Non-Fiction Self-Publishing Specialist

Statement of Work: Non-Fiction Self-Publishing Specialist

Project Overview

I am seeking a detail-oriented Self-Publishing Consultant and Book Designer to take a completed non-fiction manuscript from Word format to a fully published physical and digital product. The book is written, professionally edited, and includes internal grayscale graphics and grayscale photographs. An ISBN has already been secured.

The goal is to produce a high-quality interior layout and professional cover that stands up against traditional publishing standards.

Scope of Work

1. Platform Strategy & Financial Modeling

Platform Advisory: Evaluate and recommend the best publishing platform(s) for this project (e.g., Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or a hybrid approach).

Financial Modeling: Provide a detailed cost-per-book breakdown. This must include:

Print-on-Demand (POD) margins.

Bulk Purchase Pricing: Comparative analysis for batch orders of 10, 100, 500, and 1,000 units.

Shipping estimates and distribution fees.

2. Interior Design & Formatting

Conversion: Migrate the manuscript from Microsoft Word into professional typesetting software (Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, etc.).

Layout: Complete interior formatting including:

Consistent typography and hierarchy.

Creation of a dynamic Table of Contents (TOC).

Professional Indexing (based on provided keywords/terms).

Strategic placement and optimization of existing graphics and photographs.

3. Cover Design

Design: Create a full-wrap cover (Front, Back, and Spine) based on the specific spine width of the final page count and paper weight.

Compliance: Ensure all files meet the technical specifications for the chosen platform.

4. Quality Control & Delivery

Digital Proofing: Provide a high-resolution digital proof for review and iterative feedback.

Final Submittal: Manage the technical upload process and ensure the book passes all platform "quality checks" for distribution.

5. Gap Analysis (The "What Else?" Factor)

Additional Steps: Propose clarity on typically overlooked steps, such as LCCN registration, metadata optimization, keyword research, or category selection.

Deliverables

Platform Recommendation Report including the financial models requested.

Print-Ready PDF (Interior and Cover) meeting all printer specifications.

eBook Files (ePub) optimized for Kindle and other e-readers.

Source Files for all design work.

Proposal Requirements

To be considered, your proposal must include the following:

Relevant Experience: A brief summary of your history in non-fiction self-publishing.

Portfolio: A list of at least 3–5 similar projects completed in the past 12 months, including Titles and ISBNs so I may verify the quality on retail platforms.

Fixed-Price Quote: A total project fee broken down by the milestones listed above.

Exclusions: Clearly state what is not included in your bid (e.g., marketing services, additional stock photography fees). No proofreading or editing is needed.

Timeline

Please indicate your estimated turnaround time from the receipt of the manuscript to the final digital proof.

Please start your cover letter with the word 'Paperback' so I know you’ve read the full brief.

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