New! I Offer Personal Publishing Services for Artists, Writers, Collectors, and Families
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Learn More
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Preserving Your Stories
We all have stories—and we all want them to be remembered. A book gives shape to that desire. It gathers what might be lost—words, art, recipes, and memories—and turns them into something lasting.
Whether you’re self-publishing a memoir or novel, documenting your artwork, preserving family photographs and stories, or cataloging a collection, I can help.
I offer design, editorial, and production services to create a beautifully crafted, professional-quality book that will last for generations.
Who It’s For
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Artists + Authors
A book is one of the most powerful ways to share creative work—lasting, tangible, and made to be seen. Whether it’s a portfolio, a personal project, or a story you’ve carried for years, I’ll help you turn your words and images into a beautiful, professionally designed book that reflects your vision and stands alongside published works.
Perfect for art books, novels and memoirs, and children’s stories—whether you’re showcasing your work, sharing your story, or bringing a creative vision to life.
Collectors + Archivists
Your collection tells a story—of your passion, your history, your eye. I help you turn that story into a beautifully designed book for preservation, documentation, and sharing. Whether you’re organizing a lifetime of collecting or creating a legacy for future generations, a book gives your collection structure, context, and lasting value.
Perfect for private collections, insurance documentation, estate planning, and preserving the meaning behind the objects you’ve gathered over a lifetime.
Family Historians
A book gives form to stories, memories, and histories that might otherwise slip away. For families and elders, it’s more than recording a life—it’s a way to be seen, remembered, and valued. A book can shape a life in words and images, carry voices forward, and help us understand where we come from. While photos in a box may be forgotten and digital files left behind, a book made with care endures.
Perfect for family histories, memoirs, your child’s art, tribute books, or wedding and milestone albums.
“I never imagined how powerful it would feel to hold my own story in my hands. Stefan’s design turned my memoir into a book that looks like it belongs in a bookstore. My family treasures it—and I’ve never been prouder.”
—Client Name
I offer support at every stage of personal publishing—whether you need help planning, editing, image preparation, design, printing, or promotion.
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Services
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Every book begins with clarity. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a family history, or an art book, I can help you organize your material, identify the strongest through-line, and find the story at its heart. This stage is about more than structure—it’s about shaping your ideas into a narrative that flows and feels complete. Together, we’ll discuss your goals, map out the content, and decide on the best format and approach for your project.
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Clear, polished writing makes all the difference in how a book is received. I can provide light proofreading for typos and consistency, or more detailed editing to help with flow, clarity, and readability—whatever your project requires. And if your book would benefit from deeper editorial work, I’ll connect you with one of the professional editors I regularly collaborate with.
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Strong visuals can elevate a book, but images often need adjustment before they’re ready for print. I’ll let you know what you can do to improve your own photos—whether that’s better lighting, rescanning, or adjusting resolution. If that’s not enough, I can prepare your photos, artwork, or scanned materials so they reproduce clearly and beautifully on the page—resizing, cropping, retouching, and correcting color as needed. For older or damaged images, I can also provide restoration. The goal is to ensure every image looks its best and fits seamlessly into the design of your book.
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Design is where your project comes to life. I create books that are professional, beautiful, and a pleasure to read—inside and out. From clean, well-organized interiors that make the text flow effortlessly to thoughtful, eye-catching covers that capture attention, every detail is handled with care. Typography, spacing, and pacing are chosen to reflect your story and style, while images and text are balanced for clarity and impact. Whether your project is a memoir, art book, family history, or collection, I ensure the design gives it the presence and polish of a professionally published book.
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The final step is turning your design into a finished book you can hold. I’ll guide you through trusted printing options—whether you need a single copy or a larger run—and help you make choices about paper, cover, and binding so the book feels exactly right. From proofs to delivery, I make sure the production process is smooth and the result is beautifully made.
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A professional author website gives you visibility, credibility, and a central hub for your readers. I design clean, custom websites for authors that showcase your book, author bio, and events, with options for blogs, media coverage, reviews, and contact forms. Each site is tailored to your brand and optimized for search engines (SEO), so your book and name are easier to find online. Built on Squarespace, your site will look polished, work smoothly across devices, and grow with your career.
Whether you need a simple landing page for a new release or a full multi-page author website, I’ll create an online home that reflects your voice and supports your book promotion.
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Publishing a book is only part of the journey—authors also need professional tools to promote themselves and their work. I design concise, impactful materials that help you stand out, whether you’re pitching your book to bookstores, reaching out to media, or presenting yourself for events. From one-sheets and sell sheets to press kits, event collateral, and social media graphics, I create marketing pieces that are clear, consistent, and aligned with the look and feel of your book.
Author One-Sheets
A single-page overview that highlights the author—bio, headshot, speaking topics, book list, and contact info. Used for pitching authors to agents, event organizers, and media.Book Sell Sheets
A one-page overview of the book—cover image, description, ISBN, pricing, distributor info. Used for bookstores, libraries, and distributors.Press Kits / Media Kits
A small packet (digital or PDF) that includes: author bio, book synopsis, Q&A, headshots, endorsements, and contact info. Useful for media outreach, podcast pitches, or event organizers.Event Materials
Postcards, bookmarks, posters, or flyers for book launches, readings, or signings. Branded but affordable add-ons you could offer.Social Media + Web Graphics
Branded graphics for Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn posts announcing a book. Consistent visual design that matches the book cover.Author Branding
Consistent author logo/monogram, color palette, or typography to unify website, one-sheet, and promotional items.
“Seeing our family history turned into a beautifully designed book was incredible. Stefan captured not just the photos and stories, but the feeling behind them. It’s a keepsake our family will treasure forever.”
—Client Name
Pricing
Book Design
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The Essentials Package uses a professional template design for text-based books such as novels, memoirs, or family histories. It’s a streamlined, affordable option for families and individuals who want a beautifully designed book without the cost of full customization.
Pricing by length:
Short — $500 (50–100 pages)
Standard — $750 (100–200 pages)
Expanded — $1,000 (200–300 pages)
Prices include a professional-looking, templated cover design.
Visuals:
Images can be added at $5 per image and must be prepared according to my guidelines to ensure print quality. -
For fiction, poetry, memoirs, or family histories. These books can also include photos. The cost of photos will be estimated separately from the fees below.
Interior Design (Typesetting)
Mini Book — $500
Up to 80 pages.Standard Book — $800
Up to 200 pages.A Long Read — $1800
Up to 400 pages.Epic — $2300
Up to 800 pages.Cover Design:
Essential Cover — $300
A clean, professional cover created using a high-quality template. This option is ideal for text-based books such as memoirs, novels, or family histories. You’ll receive a polished, bookstore-ready cover design at an accessible price point.
Professional Cover — $900
A fully custom cover designed specifically for your book. I’ll present three original design concepts to choose from, and we’ll refine your selected direction through up to three rounds of revisions. The result is a thoughtful, distinctive cover that reflects your story and stands out.
Conceptual Cover — $1,400
The most comprehensive option, ideal for projects where the cover is central to the book’s identity. I’ll develop three in-depth, concept-driven design directions and refine the chosen approach through up to three rounds of revisions. This tier allows for more complex visuals, unique imagery, and detailed execution for a striking, professional finish.
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For fiction, poetry, or family histories. These books can also include photos but the print quality is not that of an art book.
Typesetting:
Mini Book — $500
Up to 40 pages / up to 40 images —Perfect for smaller collections or child art.Standard Book — $1000
50–60 pages / up to 50 images — $1000
Ideal for most artist portfolios, family histories, or personal stories.$1000-$2000
Longer Book — $800
Up to 40 pages / up to 40 images — Perfect for smaller collections or child art.Cover Design::
Simple Cover — $300
Professional Cover — $900
Professional Conceptual Cover — $1400
Additional Services
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Description text goes here
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If you need an editor, proofreader, or copy-editor to work with you on your writing, I can help you find the right person. This service will be outsourced and billed directly by the editor.
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Description text goes here
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For fiction, poetry, memoirs, or family histories. These books can also include photos. The cost of photos will be estimated separately from the fees below.
Typesetting:
Basic Website — $1000
Up to 3 pages.Bigger Website — $1500
Up to 5 pages.Biggest Website — $2000
Up to 10 pages.
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Each project is billed at a flat rate, so you know exactly what to expect. Pricing reflects professional design, clear communication, and delivery of polished, print- or web-ready files.
Author One-Sheet – $150
A single-page overview featuring your bio, headshot, speaking topics, book list, and contact info—perfect for pitching yourself to agents, media, or event organizers.Book Sell Sheet – $150
A one-page overview of your book with cover image, synopsis, ISBN, pricing, and distributor information—ideal for bookstores, libraries, and reviewers.Press Kit / Media Kit (PDF) – $150
A professional packet that combines your bio, book details, endorsements, Q&A, and media-ready assets in one polished document.Event Materials – $150 each
Design for postcards, bookmarks, posters, or flyers—customized promotional pieces for launches, signings, or readings.Social Media + Web Graphics – $150
Branded graphics for Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn that align with your book’s design and message.Author Branding – $150
A simple, consistent author brand system—logo/monogram, color palette, and typography to unify your marketing materials.
Every project is unique, and questions naturally come up along the way. Here you’ll find answers to some of the most common ones—about book types, editing, printing, costs, and timelines.
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FAQ
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I work on a wide range of personal publishing projects—from art books and photography collections to novels, poetry, memoirs, family histories, and private collection catalogues.
Books for Artists and Authors:Novels, Short Stories, or Poetry – A curated collection of your writing, whether new, unpublished, or previously released.
Art and Photography Books – Single-artist or group catalogues, monographs, or themed collections with essays and commentary.
Exhibition Catalogues – Showcasing work from a gallery or museum show, with artist statements and installation images.
Project Archives – A comprehensive book documenting a creative project from concept to completion.
Children’s Books – Picture books, chapter books, or story collections, with custom layouts that integrate text and illustrations seamlessly.
Books for Collectors + Archivists
Private Collection Catalogues – Documenting art, antiques, or rare objects with detailed descriptions and photographs.
House Histories – The story of a historic home or property, with images, plans, and narratives.
Hobby Documentation – Books about specialized collections such as stamps, vinyl records, vintage toys, or ceramics.
Books for Family + Legacy
Family Histories – Stories, timelines, and photographs of past generations.
Memoirs – Personal life stories, written and designed for sharing with family and friends.
Cookbooks – Family recipes or themed collections with stories and photos.
Tribute Books – Honoring a loved one’s life through photos, stories, and memories.
Wedding Albums – A beautifully designed keepsake that brings together photos, vows, and memories into a lasting record of the day.
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Not at all. Some clients come to me with a finished manuscript and images ready to go; others are still sorting through materials or shaping their story. I can help organize content, advise on structure, and guide you through what’s needed—whether you’re starting with a folder of photos, a rough draft, or just an idea.
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Only one of the Personal Publishing services I offer uses a template — the Personal Publishing Essentials. Using a template for this option offers an affordable option for families and individuals who want a beautifully designed memoir or family history book without the cost of full customization. Using a clean, professional template, this package focuses on clarity, readability, and lasting design.
The other Personal Publishing services I offer are unique designs, established through a conversation and a collaborative design process with you. -
Every project is different, but most books take 2 to 4 weeks from start to finish, though more intricate projects can take longer. Timing depends on how complex the book is, how prepared your materials are, and how quickly we move through edits and approvals. If you have a specific deadline—like a birthday, exhibition, or family reunion—I’ll do my best to work with your timeline.
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Once your book is designed and finalized, I’ll prepare print-ready files and upload them to a high-quality on-demand printing service like Blurb or Lulu. You’ll be able to order copies for yourself, share with family and friends, or even sell the book directly through their platforms—no inventory or upfront printing required.
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Yes. Most of the books I create are designed for print, but I can also prepare files for digital formats like PDFs or eBooks. If you’re not sure what format is best for your project, I’m happy to talk through your options.
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Yes. You retain full ownership and copyright of your content and final book. My role is to help you design and produce it—but the book belongs to you.
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Getting Started
Start with a Conversation: Every project begins with a free thirty-minute conversation. We’ll talk about your goals, your material, and what you’d like the finished book to be. If it feels like a good fit, I’ll provide a clear estimate of the fee before we begin, so you know exactly what to expect.
Shape the Project: Next, we’ll organize your content and decide on the structure, style, and scope of your book. This is where editing, image preparation, and design direction come together. My goal is to make the process clear, collaborative, and tailored to your story.
Bring It to Life: I’ll work with you to create a design that fits your story. Once it’s finalized, I’ll prepare print-ready files and guide you through printing options—whether you want one copy or a thousand. The result is a professionally made book that you can share, sell, and keep for generations.
Contact
Self-publishing can feel daunting—there are a lot of decisions to make, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. I’m here to simplify the process, offer clear guidance, and help you create something you’ll be proud of. Reach out with questions or to talk through your project. No pressure—just a conversation.
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"This wasn’t a template—it was a collaborative process that brought out the best in my story. The result is a book that feels deeply personal yet looks like it came straight off the shelves of a bookstore."
—Client Name