Typesetting & Map Design for Historical Fiction

Project: The Ivory General — a historical fiction novel set during the Second Punic War (Carthage vs. Rome).
Format: Print interior (primary) at 6" × 9" trim; optional eBook conversion (EPUB/KPF) is a plus.
Goal: Clean, professional typesetting with period-appropriate flair and custom maps that help readers navigate the world.

Scope & Deliverables

Interior layout (print):

Professional typography for body text, headings, chapter openers, ornaments, drop caps (if appropriate)

Front/back matter (title, copyright, dedication, acknowledgments, author note, bibliography if included)

Tables/sidebars for timeline or notes (if needed)

Image handling (halftones), captions, consistent styling

Maps (at least 2–3): e.g., Western Mediterranean theater, Carthage, Italy (including major roads/cities), Hannibal’s route across the Alps

Print-ready PDF with embedded fonts, correct margins, bleeds, running heads/folios, and output settings per POD specs (KDP/Ingram)

Source files: InDesign package (or Affinity Publisher) with fonts and linked assets

eBook: Reflowable EPUB/KPF with clean CSS, linked ToC, image optimization, map legibility on mobile

What You’ll Bring

Demonstrated book interior design experience (please link 3–5 relevant samples, ideally historical fiction or narrative non-fiction)

Strong cartography or map-design skills (Illustrator, QGIS/ArcGIS or equivalent; ability to create clear, rights-clean, original maps)

Deep knowledge of book typography (widows/orphans, hyphenation, tracking, justification, ligatures, small caps, figure styles)

Expertise with Adobe InDesign (preferred) or Affinity Publisher; working knowledge of Illustrator for vector maps

Familiarity with KDP/IngramSpark interior specs and output checks (preflight, overprint, ink coverage)

Nice to Have

Experience designing dramatis personae, timeline pages, and historical notes

eBook production (EPUB/KPF) and accessibility best practices

Index coordination (if needed later)

Project Details

Manuscript length: ~(insert current word count or page estimate if you have it)

Trim size: 6" × 9"

Timeline: First proofs within 2–3 weeks of kickoff; final within 1–2 rounds of revisions

Budget: Please propose a fixed price with a breakdown (interior layout, maps per piece, optional eBook)