Tinta Press
Professional Book Formatting

Your manuscript
deserves precision.

We prepare books for Kindle, print, and EPUB — formatted to the exact specifications that Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and other platforms require. No guesswork, no rejections.

Trusted by authors publishing through KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital & Vellum

Submit Your ManuscriptView Services

500+

Books Formatted

48hr

Average Turnaround

100%

Platform Compliance

Chapter One

The Weight of a First Page

1
0.875" margin

Kindle / EPUB

100% KDP-Ready

Print-Ready

6" × 9" / Bleed: 0.125"

The Process

A trusted workflow, every time.

Self-publishing failures most often trace back to formatting done after the deadline, not before. Our process runs in sequence — and nothing ships without a platform compliance check.

01

Manuscript Submission

Send your Word doc, PDF, or raw text file. We review the structure, chapter count, images, and front matter before quoting.

02

Format Review & Spec Matching

We confirm the target platform — KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, Smashwords — and apply the correct trim size, margins, bleed, and font embedding rules.

03

Interior Formatting

Chapter headers, body text, running heads, page numbers, drop caps, and all front/back matter are set to editorial print standards.

04

Platform-Specific Export

We generate the correct file format: PDF/X-1a for print, reflowable EPUB 3.0 for digital, or MOBI for Kindle legacy. Every file is tested before delivery.

05

Delivery & Aftercare

You receive final files with an upload checklist. If any platform flags an issue within 30 days, we fix it at no extra charge.

Why Books Get Rejected

The six ways
self-publishing fails.

These are not edge cases. They are the most common reasons manuscripts are rejected, returned, or print incorrectly — all preventable before the file ever leaves your hands.

“We catch these before they cost you money or time.”

Tinta Press Guarantee

✗

Wrong margins for the printer

IngramSpark and KDP have different minimum margin requirements. A file that passes one platform fails the other — and most authors find out after paying for a proof copy.

✗

Embedded fonts missing or wrong

PDF/X-1a requires every font to be embedded and subset. Missing fonts cause print files to be rejected or rendered incorrectly by the printer's RIP software.

✗

Reflowable EPUB breaking on device

EPUB files built in Word or exported from InDesign without cleaning often carry override styles that collapse on Kindle Paperwhite or Apple Books readers.

✗

Images at the wrong resolution

Screen-resolution images print with visible pixelation. Print-ready interiors require 300 DPI minimum — and many authors discover this only after the book ships.

✗

No bleed on full-page elements

Any image or design element that reaches the page edge must extend 0.125" beyond the trim. Without bleed, printed copies show white borders at the cut.

✗

Incorrect trim sizes

Choosing a trim size that is not in the platform's standard list forces the platform to resize the file — distorting every page, every line, every image.

What We Do

The Tinta Press
publishing system.

Start a Project
Interior Design

Print Interior Formatting

Chapter headers, body text, running heads, page numbers, drop caps, front matter, back matter — formatted to the exact spec of your chosen trim size and platform.

KDP PrintIngramSparkLuluBookBaby
Digital Publishing

Kindle & EPUB Preparation

Reflowable EPUB 3.0 and Kindle-compatible files with clean semantic markup, linked table of contents, and tested rendering across major e-reader devices.

Amazon KDPApple BooksKoboDraft2Digital
Multi-Platform

Full Publishing Package

Both print and digital outputs in a single project. One submission, one review, one delivery. Includes all formats and a 30-day aftercare window for any platform flags.

Print PDFEPUB 3.0MOBIKindle
Troubleshooting

Publishing Error Fixes

If your book was rejected by KDP, flagged by IngramSpark, or rendering incorrectly on device, we diagnose and correct the specific file issue — no full reformat required.

File AuditError DiagnosisQuick FixRe-submission Support
Interior Formatting

Every page formatted to print standards.

Tinta Press32
T

Chapter Two

The Architecture
of Memory

33

Print specification defaults

Trim Size5.5" × 8.5" / 6" × 9"
Body FontGaramond / Minion Pro
Font Size11pt body / 9pt notes
Leading13.5pt line spacing
MarginsInside: 0.875" / Outside: 0.75"
Bleed0.125" all sides
Color ProfileCMYK / PDF/X-1a
Resolution300 DPI minimum

Front & back matter elements

Drop cap first paragraph
Chapter opening pages
Running heads / feet
Table of contents
Copyright page
Dedication page
Author bio page
Index formatting
Footnotes & endnotes
Image captions
Epigraphs
Part divider pages
Pre-Submission

Publishing
readiness checklist.

Use this before submitting your manuscript. Every item checked here is something we verify before formatting begins.

Readiness0%

0 of 20 items complete

Document Preparation

Image & Visual Elements

Platform Compliance

Digital (EPUB/Kindle)

Publishing Notes

From the press room.

All Notes
Kindle

The Kindle Formatting Checklist Before You Upload to KDP

Every item KDP checks before approving your digital manuscript — and what happens when one fails.

November 12, 20246 min read
KDP Errors

Why Amazon KDP Rejects Book Interiors (and How to Fix Each One)

The seven most common interior rejection reasons from KDP, with the exact specification fix for each.

October 28, 20248 min read
Self-Publishing

The 8 Self-Publishing Mistakes That Cost Authors Real Money

Most of these mistakes happen before the book is ever published. Here is how to avoid every one of them.

September 8, 202410 min read
Questions

Frequently
asked.

If your question is not here, email us at paul@tintapress.com. We respond within one business day.

We accept Microsoft Word (.docx), Google Docs exports, RTF, and PDF files. If your manuscript is in another format, contact us before submitting and we will confirm compatibility. Word .docx is preferred — it gives us the most flexibility during formatting.

Most projects are completed within 48 to 72 hours from receipt of a clean manuscript. Projects with complex layouts, many images, or multiple output formats may take 4 to 5 business days. Rush turnarounds are available on request.

Yes. We format for Amazon KDP Print, KDP Kindle, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, Smashwords, Apple Books, and Lulu. Each platform has its own file spec — we apply the correct one for your chosen distributor. If you are distributing on multiple platforms, we produce separate files where required.

If your formatted file is flagged or rejected by the publishing platform within 30 days of delivery, we diagnose the issue and correct the file at no extra charge. This covers platform compliance errors, rendering issues on device, and file format rejections. It does not cover content edits or author revisions made after delivery.

Yes. We offer a standalone error-fix service for books that have already been rejected. Send us the rejection message and the original file — we diagnose the specific problem and correct it. In most cases, a full reformat is not necessary.

We focus on interior formatting and digital file preparation. We do not currently offer cover design. We can recommend cover designers who work to the same quality standard if you need one.

Yes. When you submit your manuscript, include your preferred trim size, target platform, and any layout preferences. If you have a reference book whose interior style you want to match, send a photograph of the interior pages.

Yes, provided the language uses standard Unicode characters. We have formatted books in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. Manuscripts in languages with right-to-left scripts require separate discussion before we quote.

Publishing authority, not just services.

Follow Tinta Press on LinkedIn for publishing guides, KDP updates, and formatting tips used by independent authors worldwide.

Company PagePaul on LinkedIn
Get Started

Submit your
manuscript.

Fill in the form and we will review your project within one business day. No commitment required — you receive a quote and timeline before any work begins.

1.We review your submission
2.You receive a quote within 24 hours
3.Work begins on your approval
4.Formatted files delivered with checklist