Personalized picture book
From $895
A loved one becomes part of a custom illustrated story. Includes art, story and 8.5×8.5 or 8.5×11 digital paperback files.
Typical $1,450 · Expanded from $1,950
Choose personalized picture book →Your story. Your scope. One clear price.
A book worth making.
A simpler way to buy it.
Choose your book, see the total, and pay. AI helps with the heavy lifting; Darius F. Sanders personally reviews and refines the work. No mandatory consultation. No subscription.
Picture books from $895Manuscripts from $1,750Secure Stripe checkout
Make someone you love part of the story
Not just a name
swapped into a template.
A custom premise, illustrated characters and an actual editorial review. Add authorized family photos after purchase, or describe the characters instead.
Our published Zakari book shows a fully illustrated 8.5×11 layout. The $895 package is a simpler 8.5×8.5 or 8.5×11 alternating image/text layout; every-page illustration starts at $1,450.
Explore the published example →Pick the book you want to make.
Self-help
From $1,750
Turn your methods and experience into a focused, reader-friendly manuscript.
Typical $2,800 · Expanded from $4,200
Choose self-help →Business
From $1,750
Build a useful authority book around your expertise, frameworks and audience.
Typical $2,800 · Expanded from $4,200
Choose business →Action, YA & sports
From $2,200
Action, adventure, sports or YA: a story with a clear arc and a human editorial pass.
Typical $4,800 · Expanded from $7,200
Choose action, ya & sports →Literary fiction
From $2,200
Character-led fiction, developed from your premise and refined with personal review.
Typical $4,800 · Expanded from $7,200
Choose literary fiction →Memoir & biography
From $2,200
Preserve a life story for family or publication, from your written memories and source material.
Typical $4,800 · Expanded from $7,200
Choose memoir & biography →Research
From $4,200
A structured reference manuscript with a stated source-checking allowance—not professional peer review.
Typical $6,800 · Expanded from $9,200
Choose research →What happens after you pay?
- Share your material. Picture-book size and story idea are collected before payment; upload reference files through your private order page. Long-form audience, tone, starting point and a short idea are collected before payment; supporting material can follow.
- Approve the direction. We review your brief, confirm the scope by email and send the production-start notice. No calendar required.
- Review your proof. Receive the book, send consolidated feedback, then receive the agreed final files.
Buying a manuscript does not include every publishing service. Covers, retail formatting, publishing setup and printed copies are excluded unless your scope explicitly includes them. See fixed-price production add-ons →
Not ready to commission the book?
$149 written brief: a recommended book direction and scope, delivered in about three business days after usable information arrives. One written clarification included. Credit available toward a book within 12 months—arrange it before checkout.
Buy the written brief — $149Want the deeper plan and a recorded walkthrough? The $499 Blueprint remains optional.
Scope first. Surprises never.
Can I add publishing files and artwork to my manuscript order?
Yes. Optional retail EPUB is $199, paperback interior PDF is $249, or both are $399; formatting 51,000–60,000 words adds $100. A finished ebook and paperback cover adds $299. Category-specific options include five chapter-opening illustrations for $225, five simple diagrams for $250, and a memoir section of up to 12 supplied photos and captions for $249. Nothing is preselected. Review the exact itemized scope before payment. Printed copies, ISBN purchase, retailer upload and distribution are excluded.
Can I order hardcover files for a long-form book?
Yes. Add the $199 hardcover adaptation to a purchased paperback interior and finished cover. Choose 5.5×8.5 or 6×9 and name KDP or IngramSpark. The same design is adapted to one printer’s case-laminate hardcover template, not a dust jacket or universal file. KDP requires 75–550 final pages; word count does not guarantee eligibility. We check final specifications before adaptation. If incompatible, approve a suitable printer or receive a refund of the unperformed $199 adaptation. Picture-book hardcover remains the separate same-trim IngramSpark option.
Do I need a consultation or the Blueprint first?
No. Choose a category and scope, enter your contact name, cover author name and email, review the total, and pay securely. Book-production orders require a short idea before payment; long-form orders also collect the intended reader, tone and starting point. Picture books require your chosen size. Upload materials privately after payment. Email carries receipts and approvals; optional project texts or a short call can be requested at checkout. The $149 written brief and $499 Blueprint are optional.
What does the $895 picture-book package include?
An English-language story of up to 600 words, up to 32 interior pages at your choice of 8.5×8.5 or 8.5×11 inches, 14 interior illustrations alternating with text pages, front and back cover artwork, two principal characters, one consolidated revision round, a character sheet and sample spread for approval, paperback print files and a reading PDF. Illustrated ($1,450) includes three characters and art with text on each story page. Signature ($1,950) includes four characters, two revision rounds and an approved written storyboard. Optional same-size IngramSpark hardcover files cost $199. Physical copies, retail publishing and shipping are not included.
Can you turn family photos into illustrated characters?
Yes, within the selected character count and with the required photo rights and likeness permissions. An adult must have written parent or guardian permission for each child. Cartoon likeness is an interpretation, not an exact photographic match. Files stay private; no public sample or advertising use without separate permission.
Is the writing and artwork made with AI?
AI helps with research, drafting and illustrations. Darius F. Sanders reviews and refines each commissioned book personally. This is not an all-human writing or hand-illustration promise. AI-generated elements are identified for retailer disclosure and may not be copyrightable, unique or exclusive.
What do long-form prices cover?
The selected manuscript length, structured outline, personal editorial read-through, editable DOCX and reading PDF, plus the stated revisions and source checks. Approve the outline and sample chapter by email before the full draft. Covers and retail EPUB/print formatting are optional, itemized checkout add-ons. Physical copies, distribution and marketing are excluded. A reading PDF is not a print-ready interior.
How do cancellations and revisions work?
Book orders are fully refundable before the production-start email is sent. Afterwards, only the last completed milestone is earned: 20% after source review and delivery of the production brief, 80% after the complete first proof, and 100% after final files. The remaining balance is refundable. Studio errors do not consume a revision round. Extra scope requires your written approval.
When will I receive my book?
Targets after complete materials and production confirmation are 3–4 weeks for picture books, 6–10 weeks for other manuscripts, and 8–12 weeks for research-heavy work. Missing material and your review time pause the schedule. These are not guaranteed rush deadlines.