Questions before you begin.
From inviting people to getting the book to the birthday. If there’s something else you’d like to know, email us.
When should I start?
Four to eight weeks before the birthday is a useful starting point. Enter the date the book needs to arrive and we’ll plan the collection deadline, leaving time for you to read the writing, order, and have it printed and posted. If time is tight, we show a warning. Delivery dates are estimates; we don’t offer express shipping.
Who can I invite?
Anyone who knows them: family, godparents, family friends, teachers, coaches and their own friends. A book can have up to 30 contributors, including people under 18. People don’t have to be at the party to take part.
What does each person write?
They tap the topic they’d most like to write about and answer one specific question. You can also give a named contributor a particular question. Most topics ask for advice they’ve actually learned or used; others ask for a story about the birthday person. They can write as much or as little as they’d like.
Do contributors need an account?
No. The group link asks for their name and email and takes them straight to writing. We email a personal link so they can return to their draft. People you invite individually also get a personal link. There’s no contributor password.
Can it be a surprise?
The group invitation and its link preview say it’s a surprise and ask people not to tell the birthday person. Choose who gets the link carefully: anyone it’s forwarded to can join while it’s open. You can turn it off or replace it, and it closes at the collection deadline.
Can people add photographs?
Yes. Each contributor can add one optional photo and a caption. The photo is printed on the page facing their words. If they don’t add one, the facing page has a small ornament. A photo is never required to take part.
Can I read everything before it prints?
Yes. You read the entries, ask contributors for changes or leave an entry out, and arrange the chapters. You can add a foreword and choose the cover details. Once you pay and place the order, the book is locked. We check the print proof by hand before sending it to the printer.
Can I change the questions later?
You can choose and edit them before invitations go out. Once people can join, topics become add-only. A question or an assignment locks when its contributor opens or starts it, so nobody writes an answer to a question that changes underneath them.
What does the finished book look like?
A cloth-bound hardback, 156 × 234 mm, in a choice of five cloth colours, with a foil-stamped spine and a printed dust jacket carrying your title. Inside, the words are typeset into chapters with space for optional colour photographs. The sample on our homepage shows the print layout with illustrative writing.
How much is it, and can I order extra copies?
The book is £89, including UK postage. Each extra copy is £79. Add up to 9 at checkout; all copies are printed together and posted to one address. You pay after collecting and arranging the writing.
Who chases the writing?
You can see who has joined and who has written, then follow up with anyone you’re waiting for. Automatic reminders aren’t available yet, so allow yourself time to check in with people before the collection deadline.
Is any of the writing made by AI?
No. People write every contribution. The questions give them a way in; we typeset their words for the book.
Is it only for 18ths and 21sts?
Those are the birthdays we’ve built it around. The setup form also lets you choose another birthday from 16 to 25. The book is written to someone at the beginning of adult life, with advice and a few stories from the people who know them.
Where do you deliver?
We currently print and post within the UK. All copies in an order go to the same UK address. If the birthday is close, check the expected arrival shown before paying, or email hello@garlandpress.com before you start.