Importing from iBooks Author via EPUB

[notsomebodyelse]

Okay, so. This is my situation. I have an eBook that I developed through iBooks Author which I eventually published through a certain couple outlets. I want to now publish on Amazon Kindle. Consequently, I've run into problems. For one, I cannot convert IBA files into KP8 and related formats because reasons. I since learned I can convert it into an epub file, which can then be put onto Kindle. However, iBooks Author doesn't allow you to implement inline images in their epub files because reasons. This is a problem, since a few of the chapters have this. I've been told I can implement inline images into an epub through InDesign. Of course, I'm not sure how to do that while retaining the work I did on iBooks Author.

At first I thought I could import the material as a PDF. That doesn't work however, since PDFs are treated as objects in InDesign and thus cannot be edited, because reasons. My next idea is to simply convert the file into an epub on iBooks Author, convert it into an acceptable set of files via ickmull, then redesign the layout on InDesign and export as a fixed-layout epub. I'm just not sure if it could work, though. Is that plausible? Is there a simpler solution to my situation?

(note that I cannot and will not publish on iBooks itself)

[Derek Cross]

Probably best to recreate your document InDesign and export it as a FXL ePub and, after validating it, use the Kindle Previewer to convert it into a format suitable for the Kindle.

[BobLevine]

notsomebodyelse  wrote

(note that I cannot and will not publish on iBooks itself)

Then why did you use iBooks Author to create the document? As for Kindle, I have read nothing that would make me confident of trying to put a fixed layout epub on Amazon's book store.

[notsomebodyelse]

Because for the initial outlets, all I needed to do was produce a PDF, which iBooks Author can export to. iBooks Author already came with my laptop, so at the time I didn't pursue the matter further on the mere principle of low cost entry. It was only after the release that I even considered Amazon.

[BobLevine]

Well, you could save the PDF as a Word file from Acrobat Pro and place that in InDesign. You’ll have lots of work to do.

[Derek Cross]

Look at the matter as "you're glass is half full". Recreate the whole document for your preferred digital format. You'll learn a lot and it will extend your InDesign and publishing repertoire! 

[Derek Cross]

You need to think through the choices for the final output considering the type of content, the target user / the desired reading device(s) and so on, before making a choice of digital format. There's no one format that offers everything, each has advantages (features) and disadvantages.

Have a look at Circular Flow, this seems to have a good reputation for producing FXL ePubs from InDesign suitable for the Kindle, though as I mentioned, you'll probably have to start again formatting your InDesign for ePub: https://www.circularflo.com/