Sigil

Sigil is a highly regarded free Office Tool designed for eBook creation and editing, fitting neatly into the E-book Tools subcategory. The latest version, 2.3.1, offers a multitude of features that make it an ideal choice for both beginners and professional editors. Developed by John Schember, Sigil's intuitive interface and rich toolkit support the EPUB format (both ePub 2 and ePub3), handling text, images, and even video inputs. It's compatible with all major versions of Windows, including Windows XP/XP Professional, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11.

Sigil stands out due to its ease of use and comprehensive functionalities. Downloading and utilizing Sigil is straightforward, whether you opt for files like Sigil.exe or Sigil-0.7.3.exe. The program's versatility is evident from its ability to manipulate HTML and XML code, which helps in customizing the appearance of eBooks to the user's exact requirements. The ample editing tools—such as a built-in spell checker, style sheet handling, and an index editor—are particularly beneficial for refining and polishing eBooks.

For users who are new to eBook creation, Sigil provides a gentle learning curve with its WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface, which closely mirrors that of Microsoft Office. This makes it an accessible tool for those already familiar with such office software. A noteworthy feature is the automatic generation of a Table of Contents once the manuscript is finished, saving users valuable time and effort.

However, while Sigil excels in eBook editing, it is less robust when it comes to writing new content from scratch. Its primary strength lies in enhancing and formatting existing work, rather than serving as an all-in-one writing tool.

Support for various file formats, including TXT, HTML, and EPUB for import and EPUB and SGF (Sigil native format) for export, adds to the program's flexibility. Additionally, the program’s cross-compatibility across different operating systems such as Windows further broadens its usability.

Pros:

• Free to download and use
• Supports a wide array of editing features, including HTML and XML code manipulation
• Automatic Table of Contents generation
• Simple, intuitive interface similar to Microsoft Office
• Cross-compatibility with major desktop platforms

Cons:

• Lacks advanced writing tools for creating new content from scratch

Overall, Sigil remains a powerful and accessible option for anyone looking to dive into eBook editing. Its user-friendly design and extensive editing capabilities make it a standout tool in the realm of eBook Tools.

You may want to check out more software, such as OverDrive Media Console or Doro, which might be related to Sigil.