Microsoft Word Add-In From Kindle: New Self-Publishing Software

Amazon is offering an Add-In for Microsoft Word (beginning with Word 2010).  From Kindle Direct Publishing, the Add-In allows you to do the following:

• Format your manuscript by specifying styles like Chapter Title, Chapter Subtitle and others.
• Save time by using pre-formatted sample pages like book title, copyright, dedication to complete your book.
• Preview your book any time as it would look to customers reading on Tablets, Phones and Kindle E-readers before publishing.
• Work in Microsoft Word and publish your .doc/.docx manuscript as an eBook or paperback with Kindle Direct Publishing.

Beta Testing for Both KDP Word Add-In and Kindle Create

It’s new, and it’s offered in beta, which means some indie publishers may nix using it right off the bat. 

Why?  Beta can be scary.  That’s because “beta” by definition means not all the kinks are ironed out of the product. 

However, if you are beta-brave, then you might like Kindle Direct Publishing’s Microsoft Word Add-In.
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Kindle Create Still Available

This does not replace KDP’s original Kindle Create.  You’re free to choose between them.  In fact, Amazon explains that they are separate tools, and that files cannot be moved between them.  
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The initial Kindle Create has been available for several months.   According to Amazon, Kindle Create allows you to do the following:

• Quickly apply a book theme to match your story.
• Detect and style chapter titles automatically.
• Preview your book any time as it would look to customers reading on Tablets, Phones and Kindle E-readers before publishing.
• Works with .doc and .docx files exported from applications like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages, Scrivener and others.

What They Offer the Writer - Publisher

Amazon explains that both these beta tools offer the writer-publisher a way to compile content into an e-book or paperback format. 

• Each tool provides the writer – publisher with an opportunity to apply “themes” to your content (KDP themes listed are Classic, Modern, Amour and Cosmos).   
• Both allow the writer “preview functionality” for phones, tablets, and e-readers. 
• Either version enables the writer to create a table of contents using chapter titles. 
  

Kindle for Self-Published E-books

For many folk, getting your e-book published for Kindle e-readers and sold via the e-book market on Amazon.com is enough.  

That’s fine.  It may not be the best option for maximizing your exposure and sales, but focusing on the Amazon marketplace isn’t a bad thing. 

Which means Amazon offering a new compilation tool provided within Microsoft’s popular word processing software Word seems like a great tool for lots of writers.

I think I’ll try it out.  It’s on my task list, anyway.
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Word vs. Scrivener

However, my real interest here is how this enhances Word for self-publishing.  It’s making it more comparable to Scrivener.  

Maybe the real news here isn’t the alternative in KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) compilation tools.

The big deal here may be the new power of Microsoft Word to compile content for publication.  For some writers, will this be enough of a temptation to return to Word after they’ve been using Scrivener?

Should You Care About Readability Tests?

Do you use WordPress for blogging?  Then you may recognize the “Flesch-Kincaid Readability Score” in its critique of your content.   

The platform gives both a percentage and a critique.  Sometimes, it may find  your content is “hard to read.”   There may be suggestions, too: things like too much use of passive voice, for instance. 

Word Press Readability Critique

So, does your post content need more work?  Maybe yes; maybe, no. 

The WordPress critique also gives two thumbs up if your post is a mere 300 words long.  For many blogs (especially those focusing on legal topics) 300 words is not enough to get the job done. 

So my first point is to take the WordPress editor with a big fat grain of salt.  It’s not all one size fits all out there. 

The goal is to do what’s right for your reader.   Be smart.  Be savvy. 

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How Readability Tests Work

This is not to say that I don’t like the idea of a readability test.  After all, its purpose is to help you connect with your readers by insuring your writing corresponds to their reading level.   

How?  Like a magician, the readability test throws several things into its top hat before pulling out its white rabbit: things like how often you use passive voice, the complexity of your sentences, the length of your paragraphs, and if you use adverbs. 

Cut and paste your content into their tool (which automatically happens in WordPress), and voila! You have a readability score. 

The Writer discusses readability tests and reports that 65 is a good score on Flesch-Kincaid for “business writing.”  And it points out that the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test is one tool; there are others, as well. 

In fact, RavenTools has compiled a list on its blog described as the “ultimate list of online content readability tests.”  If you’re curious, then go check out their collection. 

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It’s All about Your Reader

Here’s my second point.  It’s not about the readability score as much as it is about the writer understanding his or her reader. 

If you are writing a legal blog discussing new SCOTUS opinions, where your readers are fellow lawyers and legal scholars, then your writing will score differently than if you are writing a blog explaining a new SCOTUS opinion to the general public.   (Wow, look at that long sentence!)

You aren’t writing for yourself.  You’re writing to convey a message.  If a readability test helps you to visualize and understand your reader better, then that is the best reason to use it.  IMHO.

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Have Some Fun with It

Oh, and one last thing.  Have some fun with these readability tests. Go grab some of your favorite writing and plug it into the thing. 

Say, throw some David Foster Wallace into your WordPress blog platform.  What pops up in the critique?  

Or try Ernest Hemingway, Nora Ephron, Truman Capote, or James Baldwin.   See how they score (and think about their intended readers).   

Google Keep Review: I'll Stick With Evernote, Scrivener, and Padlet But You Might Like It

I'm a sucker for new productivity apps.  Aren't you?  Especially if they're free? Here's my Google Keep experience.  It started a few weeks ago.

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DottoTech Questions Switching From Evernote to Google Keep

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First, the backstory.

I subscribe to DottoTech's YouTube Channel.  Over lunch, I like to watch stuff like Steve Dotto's channel on my ROKU-powered TV, having cut the cable several years back.  (Read more on that here.)

So, last month I was chomping away on a deli salad, drinking iced Rooibos tea, and watching YouTube.

Sure enough, I learned something new.  Steve Dotto was comparing Google Keep with Evernote.

Maybe I had heard of Google Keep before, but it didn't stick with me. His question: should I switch to Google Keep?  Whattha?

My Evernote Loyalty

Now, I'm a huge Evernote fan.  I'm not abandoning Evernote.  No way, no how.

Still, I was interested to see what Google Keep could do, since it's got Google's awesome search function capability.  And that's a big, big deal for me.

Why?  Evernote is my research database.  I store stuff there.  My stuff; my clients' stuff; stuff I find online.

Evernote's search function is critical to me finding all that stuff after I've tossed it in there.

The ability to search all around Evernote is one of the big reasons I prefer it to OneNote.  But that's another story for another day.  Back to Google Keep.

How Could Google Keep Help Me?

So, I decided to check out Google Keep.  Give it a test run, see how it could help me be more efficient in my day.

Since I'm getting ready for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), I decided to use Google Keep as part of that preparation.

That way, it wouldn't interfere with my standard procedures in my real work.  The stuff that makes me money and pays for my dog's liver treats.

I used Google Keep as a tool to help me prepare for writing an outline to my projected 50,000 word thriller.  This afternoon, I've got some findings to report.

Google Keep Reminds Me of Scrivener's Corkboard and Padlet

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In using Google Keep, I wasn't reminded of Evernote as much as Scrivener and Padlet.

If you use Scrivener, then you know it has this nifty corkboard feature, where you can move your chapters (or files) around as you like.

Sorta like index cards on a tabletop.  Except Scrivener is allowing me to do this with a huge amount of word count following along behind it.  

No way that Google Keep compares to Scrivener in this function.

And, if I want to do this rearranging outside of Scrivener, I'll use Padlet.  It's easier.  And I can keep all my stuff together on one topic there in a separate "padlet" for reference.

I like Padlet.  I use it.  It's fun.

Check out the Padlet Gallery for examples of how much fun this tool can be (lots of teachers use it).

I like Padlet better than Google Keep for brain dumps and brain storming.  

Bottom Line:  Meh.

I didn't NOT like Google Keep.  It was nice. It just doesn't serve me as well as the tools I already have in my tool belt.  So, for me Keep is not a Keeper.

Maybe it is for you, Dear Reader.  It's fun to test drive, anyway ....