Best Practices for Formatting TXT Files for Epubor TXT2EPUB ConverterConverting plain TXT files into professional-looking EPUB ebooks requires more than just running a converter. TXT files are minimal by nature: they carry raw text without consistent structure, formatting tags, or metadata. Epubor TXT2EPUB Converter can do a lot of heavy lifting, but preparing your TXT cleanly before conversion yields far better results — fewer layout glitches, correct chapter breaks, properly working table of contents (TOC), and a consistent reading experience across devices and apps. This guide presents practical, detailed best practices to prepare TXT source files so the Epubor TXT2EPUB Converter produces polished EPUB output.
Why preparation matters
- TXT files lack structural markup (headings, paragraphs, page breaks), semantic cues (chapter boundaries), and metadata (title, author). Converters try to infer structure, but inference can be imperfect.
- Clean, predictable input reduces the need for manual fixes after conversion and minimizes formatting inconsistencies on Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, and other readers.
- Proper input helps automated TOC generation, correct CSS application, and suitable image placement when images are embedded via HTML references or included separately.
1) Choose the right encoding and save settings
- Save as UTF-8 without BOM. UTF-8 handles all languages and special characters reliably; avoid legacy encodings (ANSI, Windows-1251) that may corrupt non-ASCII text.
- Use plain TXT format — no rich text (RTF) or Word DOCX disguised as TXT.
- On Windows, use Notepad++/VS Code/Sublime Text to control encoding explicitly.
Example: In Notepad++ choose Encoding → Encode in UTF-8 (without BOM).
2) Normalize line endings and whitespace
- Convert all line endings to LF (Unix-style) if possible. Mixed CRLF/LF can confuse paragraph detection.
- Remove trailing spaces on each line.
- Replace multiple consecutive blank lines with a single blank line (unless you intentionally want extra spacing).
- Use a consistent single blank line to denote paragraph breaks (or configure the converter to treat single newlines appropriately).
In many editors you can run a find/replace using regular expressions:
- Replace with (normalize)
- Replace [ ]+$ with empty (strip trailing spaces)
- Replace {3,} with
(collapse extra blank lines)
3) Mark chapters and major sections clearly
- Use an unmistakable pattern for chapter headings so the converter can detect them reliably. Examples:
- “Chapter 1 — The Beginning”
- “CHAPTER 01”
- “Chapter One”
- Place chapter headings on their own line, separated above and below by a single blank line.
- Avoid inline numbering that could be mistaken for text (e.g., “1. In the beginning…” without a clear heading line).
- For long works, use consistent numbering style (Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, or words).
Tip: If the converter supports custom chapter regex, choose a heading style that fits the converter’s detection or configure the regex accordingly.
4) Use consistent paragraph formatting
- Do not rely on manual line breaks inside paragraphs. Reflowed text (wrapped lines) can cause paragraphs to split incorrectly. Make paragraphs single-line (hard-wrapped removal) or use a consistent soft-wrapping policy:
- Best: Use one line per paragraph (press Enter only at paragraph end).
- If your editor wraps visually, use a tool or command to join wrapped lines into one line per paragraph.
- Use blank lines between paragraphs rather than indentations (EPUBs typically use CSS for paragraph indentation).
- Keep dialogue and special blocks (poetry, verse) clearly separated and, if necessary, use indentation markers (e.g., a leading tab or spaces) or blank lines to preserve structure.
How to join wrapped lines (example command in many editors): replace “ (?! )” with a space to join single-line breaks while preserving blank lines.
5) Handle front matter, metadata, and back matter
- Place book title, author name, and any subtitle at the top in clear lines, separated by blank lines:
- Title
- Author
- Subtitle (optional)
- Put copyright and publication notices in a clearly labeled “Copyright” or “Imprint” section.
- Use a clear “Table of Contents” placeholder if you want to supply your own TOC. Otherwise, let the converter auto-generate one from chapter headings.
- Place an explicit End of Book marker (e.g., “*** END ***”) if you include appended material that shouldn’t be treated as main content.
6) Manage lists, tables, and special formatting
- Convert lists to a clean, consistent format:
- Bulleted lists: start lines with “-” or “*” followed by a space.
- Numbered lists: “1. ” “2. ” etc., each on its own line.
- Avoid complex ASCII-art tables. For simple tables, use pipe-delimited rows:
- | Header 1 | Header 2 |
- |———|———-|
- | Cell A | Cell B |
- If your content requires sophisticated tables or layout, consider creating a minimal HTML or EPUB with proper tags rather than relying on TXT conversion.
7) Insert images or media references correctly
- TXT cannot embed images; converters require separate image files referenced during conversion or an intermediate HTML file.
- If Epubor supports adding images during conversion, place an inline placeholder in the TXT (e.g., [IMAGE: filename.jpg]) and prepare the image files with matching names in the same folder when converting.
- Keep image filenames simple (no spaces, use hyphens or underscores) and use widely supported formats: JPEG/PNG for raster images; SVG for scalable graphics if supported.
8) Escape or remove problematic characters
- Replace special smart quotes ( “ ” ‘ ’ ) and em-dashes (—) if you detect encoding problems; UTF-8 will usually handle them fine, but some readers may render differently.
- Remove or normalize zero-width/non-printing characters.
- Watch for long strings without spaces (URLs, long code lines) that can break layout; consider soft-breaking or placing them in code blocks if relevant.
9) Prepare for footnotes, endnotes, and references
- If you have footnotes, keep a consistent reference format in-text (e.g., [1], (1), or superscript markers like ^1) and list the notes in a separate “Notes” or “Endnotes” section.
- For automatic conversion into hyperlink-style notes you may need to convert footnotes into inline HTML or use the converter’s footnote syntax if available.
10) Run a small test conversion and iterate
- Before converting the full manuscript, export a short sample (2–5 chapters) and run it through Epubor TXT2EPUB Converter.
- Inspect the generated EPUB in multiple readers (Calibre viewer, Apple Books, Kindle Previewer, Adobe Digital Editions, mobile devices).
- Note issues: incorrect chapter detection, orphan hyphens, extra line breaks, broken images, missing TOC. Fix the TXT source then reconvert.
Quick checklist before conversion
- File encoding: UTF-8 without BOM
- Line endings: normalized (LF preferred)
- Paragraphs: single-line paragraphs with blank lines between
- Chapter headings: clear, on their own line, consistent style
- Images: placeholders in TXT + matching image files available
- Metadata: title/author at top or supplied separately
- Lists/tables: consistent simple formats
- Footnotes: consistent format or prepared for manual conversion
- Test-convert small sample first
Common problems and fixes
- Broken TOC: ensure chapter headings are distinct and consistent; add a manual TOC if needed.
- Paragraphs split incorrectly: remove hard line wraps inside paragraphs and ensure blank-line paragraph separators.
- Unwanted blank pages or extra spacing: collapse multiple blank lines; check for trailing spaces.
- Images not found: confirm filenames and place images in the same folder or use the converter’s image import tool.
- Encoding glitches: re-save as UTF-8 and re-open to confirm characters display correctly.
When to use a different workflow
- Complex layout (magazines, textbooks with many images/tables, multi-column layouts): create the EPUB from a formatted source (HTML/CSS, InDesign export, or DOCX with careful styling).
- Heavy footnote linking, cross-references, or hyperlinks: author in HTML or EPUB-native format to preserve link targets.
- Need advanced typography (kerning, ligatures, special fonts): prepare a true EPUB with embedded fonts and CSS rather than relying on TXT conversion.
Example: minimal well-formatted TXT snippet
The Adventures of Example John Doe Chapter 1 — A Strange Beginning It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. The wind came in waves across the moor. Chapter 2 — The Meeting They met at noon. She said, "We must leave." He hesitated. This layout uses clear title/author lines, chapter headings on their own lines, and blank lines between paragraphs — the simplest structure for reliable conversion.
Preparing your TXT with these practices will make Epubor TXT2EPUB Converter’s job simpler and produce cleaner, more consistent EPUBs across readers. If you want, send a short sample of your TXT file and I’ll point out specific fixes.
Leave a Reply