The book everyone helped write.
Invite family, friends and colleagues to each write one short piece. We help you give every writer the right prompt, then gather the entries and print them into a cloth-bound hardcover - beautifully typeset, made to be kept.
Every voice its own page.
Each contribution is typeset as its own chapter - the text on one page, a colour photograph facing it. Your authors' words, authentically reproduced in a format where they can be treasured for years to come.
How they met
The night the lights went out
The whole street lost power during my birthday, and while the rest of us hunted for candles, James spent the evening making Ella laugh in the dark. None of us saw them properly until the lights came back - and by then it was obvious.
What I remember most is the quiet after everyone else went home: the four of us on the doorstep, James still telling stories, Ella still laughing, the whole street dark except for our candles burning down on the windowsill.
We’ve been waiting for this day since about nine o’clock that night, and I’d like it on record that I called it first.
— Priya, maid of honour
Four steps. Three weeks.
Tell us the occasion and who should write. Each person receives their own invitation, with a prompt suited to who they are to the recipient.
A paragraph or a page - and a photograph to go with it. We nudge the stragglers gently, so you never have to chase.
Every entry is gathered, gently tidied and properly typeset - each story with its own colour photo page. You approve the proof.
Cloth-bound in the UK with a gold-foiled cover, a printed dust jacket to match - and at your door within three weeks of the final entry.
One book. One price. Everything in.
No tiers, no per-writer charges, no surprises at checkout. Everything the garland needs is in the price.
Start a book- Up to 50 pages, colour throughout
- A colour photo page with every story
- As many writers as you like
- Guided prompts for every writer
- Reminders & chasing handled by us
- Typeset & gently edited
- Cloth-bound hardcover with a printed dust jacket
- UK delivery within three weeks
Before you begin
How long does it take?
Three weeks from the final entry to the finished book. Most organisers give their writers four to six weeks before that - we’ll help you set the deadline.
How many people can write?
As many as you like. Books have been made with four contributors and with sixty - the price doesn’t change. A single volume holds up to 600 pages, which is room for more than a hundred people to write a thousand words each - you won’t run out of space.
What does the book look like?
A cloth-bound hardcover, in one of four cloth colours, with the title foil-stamped down the spine and printed on a matching dust jacket. Inside, every contribution is typeset as its own chapter with a facing colour photo page.
What if someone isn’t a writer?
That’s what the prompts are for. As editor, you'll choose the topics and prompts you think will work best for the recipient. You can also decide whether to let your contributors take their pick from your selection of prompts, or whether each contributor is directed toward a different prompt.
Can we include photographs?
Yes - every story gets its own photo page, printed in colour. Writers attach a photograph when they submit; we take care of the rest.
Who’s behind Garland Press?
We’re a small, family-run British company. Your book is printed and bound in the UK, and if you have any problems at all, we'll be on hand to iron out any issues.