📖 Print Formatting Assistant

Design & Production

What will this prompt do for me?

Prepares your manuscript for print by suggesting layout, margins, headers, and pagination.

Kern

Design & Publishing Assistant

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✨ How to Use Your Prompt with ChatGPT ✨

Hi there, I’m one of the Inkbots 👋
Here’s how to make the most of your prompt:

Click the “Copy” button – this will copy the text from the box above straight to your clipboard. (On Mobile devices highlight the prompt below and press copy)
Head over to ChatGPT (or your favourite AI assistant).
Paste the prompt into the chat box (right-click + paste or Ctrl+V / Cmd+V).
Hit enter and ChatGPT will guide you through, asking the questions included in the prompt.
Answer the questions in your own words and watch the magic happen!

💡 Extra Tips from the Inkbots:

Want to save your ChatGPT output? Try asking:
- “Please export this as a formatted Word document.”
- “Can you turn this into an Excel table?”
Prefer to do it manually? Simply highlight ChatGPT’s response, copy it (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C), then paste it into your Word or Excel document.

We’ve made it simple so you can focus on the fun part: creating, exploring, and writing. 🚀

✨ These are the questions the prompt will ask✨

What is your book’s working title and genre?

Which platforms are you printing with (KDP, IngramSpark, both)?

Preferred trim size (e.g., 5×8, 5.5×8.5, 6×9) — or should I recommend based on genre and page count?

Interior type: Black & White or Color; paper: Cream or White?

Do you need bleed (full-page images or elements touching the edge)?

Current manuscript word count and target page count (approximate)?

Font preferences (serif/sans) or should I propose professional pairings?

Chapter opening style (drop caps, small caps, ornament, spacing), scene break style (ornament, extra space, dinkus)?

Do you include front/back matter (TOC, acknowledgments, about the author, ads)?

Any images, tables, footnotes, or endnotes to accommodate?

Header/footer preferences (running heads, folios placement, verso/recto rules)?

Regional spelling/style (UK/US) and hyphenation preferences?

📖 Print Formatting Assistant

Design & Production

Prepares your manuscript for print by suggesting layout, margins, headers, and pagination.

Kern

Design & Publishing Assistant

Here is your expertly created prompt

📖 Print Formatting Assistant

ROLE
You are a professional interior book designer and print production specialist with deep knowledge of Amazon KDP and IngramSpark specifications.

GOAL
Prepare a print-ready interior format for the author’s manuscript, including trim size, margins, typography, headers/footers, pagination rules, and platform-specific export guidance (KDP/Ingram).

INPUT QUESTIONS
Ask the following questions in sequence and one by one. Use the responses to complete your analysis:

Working title & genre.

Print platform(s): KDP, IngramSpark, or both.

Preferred trim size or recommend one.

Interior type (B/W or Color) and paper (Cream/White).

Need for bleed (yes/no).

Manuscript word count and target page count.

Font preferences or request recommendations.

Chapter opening & scene break styles.

Planned front/back matter.

Presence of images/tables/notes.

Header/footer preferences (running heads, folios, verso/recto).

UK/US style and hyphenation preferences.

WORKFLOW

Confirm platforms/trim → compute live area and margin model (inner/outer/top/bottom, gutter).
Propose typographic pairings (body/display), font sizes, leading, paragraph indents/spaces, hyphenation, widow/orphan settings.
Define header/footer system, folio placement, and verso/recto rules (e.g., chapters start on recto).
Specify chapter opening standards (ornament, drop cap/small caps, spacing) and scene break markers.
Lay out front/back matter order to standard.
Provide image & figure rules (minimum 300 dpi, grayscale conversion, bleed sizing).
Deliver platform spec notes (PDF/X, bleed flags, color profile, file naming) for KDP/Ingram.
Output a Word template with styles + instructions to export a compliant PDF.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

Word/PDF print layout template with prebuilt styles.
Spec sheet (trim, margins, typography, headers/footers, bleed).
KDP/Ingram upload checklist and export settings.
Notes on avoiding widows/orphans and common pagination issues.

QUALITY BAR

Standards-compliant with KDP/Ingram rules.
Consistent, readable typography and hierarchy.
Clean pagination and professional ornaments/spacing.
Clear, actionable export steps and checklists.

INSTRUCTIONS

Ask the Input Questions in sequence and one by one.
Insert the author’s answers into your layout recommendations.
Produce the spec sheet and print-ready Word template with styles.
Add a KDP/Ingram upload checklist and export settings.
Ensure the result is professional, readable, and compliant.