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Book Importing Best Practices

Want your manuscript to import perfectly with all sections (chapters, parts, front/back matter) automatically organized? These proven practices ensure flawless section detection and save you from post-import adjustments.

The key to perfect imports: Proper heading structure and clear section boundaries. Most documents work great as-is, but these quick improvements guarantee optimal results.

Quick Pre-Import Checklist

Review your document against this checklist before importing. Each item takes seconds to verify and prevents common section-splitting issues:

✅ Document Structure

  • Save as .docx - Ensure your file is in Word format
  • Use heading styles - Section titles formatted as Heading 1
  • Subtitles - Immediately follow section titles with a Heading 2 for subtitles
  • Consistent section naming - Use clear patterns like “Chapter 1”, “Chapter I”, or “Introduction”
  • Clear section breaks - Adequate spacing or page breaks between major sections

✅ Section Organization

  • One section per heading - Each major section starts with a Heading 1
  • Logical flow - Front matter → Main sections → Back matter
  • Standard section names - Use conventional terms (Introduction, Epilogue, etc.)

✅ Content Formatting

  • Clean paragraph breaks - No excessive empty lines within sections
  • Consistent spacing - Similar formatting throughout the document
  • Remove extra elements - Delete complex tables or embedded objects if possible

Common Document Patterns That Work Perfectly

These examples show document structures that import flawlessly. Most well-written manuscripts already follow these patterns:

Example Structure

Title Page
Copyright
Dedication (optional)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
...
Epilogue
About the Author
Well-structured document sections in Lacuna

Quick Fixes for Better Section Detection

If you want to optimize your document, these simple changes ensure perfect section recognition:

Section Headings (Most Important)

✅ Use these patterns:

Chapter 1
Chapter 2: The Quest Begins  
Chapter One
Introduction
Epilogue
Conclusion

❌ Avoid these patterns:

1. The First Chapter (numbers without a clear keyword like "Chapter" or "Section")
Part One - Beginning (embedded in larger text blocks)
CHAPTER ONE: THE STORY BEGINS... (overly long titles with excessive punctuation/caps)

Section Separation

✅ Clear boundaries:

  • Use page breaks between major sections
  • Maintain consistent spacing between chapters
  • Keep each chapter title on its own line

❌ Confusing boundaries:

  • Chapter titles buried in paragraphs
  • Inconsistent spacing throughout document
  • Multiple chapters without clear separation

Document Organization

✅ Logical flow:

  • Front matter sections at the beginning
  • Main content (sections/chapters) in the middle
  • Back matter sections at the end
  • Consistent naming conventions

How Subtitles Work

Subtitles let you present a short descriptor under the main section title. The importer pairs a Heading 1 (title) immediately followed by a Heading 2 (subtitle).

What to do

  • Use Heading 1 for the section title
  • On the very next line, add Heading 2 for the subtitle (ideally, have no body text in between)

Also supported

  • A single Heading 1 like “Chapter 2: The Quest Begins” may be split into title + subtitle automatically in many cases.
  • Scrivener users: if Heading 2 subtitles aren’t importing as expected, use a single Heading 1 formatted like Chapter 1: Subtitle. See the note above.

Section Types Lacuna Recognizes

Lacuna automatically detects and categorizes these common book sections:

Front Matter

  • Title Page, Copyright, Dedication
  • Acknowledgments, Foreword, Preface
  • Introduction, Table of Contents

Main Content

  • Chapter (numbered or named)
  • Part, Section (for multi-part books)

Back Matter

  • Epilogue, Conclusion, Afterword
  • Appendix, Glossary, Bibliography
  • About the Author, Index

When Things Don’t Import as Expected

Most documents import perfectly, but if your sections aren’t detected correctly:

Before Re-importing

  1. Check your headings - Ensure section titles use heading styles (not just bold text)
  2. Verify section names - Use standard terms like “Chapter 1” or “Introduction”
  3. Review spacing - Add clear breaks between major sections
  4. Simplify titles - Keep section headings concise and standalone

After Import

Don’t worry! Even if sections aren’t perfect initially:

  • Easy reorganization - Drag and drop sections in the editor sidebar
  • Quick renaming - Click any section title to edit it
  • Flexible structure - Add, remove, or rearrange sections as needed

Ready to Import?

Your manuscript is ready! Head to How to Import Your Manuscript to transform your document into a beautiful book project.

After Import, Explore: