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Ebook Design & Publishing Course
More than 2 million students worldwide

Ebook Design & Publishing Course

Master every stage of professional ebook creation, from manuscript formatting and EPUB production to cover design, accessibility compliance, and platform distribution. This course gives you the technical skills and strategic knowledge to publish polished, market-ready ebooks across all major platforms. Whether you're an author, designer, or publisher, you'll finish with a complete, repeatable production workflow.

Dedika for businesses

What you will learn:

You'll learn how to format manuscripts correctly, produce valid EPUB and PDF files, and design covers that sell. The course covers typography, visual layout, color theory, and fixed-layout design for illustrated titles. You'll implement accessibility standards so your ebooks reach every reader. You'll also explore interactive EPUB3 features, including embedded audio, video, and JavaScript quizzes. On the business side, you'll compare distribution platforms, set pricing strategies, and build a launch plan. AI production tools, project management workflows, and catalog management round out the full publishing skill set.

How you study in practice Ebook Design & Publishing Course

How you practice Ebook Design & Publishing Course

For companies that want to train their team

With Dedika for Business, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 40 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Ebook Design

  • Lesson 1 • Typography Basics for Ebooks

    Introduces typeface selection, font embedding, and size scaling for digital reading. Establishes typographic standards used throughout the course.

  • Lesson 2 • Core Design Principles for Screens

    Applies visual hierarchy, contrast, and whitespace to screen-based reading. Grounds all subsequent design work in proven readability principles.

  • Lesson 3 • Reader Ecosystems and Devices

    Maps major reading platforms, devices, and their rendering engines. Informs design decisions based on target audience hardware.

  • Lesson 4 • Planning Your Ebook Project

    Defines scope, audience, and content structure before production begins. Prevents costly redesigns by establishing a clear project blueprint.

  • Lesson 5 • Ebook Formats and File Types

    Covers EPUB, MOBI, PDF, and AZW3 distinctions and use cases. Connects format choice to platform compatibility and reader experience.

Chapter 2See details

Content Structuring and Manuscript Prep

  • Lesson 1 • Working with Word Processors

    Covers style-based formatting in common word processors for clean export. Directly prepares manuscripts for import into design and conversion tools.

  • Lesson 2 • Structuring Front and Back Matter

    Defines required and optional front matter, back matter, and metadata fields. Proper structure ensures platform compliance and professional presentation.

  • Lesson 3 • Metadata and Document Properties

    Embeds title, author, ISBN, and subject metadata into source files. Accurate metadata drives discoverability and platform ingestion accuracy.

  • Lesson 4 • Image and Media Preparation

    Covers resolution, color mode, and file format requirements for embedded media. Prepares assets that render correctly across all target devices.

  • Lesson 5 • Manuscript Formatting Standards

    Establishes heading hierarchies, paragraph styles, and metadata tagging in source documents. Clean source files are the foundation of error-free ebook conversion.

Chapter 3See details

EPUB Production Fundamentals

  • Lesson 1 • EPUB Validation and Error Fixing

    Uses EPUBCheck and related validators to identify and resolve spec violations. Ensures files pass platform ingestion checks before submission.

  • Lesson 2 • CSS Styling for Reflowable EPUBs

    Applies CSS rules scoped to EPUB constraints for consistent cross-device rendering. Builds the styling skills used in all subsequent EPUB work.

  • Lesson 3 • Converting Manuscripts to EPUB

    Walks through automated and semi-automated conversion workflows from DOCX and HTML. Establishes efficient pipelines that minimize manual cleanup.

  • Lesson 4 • Editing EPUB Files Directly

    Introduces EPUB editors for direct HTML and CSS editing inside the package. Enables precise control unavailable through automated conversion alone.

  • Lesson 5 • EPUB Structure and Anatomy

    Explains the internal file structure of an EPUB package, including OPF, NCX, and container files. Understanding anatomy enables manual troubleshooting and customization.

Chapter 4See details

Visual Design and Layout Techniques

  • Lesson 1 • Interior Layout and Page Design

    Designs chapter openers, pull quotes, sidebars, and decorative elements for interiors. Elevates readability and visual interest beyond plain text.

  • Lesson 2 • Color Theory for Digital Publishing

    Applies color psychology, palette building, and contrast ratios to ebook design. Color decisions made here carry through cover and interior design work.

  • Lesson 3 • Working with Images and Infographics

    Integrates photographs, charts, and custom infographics into ebook layouts. Teaches placement, captioning, and accessibility best practices.

  • Lesson 4 • Designing the Ebook Cover

    Covers thumbnail legibility, genre conventions, and typography placement for covers. A strong cover is the primary sales asset for any ebook.

  • Lesson 5 • Fixed-Layout Design Principles

    Introduces fixed-layout EPUB design for illustrated books, cookbooks, and children's titles. Contrasts fixed-layout constraints with reflowable design freedom.

Chapter 5See details

PDF Ebook Production

  • Lesson 1 • Layout Software for PDF Production

    Introduces professional desktop publishing tools for building PDF ebook layouts. Establishes the production environment used throughout this chapter.

  • Lesson 2 • Typesetting Long-Form Content

    Applies advanced typesetting rules to multi-chapter documents for professional output. Covers widow and orphan control, hyphenation, and optical margin alignment.

  • Lesson 3 • PDF vs. EPUB for Distribution

    Compares PDF strengths and limitations against EPUB for various distribution channels. Guides format selection decisions for specific publishing scenarios.

  • Lesson 4 • PDF Optimization for Screen Reading

    Reduces file size and configures reading view settings for on-screen PDF delivery. Optimized PDFs load faster and improve the reader experience.

  • Lesson 5 • Exporting Accessible PDFs

    Configures PDF export settings for tagged, accessible, and searchable output. Accessibility compliance expands audience reach and meets platform requirements.

Chapter 6See details

Accessibility and Inclusive Design

  • Lesson 1 • Reading Order and Navigation

    Configures logical reading order, skip navigation, and landmark navigation for assistive technology. Correct reading order is critical for screen reader users.

  • Lesson 2 • Accessibility Testing and Reporting

    Uses automated checkers and manual screen reader testing to audit ebook accessibility. Produces an accessibility conformance report for platform submission.

  • Lesson 3 • Images, Tables, and Complex Content

    Provides alt text, long descriptions, and accessible table markup for non-text content. Ensures all readers receive equivalent information regardless of ability.

  • Lesson 4 • Semantic Markup and ARIA Roles

    Applies semantic HTML5 elements and ARIA landmark roles to EPUB content. Proper semantics enable screen readers to navigate and interpret content correctly.

  • Lesson 5 • Accessibility Standards for Ebooks

    Introduces WCAG guidelines and EPUB Accessibility specification requirements. Compliance protects publishers legally and expands readership to all audiences.

Chapter 7See details

Interactive and Multimedia Ebooks

  • Lesson 1 • Adding Hyperlinks and Navigation

    Builds internal cross-references, external hyperlinks, and custom navigation menus. Enhances usability and connects related content within the ebook.

  • Lesson 2 • Embedding Audio and Video

    Covers HTML5 audio and video embedding within EPUB3 content documents. Teaches fallback strategies for devices that do not support media playback.

  • Lesson 3 • Testing Interactive Ebooks

    Validates interactive features across reading systems and devices before release. Systematic testing prevents broken experiences that damage reader trust.

  • Lesson 4 • Interactive Quizzes and Forms

    Implements JavaScript-driven quizzes and fillable form elements in EPUB3. Adds learning reinforcement features valuable in educational ebooks.

  • Lesson 5 • EPUB3 Interactive Features Overview

    Introduces EPUB3 capabilities including JavaScript, media overlays, and rich media. Sets the scope of what enhanced ebooks can deliver on modern devices.

Chapter 8See details

Publishing, Distribution, and Strategy

  • Lesson 1 • Preparing Files for Platform Submission

    Covers final file checks, cover spec compliance, and metadata completeness before upload. Submission-ready files reduce rejection rates and speed up publication.

  • Lesson 2 • Analytics, Updates, and Long-Term Strategy

    Interprets platform sales dashboards and uses data to guide updates and future titles. Ongoing optimization extends the commercial life of every published ebook.

  • Lesson 3 • Ebook Launch Planning

    Builds a pre-launch, launch-day, and post-launch action plan for maximum visibility. A structured launch plan drives early sales rank and reader reviews.

  • Lesson 4 • Major Ebook Distribution Platforms

    Compares self-publishing platforms, aggregators, and direct sales channels by reach and terms. Platform selection directly impacts revenue and audience access.

  • Lesson 5 • Pricing Models and Royalty Structures

    Analyzes royalty tiers, price elasticity, and promotional pricing strategies across platforms. Informed pricing decisions maximize both revenue and discoverability.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

  • Self-publishing authors: ready to stop outsourcing and own the full production process.

  • Graphic designers: looking to expand into the growing digital publishing services market.

  • Content marketers: wanting to package expertise into polished, distributable ebook products.

  • Career changers: drawn to publishing and seeking concrete, employable production skills.

  • Small publishers: needing a reliable workflow to manage multiple titles efficiently.

  • Educators and coaches: aiming to turn their curriculum into professionally formatted ebook resources.

What our students say

Your classes are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of my interest without needing to switch platforms... I thank you for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...
Giulio Carlo
Giulio CarloDigital Marketing Student
I like how the lessons are straight to the point and how I can switch chapters and skip content I don't need.
Mariana Ferres
Mariana FerresPhotography Student
I like the content and the presentation style and video transcription, which speeds up the process!
Luciana Alvarenga
Luciana AlvarengaNail Design Student
The platform is fast, simple to use. The diversity of content and complementary videos really help with learning.
André Felipe
André FelipePrompt Engineering Student

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