InDesign & Proofreading Expert: 14-Day Turnaround for 250pg Book (Paperback, Hardcover, eBook)

Project Description: I am seeking a meticulous, professional book editor, proofreader, and desktop publishing (DTP) expert to provide a final text polish and complete formatting prep for a 250-page (59,500 words with front pages and index) manuscript. The book will be published by my husband (author) under his company, The African American Athlete, for simultaneous publication on Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. The heavy lifting is already done. We have selected our preferred font and format styles. We are looking for a professional eye to provide a final "text proofread" and complete formatting setup across three distinct formats: Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook. What is already prepared: Formats Needed: 1x Paperback layout, 1x Hardcover layout, and 1x Reflowable eBook layout. Manuscript: 100% completed in Microsoft Word. With picture positions and TOC and Index Formatting/Layout: Tentative layout, Table of Contents, and preferred font choices have already been selected. Images: 60 visually black-and-white images (JPEGs/PNGs/TIFFs) at 300 DPI. They are currently positioned inside Word text boxes. We would like MANY chapters to open with photos on the left and text on the right. Index: Completed and fully mapped via Indexia. Cover Art: Base art is already designed in Word utilizing the standard Amazon KDP template. What we need from you (Project Phases): PHASE 1: Final Text Proofread (In Word): Meticulously review the 250-page manuscript for lingering typos, punctuation errors, grammatical slips, and double-spacing. This must be done and approved before moving to formatting to protect our index mapping. PHASE 2: Print Interior Prep (PDF via Adobe InDesign): Once the text is locked, re-typeset and optimize the manuscript into a high-quality, print-ready PDF interior file using Adobe InDesign. This master layout must meet the exact margin, gutter, and bleed specifications required for a 6x9 paperback and a case laminate hardcover across both KDP and IngramSpark platforms. PHASE 3: eBook Conversion (ePub): Convert the finalized manuscript into a beautifully reflowable, clean ePub file. Crucially, the 60 images must be properly anchored so they do not drift or overlap text when readers change font sizes. The Table of Contents must be fully hyperlinked. PHASE 4: Technical Cover Formatting: Recalculate our final spine width based on the locked page count. Verify and adjust our existing cover design to meet the technical requirements for both KDP paperbacks and IngramSpark's wider hardcover wrap-around bleed specifications. PHASE 5: Quality Assurance: Convert all 60 image profiles to a true, 8-bit grayscale print profile to prevent muddy printing, and guarantee that the Indexia-mapped index remains 100% accurate with the final print pagination. Required Deliverables & Source Files: Upon project completion, you must deliver the print-ready paperback PDF, the hardcover PDF, the reflowable eBook ePub file, and the fully packaged raw Adobe InDesign source files (.INDD) including all linked assets and fonts. Full intellectual property rights remain with The African American Athlete and Rickey L. Hampton, Sr. Requirements & Software Specifications: Software Required: You must use Adobe InDesign to complete the formatting phases of this project. Automated Word-to-PDF templates will be rejected. Proven experience proofreading and formatting multi-image books for both KDP and IngramSpark. Ability to hit our 14-business-day deadline for all phases combined. Please include the word "PROOFDESIGN" at the very top of your proposal so I know you read this full brief.