The Finishing Chapter — free preview

Sheet 01

Manuscript & deliverable inventory

Completed example: The Lantern Lane · 48,200 words · English prose · 18 chapters · no images, tables or notes · title page, dedication, contents, acknowledgments and author bio · reflowable EPUB for KDP plus 6 × 9-inch KDP paperback, black ink, cream paper, no bleed · cover supplied separately.

Book title and author credit Master filename and version date Word count, chapter count and language Editing stage and any unresolved content Images, tables, notes, symbols and unusual passages Front matter and back matter, in order Deliverables and named stores or printers Print: trim, ink, paper, bleed, estimated pages; or “ebook only” Supplied asset filenames, placement and permission notes Open questions to resolve before layout

Ready to request a scope? I have identified one master manuscript. My inventory includes the most complicated content. I have separated interior files, cover work and editing needs.

Sheet 02

A copy-ready formatter brief

Use the completed example to see the level of detail. Replace the bracketed fields in your editable version, remove anything irrelevant, and copy it into your chosen provider’s enquiry process.

Read a completed example brief

Hello, I am requesting a quote for interior formatting of The Lantern Lane, an edited English prose manuscript of 48,200 words in 18 chapters. It contains no images, tables or notes. Front and back matter are title page, dedication, contents, acknowledgments and author bio.
I need a reflowable EPUB for KDP and a separate paperback interior PDF for KDP at 6 × 9 inches, black ink on cream paper, with no bleed. The final page count is unknown. Cover design and copyediting are outside this request.
Please quote a sample chapter opening and typical text pages before full layout. I prefer restrained serif typography and clear chapter openings; readability matters more than ornament. Please confirm the file list, source-file options, font permissions, checks included, delivery schedule, revision rounds and review deadline.
Please distinguish production corrections, design changes and new author text. Explain any charge for later corrections and for updates required after the KDP preview or physical proof. Please flag missing specifications before work begins. I will review and upload the files myself.

Your editable message

Hello, I am requesting a quote for interior formatting of [title] by [author credit]. The manuscript is [word count] words, [language], with [chapter count] chapters. Editing status: [status].

Special content: [number and type of images, tables, notes, symbols, poetry or other complex material]. Front and back matter: [ordered list].

I need [named file deliverables] for [stores/printers]. Paperback specification, if applicable: [trim], [ink], [paper], [bleed], [estimated page count or unknown]. Cover work, editing and uploading: [included in request or handled separately].

Design direction: [readability goals and references]. Please quote a representative sample before full layout, including [chapter opening, ordinary page and hardest content].

Please confirm: complete file list; editable source format and linked assets; font/image permission responsibilities; ebook and print checks; schedule; revision rounds; and the deadline for my consolidated feedback.

Please distinguish production corrections, design changes and author alterations. What are the terms for later corrections and any updates after the publishing preview or physical proof? Please identify missing material or decisions before work begins.

My desired review date is [date]. I will [state who reviews and uploads]. Please provide a written scope and quote for confirmation.

Provider A: included scope, unanswered questions and total quoted costProvider B: included scope, unanswered questions and total quoted cost

Chosen scope and answers still needed before ordering

Sheet 03

Proof & acceptance record

Completed correction example: EPUB v2 · Chapter 4 · note 7 · note opens, but its return link does not return to the text · requested: repair the return link · rechecked in v3: passes. Record real results below; an unchecked item means it still needs attention or an explanation.

Exact delivered filenames and versionsReviewer, review date and agreed feedback deadline

Every edition All agreed files open and match the delivery list. Title, author credit, chapter order and front/back matter match the master. Every image, caption, table, note and special symbol has been checked. Beginning, middle, ending and every chapter opening have been reviewed. Promised source files, asset information and later-correction terms are supplied.

Ebook checks — mark “not applicable” in the notes for print-only projects I tested the delivered ebook, including different text sizes and available device views. Contents entries reach the correct chapters. Notes and return links work where present. Headings, images and tables remain readable without missing or overlapping content.

Paperback checks — mark “not applicable” in the notes for ebook-only projects Interior dimensions and bleed match the agreed printer specification. Page order, numbering, blank pages and running headings are intentional. The printer’s preview has been reviewed and issues resolved. A physical proof has been reviewed for readability, binding margin and image contrast before release.

Correction 1: file/version, location and issueRequested change and retest result

Correction 2: file/version, location and issueRequested change and retest result

Remaining issues, additional corrections, or checks that do not apply

DecisionApproved version, decision date and archive location

This is your production record. It does not replace your provider’s acceptance terms or the publishing platform’s review.

The Finishing Chapter
Your free companion.

Write the brief.
Keep the proof honest.

Manuscript & deliverable inventory

A copy-ready formatter brief

Proof & acceptance record

Keep the useful bit. Take the next step.

The Finishing ChapterYour free companion.

Manuscript & deliverable inventory

A copy-ready formatter brief

Proof & acceptance record

Keep the useful bit. Take the next step.

The Finishing Chapter
Your free companion.