Formats are one of the most deceptively complicated parts of modern publishing.
At first glance, it seems simple: ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook. Four formats, one book. Easy. But once you actually start managing those formats across different vendors, platforms, prices, ISBNs, files, and versions, it stops being simple. Fast.
The publishing industry never gave us a real system for handling formats. So most authors cobble together their own—spreadsheets, folders, naming conventions, vague memory. That works for a while, until it doesn’t.
MetaShelf was built to fix that. Because formats shouldn’t feel like separate books. They should feel like what they are: different containers for the same content.
One Book, Many Containers
In MetaShelf, a format is always attached to a book. You create a book once—title, author, description, keywords, etc.—and then you add formats to it. Each format inherits as much as possible from the book’s core metadata, so you’re not starting from scratch every time. You’re just adding the differences.
Ebook? Great. Add your file, retail price, vendor links, and store-specific details. Print? Just add page count, ISBN, trim size, and cover file. Audiobook? Upload the runtime, narrator info, and audio sample link. Each format has its own structure, but they all live under the same umbrella.
This isn’t just cleaner—it’s smarter. Because now when you change the book’s description, it flows through all formats unless you choose to override it. When you add a new keyword, all versions benefit. When you want to see where a file lives, you don’t have to hunt through folders or vendor dashboards—you’ve already got it in front of you.
Structure That Scales With You
Let’s say you’re managing a trilogy. Each book has three formats: ebook, paperback, and hardcover. That’s nine different “products” across your store links, file uploads, and vendor accounts. But in MetaShelf, they’re grouped under three books—each with three formats. So instead of managing nine disconnected items, you’re managing three connected structures.
You know where everything lives. You know what’s done and what’s still missing.
This is especially powerful when you’re working with other people. Let’s say your assistant is helping with file uploads. They can go directly to a book’s audiobook format and see exactly what’s needed. No email chains. No file name confusion. No “which version is the right one?” chaos. The structure handles it.
The same goes for updating prices. Or tracking which formats are live on which platforms. Or seeing which formats are missing entirely. MetaShelf makes it visible.
You can scan your library and instantly spot that Book 2 is missing a hardcover. Or that the print version of Book 5 still has the old blurb. The system doesn’t just store your data—it surfaces what matters.
Format Types, Tailored to Fit
Each format type has a structure that matches how publishing actually works.
Ebooks focus on files, prices, DRM settings, and retailer links.
Print tracks trim size, page count, spine width, cover files, and printer details.
Audiobooks store runtime, narrator, chapter count, audio samples, and distributor links.
These aren’t just checkboxes. They’re modeled on real production processes. When you create a new format, MetaShelf gives you the fields that matter—nothing more, nothing less. The structure adapts to fit your publishing process—not the other way around.
Connected, Not Duplicated
And the real magic? You never have to retype the same thing twice. If your core book metadata is clean, each format simply extends it. The differences are additive, not duplicative. That saves time. It reduces errors. And it makes your publishing life saner.
At a glance, you can see how many formats each book has. You can filter by books missing a format. You can check which formats are live and which are still in progress. And because formats are treated as structured data—not just files in a folder—you can eventually generate reports, export them, or feed them into other systems.
That’s the kind of power authors usually don’t get access to.
MetaShelf changes that.
Built for Where You’re Going
Formats in MetaShelf are built to scale with your workflow. If you only publish in ebook for now, you’ll still benefit from the structure, and you can add print or audio later without having to rebuild anything. If you work with large catalogs and multiple imprints, the structure stays strong—each format carries its own data, but always ties back to a single source of truth.
And if you’re working internationally, formats give you another layer of control. You can track region-specific ISBNs, print specs, distribution paths. Whether you’re doing wide audio via Findaway or direct print via BookVault, your metadata knows what it’s doing.
Publishing Without the Headache
We built Formats not just to support what indie authors do today, but to anticipate what they’ll need next. As you grow your catalog, experiment with new editions, or start selling direct, your formats evolve. They need a place to live that respects the work you’ve already done.
In MetaShelf, you create once. Then you extend. And everything stays connected.
Because publishing across formats shouldn’t be a chore. It should be a natural part of your process—fluid, flexible, and under control.
