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Book Importing Best Practices

Want your manuscript to import perfectly with all chapters and sections 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 - Chapter titles formatted as Heading 1 or Heading 2
  • Consistent chapter naming - Use “Chapter 1”, “Chapter 2” or similar patterns
  • Clear section breaks - Adequate spacing or page breaks between major sections

✅ Chapter Organization

  • One chapter per heading - Each chapter starts with a properly formatted heading
  • Logical flow - Front matter → Chapters → Back matter
  • Standard section names - Use conventional terms (Introduction, Epilogue, etc.)

✅ Content Formatting

  • Clean paragraph breaks - No excessive empty lines within chapters
  • 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:

Fiction/Novel Structure

Title Page
Copyright
Dedication (optional)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2: The Journey Begins
Chapter 3
...
Epilogue
About the Author

Non-Fiction Structure

Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Chapter 2: Advanced Techniques
Chapter 3: Best Practices
...
Conclusion
Appendix A: Resources
Bibliography
About the Author

Academic/Technical Structure

Title Page
Abstract
Introduction
Chapter 1: Literature Review
Chapter 2: Methodology
Chapter 3: Results
...
Conclusion
References
Appendix
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:

Chapter 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 "Chapter")
Part One - Beginning (embedded in larger text blocks)
CHAPTER ONE: THE STORY BEGINS... (overly long titles)

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 (chapters) in the middle
  • Back matter sections at the end
  • Consistent naming conventions

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 chapter 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 chapter 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: