Book Design & Production

While at FastPencil — a self-publishing platform — I worked with authors across the full book production pipeline: cover design, interior typesetting, and final print-ready file delivery for Amazon KDP, Ingram Spark, and other POD (print-on-demand) and distribution outlets. Every file had to meet exact platform specifications: correct trim size, bleed, margin safety zones, embedded fonts, color profile, and compliant PDF export settings.

I work in three modes depending on where your project is:

• Design from scratch — full cover concept and interior layout built in InDesign from the ground up, starting from your manuscript or content brief.
• Format from a Word document — I take your manuscript out of Word and flow it into a properly structured InDesign layout with correct typesetting, styles, margins, and gutter — ready for print submission.
• Preflight & conform existing files — if you already have a design or a nearly-finished PDF, I bring it into full compliance: resolving trim, bleed, margin, font-embedding, and color issues so it passes KDP and Ingram Spark submission without rejection.

Cover design & full cover spreads — I design front covers from scratch and build complete cover spreads (front, spine, back) sized to exact platform specifications. Spine width is calculated from page count and paper stock using the KDP cover calculator. I deliver a press-ready PDF and source files in InDesign and Illustrator.

Interior formatting & typesetting — full interior production in InDesign: margins, gutter, bleed, widow and orphan control, image placement and alignment, consistent chapter styles, and platform-compliant PDF export for both print and digital editions. I also troubleshoot and correct existing PDFs in Acrobat Pro when a full re-layout isn’t needed.

Reach out to chat about your next book project.