# EPUB Readiness Checker for Novel Manuscripts | NovelOS Studio

> Audit a novel before EPUB export. Check metadata, front matter, chapter structure, images, typography, navigation, accessibility, validation, and retailer de...

Book titleUse the final title and subtitle.Use the final title and subtitle.

Author or pen name

Book languageUse a BCP 47 language tag.Use a BCP 47 language tag.

IdentifierOptional during early preflight.Optional during early preflight.

Publishing destinationDirect distributionAmazon KDPApple BooksKoboDistributor or aggregatorLibrary distributionUse the platform's current specifications as the final authority.

**0%**weighted readiness

**12**publishing blockers open

**18**important fixes open

**0/32**checks completed

Metadata still needed: book title, author name.

## Metadata

**Title matches the cover and title page** blocker  
Use one authoritative spelling, subtitle, and punctuation treatment.**Author and contributor names are final** blocker  
Confirm pen names, initials, roles, and ordering.**Book language is declared** blocker  
Use a valid language code and mark passages in other languages where needed.**Identifier is assigned appropriately** important  
Confirm the ISBN, UUID, retailer identifier, or distribution-specific policy.**Rights, publisher, and publication date are correct** important  
Remove placeholders inherited from a template.**Book description is clean and retailer-ready** polish  
Check unsupported markup, accidental line breaks, and stale edition details.

## Book structure

**Title page is present** important  
Include the book title and author without duplicating the cover image as a page.**Copyright page is final** important  
Check year, rights language, edition, credits, and publisher information.**All chapters appear once and in the intended order** blocker  
Compare the source manuscript, navigation, and rendered reading order.**Heading hierarchy is semantic and consistent** important  
Chapter headings should be real headings rather than enlarged body text.**Scene breaks remain visible without relying on blank space** important  
Reading apps may collapse margins; use an accessible ornament or consistent break style.**Back matter links and calls to action are current** important  
Test links to other books, mailing lists, acknowledgments, and author pages.

## Navigation

**EPUB navigation document contains all intended sections** blocker  
Test chapter links and any part, notes, or back-matter entries.**Landmarks identify cover, beginning, contents, and body matter** important  
Landmarks help reading systems and assistive technology navigate the book.**Internal and external links work** blocker  
Check footnotes, endnotes, table-of-contents links, websites, and email links.**Notes provide a usable return path** important  
Readers should be able to move from a note back to its reference.

## Images

**Cover meets distributor dimensions and color requirements** blocker  
Use the correct aspect ratio, resolution, file type, and embedded cover declaration.**Interior images are appropriately sized and compressed** important  
Avoid tiny text inside images and unnecessarily large source files.**Meaningful images have useful alternative text** important  
Describe the image's function and meaning in its specific context.**Decorative images are marked as decorative** important  
Assistive technology should be able to skip ornaments that carry no meaning.

## Typography and CSS

**Body text reflows without fixed page dimensions** blocker  
Readers must be able to change font size, margin, line height, and orientation.**Embedded font licenses and fallbacks are valid** important  
Subset fonts when appropriate and provide readable generic fallbacks.**Text remains readable in light, dark, and sepia themes** important  
Avoid hard-coded colors that disappear when a reading app changes the background.**Decorative styling degrades gracefully** polish  
Confirm that drop caps, ornaments, and special alignment remain readable on narrow screens.

## Accessibility

**Document language, headings, lists, and quotations are semantic** important  
Structure should remain understandable without visual styling.**Reading order is logical** blocker  
Screen-reader order should match the intended narrative order.**Tables and complex content remain usable on small screens** important  
Avoid layout tables and provide headers or alternatives for real data tables.

## Validation and testing

**The exported file passes the current EPUBCheck release** blocker  
Resolve errors, investigate warnings, and keep the validation report with the production files.**The book was inspected in multiple reading systems** blocker  
Test at least one desktop app, one mobile app, and the target retailer previewer when available.**Large text, custom fonts, dark mode, and narrow screens were tested** important  
Exercise reader controls across several combinations and record the results.**A final human proofread was performed on the exported book** blocker  
Look for conversion artifacts, repeated headings, lost italics, and broken scene separators.**Retailer or distributor preview shows the intended result** important  
Review the processed file after upload because platforms may modify it.

Checklist saved locally

## A focused worksheet for one part of your novel

This free tool handles a specific planning or production task. NovelOS Studio brings characters, worldbuilding, scenes, timelines, goals, manuscript drafting, revision, and publishing exports into one private desktop project.

[Explore Manuscript formatting and export](/features/manuscript-formatter/) 

## An EPUB must work across reading systems

A reliable EPUB must reflow across different screens, font sizes, themes, and reading applications. Visual inspection on one device is therefore necessary but insufficient. Navigation, semantic headings, image descriptions, metadata, language, and validation all affect whether readers can use the book comfortably.

Resolve blockers before decorative polish. Missing title or author metadata, broken table-of-contents links, absent chapters, invalid markup, and unreadable images can prevent delivery or damage the reading experience. Decorative dividers and typographic refinements belong later in the production pass.

NovelOS Studio can export the finished project to EPUB alongside DOCX, PDF, HTML, Markdown, RTF, and plain text. The checker prepares the editorial and production decisions; NovelOS turns the connected manuscript into the files you need.

## How to use this tool

1. Enter basic book metadata and choose the publishing context.
2. Mark completed checks across content, navigation, images, accessibility, and validation.
3. Review the weighted score and resolve publishing blockers first.
4. Download the report for your formatter, editor, or final production pass.

## What the workspace includes

* Prioritizes blockers above cosmetic improvements
* Covers metadata, structure, accessibility, and retailer checks
* Creates a printable production report
* Keeps unpublished book information in the browser

## Questions writers ask

Does this tool validate an EPUB file? 

No. It is a comprehensive manuscript and production-readiness audit. After export, run the actual file through EPUBCheck and inspect it in multiple reading applications.

What is the most important EPUB metadata? 

At minimum, confirm the title, author or contributor, language, identifier, publisher or imprint where applicable, and publication rights. Retailers may require additional fields.

Do ebook images need alt text? 

Meaningful images should have useful alternative text. Purely decorative images should be marked so assistive technology can skip them.

Can NovelOS Studio export EPUB files? 

Yes. NovelOS Studio supports EPUB export as well as DOCX, PDF, HTML, Markdown, RTF, and plain text output.

From worksheet to working novel

## Keep the plan. _Build the whole book._

Bring this work into [Manuscript formatting and export](/features/manuscript-formatter/) in NovelOS Studio, where your characters, world, scenes, timeline, goals, manuscript, and publishing exports stay connected in one private project. 

[ Get NovelOS Studio for 45 ](https://buy.novelos.studio) [Explore Manuscript formatting and export](/features/manuscript-formatter/) 

* One-time purchase
* Windows and macOS
* Local-first privacy

####  Character Creation 

#####  The Oracle 

 Use AI to instantly brainstorm names, backstories, and personality traits for new characters whenever you are stuck. 

#####  AI Portraits 

 Generate visual references for your cast inside the app so every character stays recognizable across the whole book. 

#####  Genealogy Editor 

 Map bloodlines, rivalries, and family connections on a drag-and-drop board built for complex character webs. 

![NovelOS character creation workspace](/_astro/character-creation.C1WKGlzs_Z1vq8I9.webp) 

####  Worldbuilding 

#####  The Architect 

 Generate the foundations for magic systems, religions, and political factions when you need a strong starting point. 

#####  Cartography Editor 

 Auto-generate regional and topographic maps that give your fictional world a real sense of scale. 

#####  Lore Mechanics 

 Define hard rules for your setting so your history, technology, and magic stay consistent from draft to draft. 

![NovelOS worldbuilding and cartography workspace](/_astro/worldbuilding.-uNZwVjJ_1LJQsQ.webp) 

####  Focus Editor (Manuscript) 

#####  Zen Mode 

 Hide every sidebar, menu, and visual distraction so it is just you and the page. 

#####  Vanishing Mode 

 Disable backtracking and force forward momentum when you need to finish the first draft without self-editing. 

#####  Smart Mentions 

 Type @ to reference characters, places, and lore without leaving the manuscript flow. 

![NovelOS focus editor and manuscript workspace](/_astro/focus-editor.BU3UPM7C_vGI92.webp) 

####  The Blueprint 

#####  Plots Canvas 

 Map story arcs visually, connect major beats, and spot structural gaps before they reach the manuscript. 

#####  Scene Cards 

 Plan each chapter with detailed scene blocks so the prose has a stronger narrative foundation. 

#####  Timeline View 

 Track pacing across characters and locations with a timeline built for multi-threaded stories. 

![NovelOS blueprint plotting workspace](/_astro/the-blueprint.c4k6_BBv_60c37.webp) 

####  Ideas Bank (Spark) 

#####  Infinite Canvas 

 Dump notes, connect fragments, and cluster ideas on a giant digital board that feels freeform instead of rigid. 

#####  Multimedia Notes 

 Drop text, images, links, audio, and video onto the same board to keep all research in one place. 

#####  Mini-Browser 

 Research references inside the app without disappearing into a maze of external tabs. 

![NovelOS spark board and ideas bank workspace](/_astro/ideas-bank.BBTPnpW__Z2tPLHz.webp) 

####  Goals Tracking 

#####  Daily Targets 

 See exactly how many words you need today to reach your deadline with less guesswork. 

#####  Heatmap Grid 

 Use a visual consistency tracker to protect your streak and keep the writing habit alive. 

#####  Pulse Analytics 

 Monitor momentum, output, and prose sharpness in real time so your progress stays measurable. 

#####  Writing Presets 

 Start with proven word-count goals like NaNoWriMo or Epic Novel targets in one click. 

![NovelOS goals tracking and writing analytics workspace](/_astro/goals-tracking.CTQttjmb_Z1COHhM.webp)