Frequently asked questions
Manuscript formatting, answered.
Everything authors, editors, and self-publishers ask before turning a messy Word file into a clean InDesign-ready manuscript.
What is the Manuscript Formatting Tool?
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It's a browser-based tool that cleans up Word manuscripts and exports them as a print-ready .docx or InDesign Tagged Text file. It removes soft returns, fixes smart quotes, normalizes paragraph and character styles, and produces a file ready to flow into InDesign.
Is it really free to try?
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Yes. You can upload a .docx, run cleanup, map styles, and preview the entire result for free. The only thing behind the paywall is the actual export button — you only pay when you're ready to download the cleaned file.
What's the difference between the Day Pass and Lifetime Unlock?
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The $5 Day Pass gives you unlimited exports for 24 hours — perfect if you're formatting a single manuscript on a deadline. The $29 Lifetime Unlock is a one-time payment that gives you unlimited exports forever, including all future updates. There's no subscription on either plan.
Is there a monthly subscription?
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No. Both paid options are one-time payments. We don't store your card and there's nothing to cancel.
Does the tool upload my manuscript to a server?
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No. Parsing, cleanup, style mapping, preview, and export all run locally in your browser. Your manuscript never leaves your device. Only the purchase itself goes through our payment processor.
What file formats does it accept?
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Microsoft Word .docx files. You can export back to a cleaned .docx or to InDesign Tagged Text (.txt with UTF-8 BOM) for direct import into Adobe InDesign.
Will the export work in Adobe InDesign?
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Yes. The Tagged Text export maps paragraph and character styles to InDesign style names you choose, so the import respects your InDesign style sheet. The .docx export is also cleaned to import cleanly via File → Place.
Can I get a refund?
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Yes. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all purchases. Refunds are processed by our payment provider, Paddle. You can request a refund via paddle.net or by emailing us. See our full refund policy for details.
Who is this tool for?
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Independent authors preparing a manuscript for print, editors who clean up author submissions, small presses and self-publishers laying out books in InDesign, and book designers who want messy Word files turned into clean style-mapped files.
Do I need an InDesign license to use this tool?
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No. You can use it just to clean up Word files for print or for handing off to a designer. InDesign is only needed if you want to use the Tagged Text export inside InDesign.