A book you can pay for one step at a time.
You decide the pace, the budget, and when to pause. You never pay for time I didn't spend, and you never go over a total you haven't approved.
How it starts
A 30-minute call, phone or Zoom
We talk about your story and whether we're a fit. No obligation, and no pitch.
Story Map: 10 hours
Your first recorded interviews, your through line, a chapter outline, and a written estimate for the whole book. If you stop here, you keep all of it.
Billed only for real work
We keep going a few hours at a time. Every hour is logged and shared with you, and outside work is approved in advance.
What it looks like month to month
Most authors work a few hours a month, so the cost is spread out over the life of the book. Pick a pace to see how it adds up.
Most whole books land between 80 and 180 hours, about $8,700 to $19,600 in total. After your Story Map, you get a written estimate with a cap, so the total never surprises you.
A typical book takes about 8 to 18 months at this pace. Pause or slow down any time.
Where the hours go
If AI helps draft, why does a book take 80 hours or more? Because the draft is the easy part. The book lives in the questions, the structure, and the rewrites.
Ranges, not promises. Shorter books with fewer revision rounds land on the low end.
Ways to make it easier
Pause any time
Life happens. We can slow down or stop for a while, and pick up where we left off.
A cap you approve
Your written estimate has a not-to-exceed total. I won't go past it without your written OK.
Prepaid monthly blocks
Buy a set number of hours each month, so the cost is predictable.
A gift from family
Families can pay for the Story Map or a block of hours. The author still owns everything.
See every hour
You get a simple log of what I worked on and for how long.
Stop and keep everything
If you stop, you pay only for hours already worked and keep every recording, transcript, and draft.
Optional: publishing setup
Same hourly rate. I set up your Amazon KDP or IngramSpark account, format the files, sort out your ISBN, and coordinate with a cover designer. Every account stays in your name.
Not included
Professional editing, cover design, and printing are separate. I'll point you to people I trust, and you hire and pay them directly.
The first step is free.
Book a 30-minute call. We'll talk about your story, your budget, and a pace that works for you.