What is reflowable formatting and what does it do?
Reflowable is the default format that powers the vast majority of eBooks people read today. Rather than locking text and images to a specific spot on the page, reflowable eBooks work more like webpages - adapting to whatever screen size, font size, or orientation the user chooses. Shrink or enlarge the text, and the paragraphs simply reorganize (or flow) around the new line breaks.
Its flexibility is why reflowable formatting is the safest, most reader-friendly choice, especially for text-heavy books where readers can control the experience themselves. The file itself is also lightweight and compatible with nearly every eReader device, app and tablet currently on the market.
What is fixed layout formatting and what does it do?
Fixed layout takes the opposite approach to reflowable. Rather than letting the content flow freely, it locks text and images to specific coordinates. That makes it more like a printed book. Readers can usually zoom in and out, but they can't resize fonts or make the layout fit their preferences.
Keep in mind that a fixed layout isn't the same thing as a PDF, even though the two look similar at first glance. Fixed layouts are still built on ePub code which itself is based on HTML. That means they can support interactive features that go beyond what a PDF can offer. Those interactive features, however, depend on the retailer, so don't choose fixed layout thinking you can add more interactivity to your eBook than what's possible with reflowable formatting.
It's important to note that with fixed layout formatting, your eBook's biggest strength is also its biggest limitation: you get total control over the design, but take away flexibility from the reader. BookBaby's guide on Fixed Layout and ePub File Format goes into greater detail on this option. It's a worthy trade-off for a book that's heavy on illustrations, but an exercise in frustration for a novel that's 300 pages.
When to use each format
Knowing when to use each format comes down to understanding what your book actually needs to share with its readers. At BookBaby, we offer a detailed look into which books normally require fixed layouts. These include children's picture books with text layered over illustrations, cookbooks and technical manuals. Graphic novels and photography books, where layout is an integral part of storytelling, are also ideal for fixed layout formatting.
It's also worth noting that because fixed layout format demands precise control over where every element is placed, this type of formatting typically costs more than a standard reflowable eBook conversion. Learn more about eBook conversion pricing.
Preparing your manuscript
No matter which format your eBook needs, having a clean source file is perhaps the most important step you can take when preparing your manuscript. One of the most common mistakes self-publishing authors make when doing eBook conversion is treating an eBook as if it's a PDF rather than raw material that's optimized for conversion.
For instance, manual tab indents, inconsistent spacing and inline text-wrapped images can all cause issues once a file is converted to ePub format. Using your word processor's built-in paragraph and indent tools rather than the tab key or space bar, is a much better option when preparing an eBook for conversion.
Dealing with images, in particular, is a crucial step to prevent blurry, pixelated, or washed-out looking pictures or photos from souring the reader experience with your eBook. We recommend resizing images before inserting them into your manuscript, saving them in JPG format at a minimum of 72 DPI. Avoid text-wrapped images and choose images placed in-line with surrounding text.
Hire the team at BookBaby to handle all your eBook formatting needs
If the thought of dpi, ePub, fixed and reflowable layouts feels overwhelming, not to worry. The eBook formatting and conversion experts at BookBaby have you covered. Our team of eBook specialists can convert and test your eBook in both reflowable or fixed layout respectively. See our full page on accepted eBook conversion file formats to know what types of files we accept. We prefer Word documents (.doc or .docx) but can also accept PDF, InDesign and ePub files. Our file formats page also details specific technical requirements to help make the process go smoother.
Thankfully, reflowable and fixed layout eBook formatting aren't standards that compete head-to-head with each other. They're different formats that are designed for different jobs. An easy-to-read novel that lets you shift and resize the font needs a different design approach than a richly illustrated cookbook. Take time today to better understand which eBook format your book needs, and start cleaning up your manuscript so that the eBook conversion process can make it look flawless.
When you're ready to work with the eBook conversion experts, the team at BookBaby is ready to help. We diligently convert and test your eBook on a number of devices, so you can be sure that your book looks beautiful (and loads perfectly).