Note: to determine which formats works best for your Kindle, check out our Formats page.
Two free software converters
Stanza will convert all kinds of text into several ebook formats, including the proprietary .azw format Amazon uses for its own Kindle texts. You can also use Stanza to read texts directly on the screen in a clutter-free layout. Apple and Windows.
Mobipocket Creator will produce .prc files that can be displayed on your Kindle. Windows only.
You can also use Mobipocket Desktop to manage your ebooks and RSS feeks, then sync them to your Kindle whenever you connect it via USB. However, you have to use version 6.0, not any of the later versions (such as 6.1 or 6.2). Amazon, which owns Mobipocket, has removed support for the Kindle from more recent versions. (Shame on you, Amazon!)
Pros: Easy to use, free, fast, works consistently
Cons: Windows only, RSS feed management is limited; for Desktop manager, most recent versions lack Kindle support.
An alternative RSS solution:
From the blog interface.puhala.com comes this helpful advice on how to cheaply create your own customized newspapers and blogs. You’ll need the following services and items:
- A free account at FeedJournal: http://feedjournal.com
- Some RSS feeds you’d like to subscribe to
- The free “full rss feed” tool on this website: http://labs.echoditto.com/fulltextrss
Pros: Free!
Cons: Lots of fine-tuning required, FeedJournal is not very easy to use and tends to produce errors frequently. Can be very slow at times.


“Face of Betrayal” by Lis Wiehl
“Curious Folks Ask” by Sherry Seethaler
“Your Credit Score” by Liz Pulliam Weston
“The Skull Ring” by Scott Nicholson
Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon
GONE by Karen Fenech
Out of Water by Colin Chartres and Samyuktha Varma
I am new to Kindle but someone from another forum recommended “Calibre”. It allows for converting files, changing meta-data and uploading it. It has saved a lot of time waiting for conversions. Now I don’t have to email it to Amazon for conversion. I highly recommend it!!!
I recommend Calibre http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ it is free and cross-platform supporting windows, mac, and linux
[...] Converting Stuff [...]
I’ss also vouch for Calibre. I tell people it’s like iTunes for their Kindle (or whatever e-book reader they have). It will do anything but break copy protection. It will also download, reformat, and dump in the Kindle complete websites like MSNBC.com, huffington post, readers digest — hundreds of sites. If you don’t have it, you should. And it’s free and available for your Linux, Windows, or Mac computer.