e-readers and e-fic

[court1429.livejournal.com]

Happened to go to the Twisting the Hellmouth archive (predominantly a Buffy archive, with some other fandoms represented) to get an author name so I could tag a fic, and noticed that this archive, like AO3, offers downloading options in mobi (for Kindle), epub (for Nook and Sony), and txt. I think it's pretty awesome that archives are doing this.

I'd love to see the same options for our QAF-specific archives. Does anyone know what adding that capability to the archives would entail? It would be up to the owners of the archives, of course, but I just got to wondering if it would be a huge, difficult thing to offer?

Now that I'm thinking about it, I wouldn't mind seeing epub and mobi links offered within our share sites, either.

We're also trying out a new tag: "e-readers: e-reader dl available". We hope this will become a much-used tag over time as more authors upload to some of these sites. I'd like to request that if you know there's an e-reader version available on an archive, even if you don't link to it, would you mention it in a comment, please?

Of course it's always possible to convert a fic to your reader format using calibre or other conversion software. These archive options just save a few steps in the process.

Any insight you guys have is appreciated!

Comments

[ladycallie.livejournal.com]

I have nothing to add other than I love when sites offer downloadable versions. My kindle has more fic on it than actual novels.

[court1429.livejournal.com]

I think it's fantastic that sites are starting to do this. Feel free to upload your mobi format fics to the share site if you want to. ;)

[netlagd.livejournal.com]

I thought most could read PDF format

Lulu.com offers the ability to format for print on demand, CD/DVD, and e-pub. I know you upload a PDF, I don't know if you can export and try it.

[court1429.livejournal.com]

I think all e-readers *can* read pdfs, but often the formatting is really bad. Even converting to another format from a pdf can end up nearly unreadable.

So, these archives that have the "coding," whatever that means, already embedded as an e-reader file choice means you're going to get a clean, well-formatted file.

Here's an example of the download options on AO3 for a Rhi fic (http://archiveofourown.org/works/159623?view_adult=true). See at the top right corner there are download options? If you have a Nook or Kindle or Sony reader (and maybe others, too) and you DL the format that your reader reads, you'll have a perfect reading copy available on your reader.

I think it would be fantastic to see those options at the Tribe or MW or TQL or bjfic if it ever reappears. But I have no clue what adding that option to an archive entails or whether the site owners would want to.

[murgy31.livejournal.com]

I would love this.... I read most now in RTF, but can definitely do epub...

[court1429.livejournal.com]

Have you checked these archives to see if some of your fics are there? I don't know how good an RTF file is, so maybe it's not worth it to you.

[bodleian.livejournal.com]

I can't help with the details but I love my e-reader and would really appreciate any stories being put into a format that I can download.

[court1429.livejournal.com]

Have you checked out AO3? It's linked on the Sidebar and that link goes to the QAF section. At the top right corner of each fic is a Download link and you can choose your format from there.

Same with that other archive I mentioned. Don't know how much QAF fic they have. I've never heard of that archive before and didn't poke around any.

[b3dst3.livejournal.com]

I have a kindle 3 without 3G and use mobi format. It can take some PDF formats, but it doesn't work very well, because you cant change the font size and number of words in a line with PDF.

I use this online program to convert my own word and PDF documents into mobi and it works really well and who knows - one day it might be custom that those formats are offered for download.

http://www.online-convert.com/result/27ad7bf7002d882d208dee4270268ae0

[spike7451.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this info, off to D/L some fic to my kindle. :)

[court1429.livejournal.com]

I hope you're filling up your Kindle with AO3 fics! Did you see my other post with a few more links. Those are now in the DL link on the Sidebar, too.

[spike7451.livejournal.com]

I did see it thanks, have it bookmarked to check out soon.