QuickFix: Create ePub files in two steps using Lyx and Calibre for eReaders and Tablets

With the proliferation of tablets and smartphone, everyone is now eager to create their own ebooks.  Writers who make use of Lyx can directly output to PDF, arguably the most popular format for ebooks.  Writers may also want to output to ePub, a format accepted in a variety of ebook reader applications including the popular iBook on the iPad.  The advantages of EPUB are reflowing text and a smaller file size compared to PDF.  Moreover, EPUB retains a very professional output that is as consistent as PDF. 

Although Lyx does not have options to output directly to EPUB, users can open the  resulting PDF in Calibre and convert to EPUB.  The process is fast even on a netbook and largely automated though users can modify plenty of options if they want to.

Lyx can't export to EPUB but can export to cross-compatible PDF.

Calibre efficiently converts PDFs to EPUB with a variety of available settings.

Users can change everything from default font size to customized profiles for specific hardware like the iPad and Kindle.

The resulting PDF converted as EPUB.