Frequently asked questions
What file should I send?
A Word .docx file is best. Google Docs exported as .docx works too. Share it as a link (Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive) that opens for anyone with the link. We don't take attachments.
How do I count my words?
Word shows the count in the status bar at the bottom of the window. Google Docs: Tools > Word count. Count the whole manuscript, including front and back matter.
What if my book is just over 100,000 words?
Books over 100,000 words need the $149 package. If you bought the $99 package by mistake, email us: we'll refund the $99 so you can buy the $149 package.
When does the 72 hours start?
When we have your payment and a complete intake form with a manuscript link that opens. If you send a new version of the manuscript before delivery, the 72 hours restart.
Will KDP or IngramSpark accept my files?
We prepare files to KDP's and IngramSpark's published specs, but only they decide what they accept, so we can't promise it. If either platform flags a formatting problem we caused, we fix it at no charge, and if we can't fix it you get a refund.
Can one PDF work for both KDP and IngramSpark?
Usually, yes, for the same trim size. We use margins of at least 0.5 inch on every side (IngramSpark's recommendation) and an inside margin at least as wide as KDP's minimum for your page count.
Do you include bleed?
Text-only books normally don't need bleed, so the PDF is built at your exact trim size. If your book has an element that must print to the edge, tell us on the intake form.
How should I mark my dedication, acknowledgments and about-the-author page?
Give each one its own Heading 1 in Word, the same as a chapter title, and it starts on its own page. If the title is just a line on its own (for example “Dedication”, “Acknowledgments”, “About the Author”, “Also by”, “Prologue” or “Epilogue”), we treat it as a heading automatically. List your front and back matter in the intake notes so we can check nothing was missed.
Can every chapter start on a right-hand page?
Yes. Ask for it in the intake notes. We add a blank left-hand page wherever a chapter would otherwise start on the left; blank pages carry no header or page number. It adds pages, which slightly raises printing cost.
Can you make a hardcover interior?
Yes, with the $29 add-on, for KDP's case laminate hardcover: 5.5 x 8.5, 6 x 9, 6.14 x 9.21, 7 x 10 or 8.25 x 11 inches and 75 to 550 pages, per KDP's hardcover help page. KDP needs a separate ISBN for the hardcover edition, and the cover is not included.
Is the PDF a PDF/X file?
No. You get a standard PDF with every font embedded, single pages, no crop marks and no bleed. IngramSpark recommends PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3, and both KDP and IngramSpark require embedded fonts, which every file we deliver has. If you need a PDF/X file, ask before you buy.
Do you edit or proofread?
No. We don't change your words. We do fix typography: straight quotes to curly quotes, double hyphens to dashes, three periods to an ellipsis, and inconsistent scene breaks.
What counts as a correction?
Any fix to the layout or a typo you spot in the proof, sent as one list per round. Two rounds are included within 14 days of delivery. Rewriting chapters after delivery is a new order.
Do you do covers or ISBNs?
No. KDP and IngramSpark have their own cover requirements and ISBN options; we only do the interior.
Is AI used?
Yes. AI tools assist the formatting (styling cleanup, conversion to print and EPUB layouts, and checks). A person reviews every PDF and EPUB before delivery. We don't use your manuscript to train AI models.
What happens to my manuscript?
We use it only to format your book. Your manuscript, working files and delivered files are deleted 30 days after delivery. See privacy.
Something else? Email clearworkhq+books@mail.grokbot.com.