High-Heat Dark Romance Book Editor & Amazon KDP Formatting Expert Needed (eBook & Paperback)

Job Title: High-Heat Dark Romance Book Editor & Amazon KDP Formatting Expert Needed (eBook & Paperback) Project Description: We are launching a high-stakes, addictive dark romance novel featuring an alpha billionaire tech tycoon and a brilliant, defiant thief who gets caught. The story is packed with intense power dynamics, tension, and banter. We are looking for a hybrid rockstar: a sharp editor to give our manuscript a final polish, AND a formatting wizard to turn the manuscript into flawless, retail-ready files for both Amazon KDP eBook (EPUB) and Paperback (Print-ready PDF). Clear Expectations & Deliverables: Your primary tasks will be divided into two distinct, high-impact phases: Phase 1: Editing & Polish Deliverable 1: A polished, fully proofread copy of the manuscript (delivered in MS Word with Track Changes enabled). Scope: You will proofread and copyedit the manuscript to ensure flawless grammar, punctuation, and flow, while strictly preserving the atmospheric, dark, and seductive tone. Voice Preservation: It is critical that you protect and enhance the natural rhythm when the heroine's polished London accent slips into raw West African/Nigerian slang under pressure. We do not want this "corrected" to standard British or American English. Phase 2: KDP Interior Formatting & Layout Deliverable 2: 1 x fully validated EPUB file optimized for Amazon Kindle (with a clickable Table of Contents). Deliverable 3: 1 x Print-Ready PDF fully compliant with Amazon KDP paperback specifications (including correct bleed, trim size, margins, gutters, headers, and page numbers). Aesthetic Styling: Design custom, clean, and modern chapter headers, drop caps, and ornamental scene-break elements that fit a dark romance/luxury aesthetic. Skills Required for the Work: Professional Editing & Copyediting: Proven experience editing fiction, with a strong background in Dark Romance, Romantic Suspense, or general Romance tropes. Expert Book Formatting: Absolute mastery of book design tools like Vellum, Atticus, or Adobe InDesign. Deep KDP Knowledge: Practical experience resolving KDP margin, bleed, and formatting rejection errors. Dialect & Tone Familiarity: Comfort preserving authentic multicultural dialogue and slang. How We Work & Communication Expectations: Good Communication is Mandatory: We value proactive, clear, and professional communication. We expect updates when milestones are started, and quick responses (within 24 hours on business days) if questions or clarifications arise. Milestone-Based Progress: We work strictly through structured, funded Upwork milestones. We will release funds immediately upon the successful review and approval of each phase. Collaborative Spirit: We love working with creative professionals who are passionate about the genre. We appreciate honest, constructive feedback if you spot something in the story that can be elevated during editing. Post-Upload Support: We expect you to be available for minor, quick adjustments if the Amazon KDP print previewer flags any minor interior margin issues during the initial upload. How to Apply: Please submit your proposal and include: A brief summary of your editing experience within the Dark Romance genre. Portfolio/Samples: Please attach a sample of a paperback interior layout (PDF) or an eBook layout you have formatted previously. Your favorite Dark Romance trope (so we know you read the whole post!). Your estimated timeline and flat fee for this two-phase project.