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Create Kindle E-Books Using Mobipocket Creator

One of the e-book formats compatible with the Kindle e-book reader is the Mobi .prc file format supported by Mobipocket Reader. Mobipocket is a company that sells e-books, provides an e-book reading computer application. Mobi also provides software for converting .pdf, .html, .doc, and .txt documents to the Mobi .prc format.

Use the following steps to convert your non-DRM protected files to the Mobi .prc format compatible with the Kindle. 

1. Visit the Mobipocket site (www.mobipocket.com) and download the Mobipocket Creator software. Scroll down until you find "Free Software" on the left side of the page. Be sure to download the Mobipocket Creator Publisher Edition (not the Home Edition).

2. Install Mobipocket Creator Publisher Edition on your computer.

3. Go to the "Home" screen of the program. Note the section "Import from Existing File". For our purposes we'll import a non-DRM protected Adobe .pdf file.

4. Click on the "Adobe .PDF" file to import a .pdf file.

5. When the Import File Wizard opens, select the file you wish to convert by using the "Browse" button. Also choose a folder in which to place the converted output - again using the "Browse" button.

6. When the file is imported you'll see the screen below indicating the number of files imported for conversion.

7. Move down to the next menu selection and choose an image you'd like for the cover.

8. Since we're importing a public domain version of Frankenstein, we went and got a picture of Frankenstein to put on the cover. Click "Add Cover Image" then choose the location of the file containing your graphic.

 9. Your cover image will appear after it has been imported.

10. You also can construct a table of contents for your Kindle e-book by using the Table of Contents Wizard included in Mobipocket Creator. The wizard works by taking tags and attributes you've entered for first, second, and third levels and then analyzing the document and building the table of contents.

11. Click on the next menu item and add any special settings you wish to use for the Kindle e-book you're creating. Click the Update button when you're done.

12. Edit the Metadata for your book by clicking on the next menu item. You can include the title, author, and other information you wish to include in the build for your Kindle e-book.

13. Now you're ready to create your book. Click on the "Guide" menu item, then "Build" button included in the toolbar at the top of the program.

14. The Build Wizard opens, you can select compression and encryption options. Typically you'll simply want to use Standard Compression and No Encryption unless you're creating a Kindle book for resale. Click on the "Build" button to start the process.

15. After the build process is complete, you may have some errors or warnings. If you get such a notification, click on the Warning or Error button and review they type of warning or error. You may have to re-build your book if the error is serious.

16. Go to the folder in which Mobipocket Creator placed the finished e-book. Select all of the files except for the original .PDF file. Copy these files.
 

17. Plug-in your Kindle to your computer using a USB cable. Go the "documents" folder and create a new folder titled after the e-book you've just created with Mobipocket Creator.

18. Paste the files from Step #16 into the new folder you've created on your Kindle.

19. Turn on your Kindle. Your newly converted e-book should show-up on your Home Page. Your new ready to read.

Congratulations! You've now learned how-to create a Kindle e-book from a non-DRM protected .pdf file. The same process will work with Word document (.doc) files and text files.

You also should check-out Project Guttenberg for a great selection of Public Domain e-books that can be converted into Kindle e-books using the steps above.

Great reading!

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