Add a TOC Table Of Contents Bookmark to Kindle Ebooks

A lot of people use slightly more complex methods of formatting ebooks than I do. Mobipocket Creator and HTML files are common, but I've found great results can be had simply by directly uploading Microsoft Word Doc (.doc) to Amazon Kindle, Barnes&Noble Nook and Apple iPad.

For non-fiction titles and books with a Table of Contents section, one extra thing readers will appreciate is the inclusion of a TOC link. This isn't just a page at the beginning with Chapter headings and hyperlinks to places within the document, but also a TOC bookmark, which the e-readers (like the Kindle) will automatically recognize and add to their Menu option. It's quite simple if you're familiar with adding a bookmark in Word.

All you need to do is place the cursor at the beginning of the page for the Table of Contents. Then click Insert and choose Bookmark. When the Bookmark tab opens, type in "toc" without the quotes and Add it. Once saved and uploaded to Kindle, for example, that will become a Menu option for Kindle readers to go to the Table of Contents from anywhere in the ebook.

This method also works for the Cover image by bookmarking it with "cover" and also where the book really begins (like the intro or prologue) by bookmarking that with "start." (Again, do not actually type the "quotes" as I have for the demonstration, but type the words: toc, cover and start.)

Obviously these are just little things that make it nicer for readers, especially for books with TOCs. How will you know if you've done it correctly? When you Preview your edited version at kdp.amazon.com, the Preview Kindle has a Menu button that lets you select those options. See where it goes. If it's not right, make the correction and try again. One of the best aspects of e-publishing is the ability to make changes quickly and easily.

–

Subscribe to this blog for updates on whatever I learn for those who want to sell ebooks.