DonationCoder.com Software > PopUp Wisdom

New books wanted!

<< < (9/9)

mouser:
Contro I'd like if you could combine your latest quote files into a few big ones (like one each for science, computers, love), and let me make them available on the books download page?

Nada7:
I have already posted one book here, the coolest, most adorable, cutest, cannot survive without... CATS QUOTES!!! 

https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=21982.0

I don't see how to add attachments right now, but you can download it in my tread above.

ich thys:
I have already published an ebook on Amazon.com, and I would like to add a few modest revisions to it. The problem is, I published it a number of years ago, and since then, I have gone through the failure of four or five successive computers, and I have made a zoo-like collection of different file backup saves. So that I am not sure which copy of the book is the most recent and up-to-date. If I unwittingly work on revising an earlier save, I could lose the improvements made in any subsequent backup saves. The only way I would feel absolutely sure of getting the very latest copy of my own work, would be to download a copy directly from Amazon. I have Windows Office Word 2003. The ebook ms. -manuscript- contains dynamic Chapter to TOC -Table of Contents- interlinks. I don't mind the thought of losing those, so much as unwittingly losing the odd gem or two of those highly prized little 'intuitions' that make a good book shine and sparkle, by working on an older backup copy. Can I download my own ebook copy from Amazon, open it in Windows Office Word 2003, work on it, and then simply reupload it to Amazon? Or is there going to be some kind of file software mismatch? 

Shades:
I have already published an ebook on Amazon.com, and I would like to add a few modest revisions to it.
-ich thys (January 25, 2021, 06:13 PM)
--- End quote ---

Likely the copy from Amazon you plan to download includes DRM. You'll have to get rid of that first, before you can edit it again.

Perhaps a diff program can help you find which it the most correct(ed) version. Normally that is tool programmers use to find out changes in code, when those changes occurred and by who (if more than one person works on the same code). Diff tools come in different "shapes and sizes", but there are a few good, open source ones. Code is usually done in some form of text file and a Word document is far removed from being a text format. Not all diff tools work so well with the proprietary format that Word documents use.

Version control functionality in Word...it ain't good. But better than nothing, I'll guess.

I would suggest to use better version control tools. Those can either run on your own computer or you can use a Cloud solution for that. Solutions like GitHub/GitLab (in combination with Git) are not intended to be used for tracking changes in Word documents, but it would not be impossible to use those for that purpose. You could also consider to convert your best Word document into MarkDown (or AsciiDoc). You will need to get your head around the syntax, but that isn't too difficult. Once converted, you have your book in a text-based format. There are many free MarkDown editors that make working with these documents very easy. And because of the text-based format, diff tools and version control software work way, way better for tracking changes you made (and when/why those changes were made).

It is also very easy to revert to a previous version of your document, in case you would need that (for whatever reason).

Besides, MarkDown (or AsciiDoc) documents are very easy to convert to Word (or .PDF or .HTML or .EPUB or .Mobi) documents. So, however the publisher likes to receive revised versions, you can accommodate them.

This might sound like a really big change, but you'll soon find that in the period you are getting to grips with this, you'll be wondering why you didn't do this earlier. And guess what? Most, if not all, tools can be used for free. Text based formats also have no expire date, like Word does. MarkDown (or AsciiDoc) documents you make now, will be just as readable now as they will be 20 years from now.

Markown (or AsciiDoc) documents also have built-in TOC's, different types of headers, spacers, separation lines, quote sections, you can link to/from information inside your document. Or other MarkDown/AsciiDoc documents that reside on your computer or in your favorite Cloud solution. Or other types of documents (local and online). Initially, MarkDown/AsciiDoc documents may not look like much, but once you get the hang of them, they are just as capable as Word.

Word count is also no problem in MarkDown/AsciiDoc, just as grammar and spelling-checks. In case you were wondering.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page