanced user, so I have other tips and tricks I use. For anyone wanting to use Word to format their book, I would highly recommend learning more about how to use styles, and to create a full style for each type of book you want to format (things like never hitting "enter" between lines, but setting line heights for each paragraph). It's a process that takes some time to master and set up, but it is worth it. That said, it might be too much for those who want to get their book formatted and don't want to add the learning curve for how to use Word. I'm considering Atticus myself because I do like what I'm seeing from the examples. I have to admit that I'm pretty picky, so I'll keep looking to see if it would include the little nuances I would want. Overall, though, great job

[obrienjonathan]

Thank you for this video. This is my first book and this video was the most helpful one I've come across.

[rickmehta]

Thank you so much for posting this video. You did an excellent job of covering a lot of ground in a video that is comprehensive, yet succinct. And your presentation style balances rigour with accessibility to people of all walks of life.

[Spitfireseven]

This is the most comprehensive but easy video I have found on this subject. I've already used all this stuff. There is no way you can remember it all. I usuually fill out an index card with the high points. This is a most excellent video for that.

[harjithamsafar]

Thank you for sharing, you're a good teacher!

[marywalsh]

This is a great quick tutorial! I use MS Word for my books and I learned a few shortcuts from you. A couple things you might want to add - make sure you center justify your header and add spacing before every chapter title so it's not at the top of the page.

[philmo]

I trying to format my first book on word while watching this in a split screen! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your efficient instruction! Thank you so much. I was going to buy atticus, but this is a low content book for starters.

[josephtreeby]

thank you so much, everything looks so much more professional and neat. 😁

[oldtownpublishing]

This is a great video, clear and concise with loads of information. I tried Atticus and I must admit I got confused. But I think I'll give it another try now. I see there's quite a bit I need to do to make my books look truly professional. Thank you for the video.

[KarinaKantas]

I think a tutorial on how to launch a book effectively would be ideal. Many know how to write and publish a book, but they haven't a clue about what to do next.

[argentgrove]

Thank you for making these tutorial videos, Dave. Even if we aren't using Word, the concepts carry over nicely. Needs more sci-fi references, though. I'm still all warm inside from the Logan's Run reference in a previous video.

[norapage]

Thank you so much for this amazing video. You helped me a lot.

[dkokol]

Thanks Dave. Very helpful. Since many of us have books available in both electronic and pirnt versions, I suggest you discuss the difference in formatting that might require.

[johnegreek]

Hi Dave and oldest daughter, great info regarding book formatting. I'd also suggest a short discussion about templates from KDP. They can be a bit tricky to setup for full formatting as suggested, especially the title and author name in the header and where to start them...

[burtonvoss]

This is a detailed video, and you explain it well. If all a person is doing is writing one book and wants to spend their time involved with it, you're giving them a great video. But for doing the actual formatting, forget Word. Atticus gits 'er done.

[moviebros.]

Thank you for sharing this information it was helpful!