Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to create an ebook in Pages on Mac.
Or do you want your ebook layout to stay the same regardless of rig size and orientation?
Otherwise, it’s the Fixed layout EPUB for you.
You’ll need to stick with a portrait book template if you want a Reflowable EPUB.
That’s because landscape templates don’t support this export format.
If you’re going for a fixed layout, either orientation works.
Ideally, you should pick the Reflowable layout for a text-heavy book or a word processing document.
And it’s best to export that as a Fixed layout EPUB.
But it helps to start out with one of the templates designed specifically for ebooks.
You’ll find these listed underBooksin the template chooser.
(Already started with a basic blank document and want to switch to a new template?
We’ve chosen theStorytemplate fromBooks > Books—Landscapein the template chooser.
It’s a page layout document.
To confirm, open theDocumentinspector.
Under theDocumenttab, the checkbox forDocument Bodyappears unselected.
That’s the indicator to look for.
If you had a word processing document open, theDocument Bodybox would appear selected.
Step 3: Add Text and Media
Now it’s time to add content to your ebook.
As we’re creating a Fixed layout EPUB, we don’t have to worry about wrapping text.
Thus images, shapes, and other objects will always appear inline.
That’s a concern only when you’re creating a Reflowable EPUB.
Next, switch to theMove with Texttab underObject Placementand selectInline with Textfrom theText Wrapdropdown menu.
Are you creating a Reflowable EPUB?
This process is where page layout templates differ from word processing ones.
In word processing templates, adding pages equals inserting a blank page after the cursor location.
You don’t actually need to do this.
The app inserts new pages as you continue to throw in.
(There’s a blank master page too.)
Click onInsert > Table of Contents > Documentto set up the ToC.
Now, with the ToC selected, switch to theFormatinspector pane.
We can’t create a ToC for our sample book.
This is because it’s a page layout document, which doesn’t support the ToC feature.
We’ll get to that now.
You’ll find thebook coveroption when you proceed to export your document as an EPUB.
To do that, click onFile > Export To > EPUB.
Here, theExport Your Documentdialog box comes up.
Let’s enter a title and author name for our sample book.
The radio button for switching layouts is disabled because we’ve started out with a landscape template.
That automatically renders a Fixed layout EPUB.
You canadd a custom image as your book coverwith theChoose an imageradio button.
Pages uses this image as the book’s thumbnail in iBooks and in file explorer applications.
After we hit theNextbutton, we get to pick a name and storage location for our exported EPUB.
Now with one click of theExportbutton, our ebook is ready!
