Let It Flow - A Tip for eBook Publishers
When I first converted Footprints to an eBook, I got bogged down trying to make my eBook look exactly like my PDF - Big Mistake.
One of the things which annoyed me the most, was the fact that the conversion software (Callibre and the Kindle Digital Text Platform) was determined to indent the first paragraph in every chapter, when I wanted the traditional flush first paragraph. I also got annoyed because it was very difficult to control the exact space between paragraphs.
I have since realised that an eBook is something quite different from an imitation of a physical product. Allowing the user to choose their own formatting is one of the most attractive features of an eBook. As eBook writers, we're supposed to provide readers with flowing text that they can pour into whatever size or shape space they want to read from.
You need to make sure that your converter knows where your paragraphs begin and end, and you need to keep an eye on special formatting, like bold and italics, but beyond that, leave it up the default template.
If a user doesn't like their eReader's standard display format, they will soon change their font, spacing etc to suit. You simply cannot predict how your customers will want their eBook to appear, so get it looking tidy and then walk away.
I know it's hard to see your deliberately tight indents stretched like victims of a medieval torture device, but trying to control these details will drive you to insanity.
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