Is LaTeX Suitable for Publishing Fiction Books?

[Borek]

I am in need of preparing a book for publication (collection of short stories). Simple text, no images, no formulas, the fanciest thing needed is some paragraph formatting with left/right margins, plus some titles/subtitles. Almost doable with any word processing software.

But I don't trust word processors enough. Eons ago I would just use Quark, but I have no access to it, nor a legal version that I could install. Buying it for a single book is not an option.

I can hire someone, but first I want to take a look at other possibilities. My first bets are LaTeX and Scribus (yes, completely different philosophy, but it is the end result that I am interested in).

And other ideas? Any experience with using LaTeX for fiction?

 

[Borek]

Sigh, I need more - I need footnotes (or endnotes, both will do). And I just found Scribus doesn't support them (at least not the stable 1.4.4). They should be supported in 1.5, but it is only in dev version as of now and I don't like the idea of using dev version of the program I don't know.

 

[bigfooted]

If you already are familiar with latex I would use that.
Aren't there latex style files that create good looking 'normal book' layouts? I remember creating and using style files a lot for my thesis work to tweak the layout of the defaults styles (article, beamer, book) to my satisfaction.
I haven't used it myself, but the memoir package or the tufte-latex package sound very useful for non-science book-projects, but they are huge and powerful packages so it might take a while to create something nice. If you don't need extremely fancy things, maybe creating your own style file is sufficient for your purpose.

This link also seems interesting if you need something fancy, like you sometimes see at the start of fantasy/medieval book chapters:
http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/1319/showcase-of-beautiful-typography-done-in-tex-friends

 

[Borek]

I am afraid my knowledge of LaTeX is limited to the formatting of equations, not to LaTeX itself.

That being said, I believe I have enough experience with different kinds of languages to make it work (and I can afford spending a day or two trying to fine tune the output to get what I need). memoir and some other style (devoted to SF books, I don't remember the name at the moment, but it can be localized in no time) seem to be a good starting point. That much I already know.

 

[alphy]

I understand the importance of having a reliable and professional-looking publication. While word processing software may seem like the easiest option for formatting a book, I agree that it may not always be the most trustworthy.

LaTeX and Scribus are both excellent options for creating a book, and I have personally used LaTeX for scientific publications. While it may have a different philosophy than traditional word processors, it offers a high level of control and precision for formatting text. Additionally, it is known for its ability to handle large amounts of text and complex formatting, making it a suitable choice for a book of short stories.

However, I would also recommend considering other options such as Adobe InDesign or Affinity Publisher. These software programs are specifically designed for book layout and offer a wide range of tools and features for formatting text and creating professional-looking designs. They may also have easier learning curves compared to LaTeX.

Ultimately, the best option for you will depend on your personal preferences and the level of control and precision you desire for your book. I would suggest exploring different software options and perhaps even consulting with a professional book designer to determine the best fit for your project. Good luck with your publication!