Author Atlas

Publish

Free Book Formatter: Turn Your Manuscript into a Polished Ebook

Import Word or build in the browser, style chapters, preview on Kindle, and export a clean EPUB — no design software required.

Working…

About the tool

Manuscript to polished EPUB in the browser

The Author Atlas Book Formatter turns your finished manuscript into a professionally formatted ebook without code or design software. Import a Word (.docx) file and the tool detects your chapters, or build the book from scratch by adding chapters and pasting text. Choose a chapter theme, heading style and drop-cap style, check everything in a live Kindle-style preview, then export your EPUB. The export menu also lists print PDF options.

Word import

Detect chapters from .docx up to 25 MB

Chapter themes

Classic, Modern, Literary, Nonfiction, and more

Kindle preview

Check reflow and TOC before you export

Front & back matter

Title, copyright, about the author, and reorderable outline

How it works

Import, style, preview, and export

  • Import .docx
  • Start from scratch

  1. Choose how to start

    Upload a .docx (not .doc or PDF) or build chapters by pasting text in the browser.

  2. Prepare your Word file

    Apply Heading 1 to chapter titles, keep body in Normal style, skip manual page breaks, and remove headers, footers and tab indents.

  3. Organise the outline

    Front matter, body, and back matter — add, rename, reorder, or delete sections.

  4. Style and preview

    Pick theme, heading style, TOC style, and drop-cap treatment; check the Kindle preview.

  5. Export EPUB

    Run the final check, fix flagged issues, and download a reflowable EPUB for KDP and other stores.

Worked example: 70k-word cozy mystery

Typical workflow

Your inputs

Manuscript
Murder at the Proof Box — 32 chapters in Word
Prep
Heading 1 on chapters, Normal body with first-line indent, no manual breaks
Theme
Classic Chapter · Number & Title · Drop cap

Result

Reflowable EPUB with linked table of contents, consistent chapter openings, copyright and About the Author in back matter — ready for KDP upload.

After formatting, finish metadata: blurb, seven keywords, and three categories.

Editorial strategy

How to format an ebook readers trust

Formatting is invisible when it's done right

Readers notice bad formatting in Look Inside previews — random blanks, broken TOC, jumping indents. The goal is a book that feels as trustworthy as a traditional publisher file.

Understand reflowable text

Ebooks reflow when readers change font and size. Tab indents, empty-line spacing, manual page breaks and headers from Word fight that model. Styles-based formatting — Heading 1 chapters, one body style — is what imports cleanly.

Headings are the backbone

Tip

If you do one thing before import: apply Heading 1 consistently to every chapter title. That's what builds navigation and the table of contents.

Know what retailers accept

KDP accepts DOC/DOCX, KPF, and EPUB. EPUB also works for most other ebook stores — preview on a real device or app before you publish.

After formatting: finish the metadata

Prepare your book description, seven keywords, and three categories before upload.

Related tools

FAQ

Ebook formatting questions, answered

How do I format a book for Kindle?

Use Word styles consistently: Heading 1 for chapter titles and one body style for paragraphs, with no manual page breaks, Tab indents or headers. Then import the file into a formatter like this one, choose your styling, preview it, and export an EPUB to upload to KDP.

What file format does KDP accept for ebooks?

KDP's recommended ebook formats include Word (DOC/DOCX), KPF from Kindle Create, and EPUB that meets Amazon's Kindle Publishing Guidelines. It also accepts formats such as HTML, RTF, TXT and PDF. KDP recommends checking your file in Kindle Previewer before uploading.

Can I upload a Word document directly to KDP?

Yes. KDP converts most DOC/DOCX files, but files with complex formatting may not convert well. Formatting first gives you more control over chapter openings, the table of contents and front and back matter.

Why won't my chapters import correctly?

Usually because the chapter titles aren't using Word's Heading 1 style. Bold or large text alone won't be detected. Apply Heading 1 to each chapter title, remove manual page and section breaks, and try again. The file must be a .docx under 25 MB.

Do I need an ISBN for an ebook?

Not for KDP. Amazon doesn't require an ISBN for Kindle ebooks. The formatter has an optional ISBN field if you have one, for example for wide distribution.

Is the Book Formatter free?

Yes, it's free to use. It needs a laptop or desktop-sized screen (about 960px wide or more) because it shows the editor and preview side by side.

Can I format a book from scratch without Word?

Yes. Choose "Start from scratch," set your title and author name, then add chapters and paste in your text. You get the same themes, preview and export options.