[pmcadams]

I have downloaded and read "Building Your Book for Kindle" and have a small cookbook I want to publish to my Kindle.  I'm at the point where I have generated the filtered htm and the next step should be to upload it to amazon, however, I only want to publish this to my Kindle (or send it to family).  Plus, I need be able to add recipes from time to time as this is not what you would call a completed cookbook, but an ongoing collection of fav recipes.

So, is there a (free) tool I can use to convert my cookbook to kindle format, e.g. mobi, or do I upload it to amazon and just never actually release it or .... ?

Thanks!

 

[Hans Cummings]

Calibre can create .mobi files from your Filtered HTML. (http://calibre-ebook.com/)

I use it to process all the books I sell on Amazon, but you don't need to upload it to Amazon to do that. You can use it to create your Kindle file (complete with cover art), then e-mail that Kindle book directly to your (or anyone else's Kindle), easy-as-pie.

 

[Me and My Kindle]

Great idea!

I think there's also even a way that you can e-mail files directly to their Kindles.  (That way they wouldn't have to save the .mobi file to their hard drive, and then upload them to their Kindles with a USB connection!)

 

[Ann in Arlington]

Moved this to the Cafe -- the authors there will likely have the best insight, especially if you do eventually want to publish it 'for real'.

 

[Jill James]

2epub.com also converts to .mobi

 

[AndreSanThomas]

1.  You don't need a special tool to convert.  You can save as an HTML file straight from Word.

2.  You can't publish it "privately" on Amazon.  If you put it out there, it's out there for everyone, not just you and friends and family.

3.  You're going to have trouble publishing it on Amazon because it is difficult, maybe even impossible, to create unique recipes that are not already "freely available on the web".  It will be refused initially by their bots, then you'll have to appeal and make a case on why your combination is original and special.

4.  You will go through that every time you update.

5.  Although you can make updates, it really isn't intended to be a work in progress.  It sounds like a blog or something is more suited to your needs.

 

[pmcadams]

1. You don't need a special tool to convert. You can save as an HTML file straight from Word.

2. You can't publish it "privately" on Amazon. If you put it out there, it's out there for everyone, not just you and friends and family.

3. You're going to have trouble publishing it on Amazon because it is difficult, maybe even impossible, to create unique recipes that are not already "freely available on the web". It will be refused initially by their bots, then you'll have to appeal and make a case on why your combination is original and special.

4. You will go through that every time you update.

5. Although you can make updates, it really isn't intended to be a work in progress. It sounds like a blog or something is more suited to your needs.

My post says I already generated the htm (I did it from Word). Can't publish a book for private use on Amazon... thanks, that's what I needed to know. I'm not looking to make this public, it's for my use and selected distribution only. I don't want another blog or web tool, I want to carry my Kindle in the kitchen and look up my recipes from my "book".

HansCummings, thanks very much ! Calibre did exactly what I needed (except fix my format errors)

 

[Hans Cummings]

My post says I already generated the htm (I did it from Word). Can't publish a book for private use on Amazon... thanks, that's what I needed to know. I'm not looking to make this public, it's for my use and selected distribution only. I don't want another blog or web tool, I want to carry my Kindle in the kitchen and look up my recipes from my "book".

HansCummings, thanks very much ! Calibre did exactly what I needed (except fix my format errors)

You're welcome. I always have to fix formatting errors. I never seem to catch them until I've already created the final versions. Inevitably, I have to do it 2-3 times before I get it right!

 

[BenEBrewer]

You can upload .doc files to KDP if that's the way you'll be publishing

I would be wary as others have said about publishing a cookbook, unless it is very unique there's a good chance that Amazon will block it based on many reasons.  There was a big crackdown on cookbooks a few years ago, it's just amazon's way

Good luck though and I hope everything works out how you want to!