Ebook Formatting: When You Should Do It Yourself (And When to Hire)
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Completing a book may seem likes a tedious milestone achieved, but wait until you step into ebook formatting.
Many writers fret over its technicality while others skip it altogether, deeming it unnecessary.
I am here to tell you it shouldn’t be the case.
Ebook formatting isn’t rocket science or as simple as adding post-paragraph spaces.
So, should you DIY ebook design or hire a professional?
It all boils down to your goals, the complexity of your ebook, your budget, and your skill level.
In this blog, I am going to discuss when DIY ebook design makes sense, when it’s smarter to outsource, and how to make the right decision for your publishing journey.
Let’s get started!
What Is Ebook Formatting and Why It Matters?
Ebook formatting is how your ebook looks and works on a screen.
From font choices and paragraph spacing to clickable table of contents and image placement, formatting is what controls the reader’s entire experience.
Get it right, and your ebook reads smoothly and professionally on every device — Kindle, iPad, phone, or desktop. Get it wrong, and you’ll lose your readers before they finish page one.
And let’s be honest — readers do judge your book by its cover. Inconsistent headers, awkward breaks, or messy alignment can make even a great book look amateur. That’s a credibility killer.
Moreover, self-publishing platforms like Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, etc, have their own ebook formatting rules. If your book doesn’t meet their standards, it is most likely to not get listed.
Or worse, it will be available for the public eye in its raw, broken form.
Now, who would want that?
When You Should Format Your Ebook Yourself (DIY Ebook Design)
There’s a time and place for DIY ebook design — and no, it’s not just when you’re trying to save money.
Doing it yourself makes sense if your ebook is simple, text-heavy, and doesn’t need fancy layouts like novels, short stories, and basic how-to guides.
Ebooks like these don’t usually require complex formatting procedures, and most writers can handle this job easily.
DIY Ebook Design is a good idea if:
You enjoy the hands-on process.
You have decent formatting skills.
You want full creative control over the final look.
Or you’re just starting and want to learn this skill.
There are great tools out there that make the process easier than ever. Atticus, Reedsy Editor, Calibre, Vellum, and Scrivener all have clean formatting features without you having to touch a line of code.
A few quick tips if you are wondering how to format your ebook:
Use clean, readable fonts and consistent heading styles.
Don’t overcomplicate it. Simplicity enhances readability.
Always test your ebook on multiple devices and apps before publishing.
DIY ebook formatting isn’t about adding spaces and improving alignment.
It’s about knowing when “good enough” is actually good enough — and when you can skip the outsourcing.
When To Hire a Professional Ebook Formatting Designer
Sometimes DIY just won’t cut it — and ebook formatting is one of those areas where trying to wing it can backfire fast.
If your ebook has a complex layout, such as image-heavy content, charts, callouts, sidebars, footnotes, or interactive elements, hiring a professional is the way to go. Consider cookbooks, workbooks, technical guides, or anything that requires precision.
Formatting these manually (and ensuring they look appealing across all devices) is a different challenge altogether.
You should also consider hiring if:
You’re short on time
You don’t want to deal with tech headaches
You’re publishing across multiple platforms and want perfect compatibility
Your book is going to represent your brand or business — it has to look polished
You’re pressed on budget.
A professional ebook designer will handle the details most DIY tools miss — like proper styling, image and graphics flow, page breaks, font and size consistency, headers, footers and different publishing layouts.
Professional formatters are aware of what each platform expects and make sure your ebook meets those standards.
Stat to drive it home: 60% of independent authors surveyed said they hire a professional editor for their books, whereas just 20% indicated they format their books themselves.
If you want to sell, scale, or stand out, hiring a formatter isn’t an expense — it’s a worthwhile investment.
How to Decide: DIY or Hire?
So, to answer the million dollar question: Should you hire a professional ebook designer or format it yourself?
Since we have already discussed the different reasons why each approach is important, let’s take a quick look at their pros and cons so you can make the right choice for your book.
Pros and Cons of DIY Ebook Design
Pros:
Affordable: If you’re tight on budget, DIY formatting is the best option.
Full control: You have complete creative control of your ebook.
Fast turnaround: You work on your schedule — no waiting for availability or revisions.
Cons:
Learning curve: Ebook formatting tools are easy to use, but there’s still tech involved, as well as might need a subscription fee.
Time-consuming: Every hour spent formatting is an hour not spent writing, marketing publishing.
More mistakes: What looks good on your laptop may look off on an iPad. Missed formatting errors can cost you reviews.
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional Formatter
Pros:
Professional result: Pros know the platform standards inside out and make your ebook look good and readable on every device.
Saves time: You outsource the task and focus on what you do best — writing or promoting.
Platform-ready files: Your formatter handles the technical stuff like EPUB specs or Amazon Kindle standards.
Cons:
Higher upfront cost: Formatting fees range from $50 to $1000+, depending on complexity.
Less hands-on control: You’ll need to communicate your vision or risk getting a design that’s not what you expected.
Dependent on someone else’s schedule: There’s a good chance your ebook isn’t the only project your formatter is working on. So, if his schedule is booked, you can do nothing but wait.
In a Nutshell
Formatting your ebook or hiring a pro all comes down to your priorities — budget, time, and quality.
If you’re comfortable with the tools, on a tight budget, and your ebook is simple, DIY ebook formatting is the right answer.
But if your ebook has complex designs, you’re publishing across multiple platforms, or you just want to be sure of a professional result, hiring a formatter will save you time and potential headaches in the long run.
Ready to Publish Your Ebook?
Don’t let formatting hold you back. Get in touch today for a free consultation, and let’s get your ebook noticed.