Your Story,
as an Illustrated Children’s Book
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I get started?
Go to our Options & Pricing page, select your package and any add-ons you'd like, and follow the prompts to check out. Completing the payment process begins the ball rolling. You’ll receive a story-naire via email to complete, and someone will get in touch with you once you submit a completed story-naire to schedule an interview.
2. Who will write and illustrate my story?
StoryTime Me understands that your story is unique, valuable, and special. As such, we carefully handpick writers, designers, and illustrators who we would trust to write our own story. In fact, prospective writers and illustrators are asked to write/illustrate the story of how StoryTime Me came to be as part of the selection process. Only those who we would trust with our own story based on their performance are trusted with yours. Projects are assigned to our writers as they come in, and to designers and/or illustrators once your story is written and approved by you.
3. How long does the whole process take?
We don’t guarantee delivery within a specific timeframe, because each project is unique and its completion depends on a variety of factors. We strive to create the highest quality books, and sometimes that can take a little longer than one might like. However, we strive to deliver completed books within six to 10 weeks on average. We do promise to keep you informed of the progress of your project so that you know what to expect and when.
4. What is the average book length?
We find that most stories can be adequately told in 30–40 pages. However, special projects may have special requirements, and we’re here to work with you to ensure your story turns out exactly as you want it to.
5. How many copies of my book will I receive?
You will receive four copies of your book. Additional copies may be added to your order.
6. What if I want extra copies of my book later?
We’ll keep your book on file for a minimum of five years. If you decide, once you receive your book, that you would like to order additional copies, they are available for purchase for an additional cost of $29.99 for paperbacks and $39.99 for hardcovers. Our per-book pricing is a higher than what you’d find at a bookstore because we are not printing large quantities, as traditional book publishers do, so our production costs are much higher.
7. What if I want to order copies in bulk?
If you wish to order more than 25 copies, email to let us know how many copies you’d like to purchase and where they should be shipped, and we’ll work with our publishing partners to promptly send you the best available price estimate and fulfill your request. Pricing will depend on the number of copies ordered.
8. Is the option to receive my book in electronic format available?
Our Premium Package includes an elegant electronic flipbook. However, if you want only the Standard Option with an e-book, simply select Electronic Flipbook from the add-ons available on our Options & Pricing page. Electronic flipbooks may be posted on your blog, social media page, or family website, and are available for an additional cost of just $39.99.
9. Do you do sequels and/or new editions or previous StoryTime Me books?
Yes! We know that your story doesn't end when we deliver your book. As your story develops, StoryTime Me is here to help you chronicle all of it. We offer sequels and new editions at discounted prices for existing customers. What’s the difference? A sequel is a second book that starts off where the first one ended. A new edition is a brand new, longer book that incorporates most or all of the pages of your first StoryTime Me book, along with new life developments that have occurred since. As an existing customer, you’ll be the first to know when pricing and options for sequels and new editions become available.
10. Who gets the copyrights to my storybook?
StoryTime Me and its parent company, CG Communication & Design, retains the copyright to storybook created for clients. This makes it easier for us to continue to serve you as your story develops through sequels and new editions. Should you want a second or third edition of your story with new life events incorporated, we can get right to work on your story without first needing to get copyright releases from you.
11. Will StoryTime Me do anything with my story without my knowledge?
No. We like to keep our eyes open for particularly neat stories. We feel that some stories have a whole lot to teach a whole lot of people, and we want to make these stories widely available. But we’ll always ask you first. The form you’ll receive prior to the production of your book asking you to sign verifying that you’ve reviewed the galley (unpublished but finalized version of your book) contains a section asking whether you are willing to grant StoryTime Me permission to sell your book online. Most books will not end up for public sale, but we like to ask up front. And if we do decide to sell your book publicly, your book will receive an ISBN and you’ll receive a 15 percent cut of any profits we make.
12. Do you have a refund policy?
Yes. Clients who request a refund before an interview with a writer has taken place are eligible for a full refund as long as the request is made within 15 days of having placed their order. Partial refunds are available for up to 30 days from the time of the date on which the initial order was placed. Once interviews take place, the percentage that may be refunded within that 30-day period is dependent on the stage of the product. Clients may receive 50% of their funds back for projects still in the writing stage and 25 percent back for projects in the illustration phase. Beyond that point, no refunds may be made, as our writers and illustrators must be paid for work that has already been performed.
13. Can I specify the style in which I want my story written and/or illustrated?
By all means, do tell us what you want, and we will make our best effort to pair you with writers and illustrators (if you select the "Custom Artwork" option at checkout) who are best suited to bring your vision to life. However, not all of our writers and illustrators are available at any given time, and we do not limit our writers and artists by imposing strict instructions. Rather, we like to give them suggestions and then set them free to do what they do best. As long as they meet the bar we've set for them, the sky is the limit in terms of how much creativity and effort goes into each project, and because many of our artist-contractors are working on building portfolios, they go above and beyond for our clients.
14. How do gift purchases work?
Simply use the checkout process to indicate that your purchase is a gift via the special instructions to seller window when you come to it. Tell us the name of the recipient and his/her email address, and we'll be in touch with you to ask whether you would like to receive a gift certificate that you can then present to the gift recipient, or whether you would like us to send it to that person's email address. Alternately, you may choose to create a story for your significant other of your significant other's life by providing details of that person's life and answering interview questions as if you are that person. While this is a great way to surprise someone, we only recommend this option in cases where you feel you know the gift recipient very well, as each person's story isn't just unique to them, but is experienced through their individual lens. In other words, even if you were there as a story unfolded, you undoubtedly saw, and recall it, differently than the other person. If you would like to pursue this option, again, just let us know during checkout so that we know how to proceed.
15. Can you refuse service to anyone?
Yes. StoryTime Me strives to create a brighter and kinder world. As such, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone interested in promulgating a narrative that promotes discrimination, bias, or hatred of any kind. This does not mean that we don't believe your personal story has positive value. We hope that you find your way to a more enlightened and loving state of being, but we refuse to play any part in giving voice to ideas and experiences that do not contribute to the kind of world in which we would like to live.