Frequently Asked Questions

No — Custom Bedtime Story Co. delivers a digital PDF file only. Nothing is printed or shipped. You receive your personalized bedtime story as an email attachment. You're welcome to print it yourself at home or at a print shop for a lovely keepsake copy.

Stories are written to be read aloud in 5–10 minutes — the sweet spot for bedtime. Long enough for a full adventure, short enough that your child stays awake for the ending. Great for re-reading every night.

We write stories for children aged 2–10. For younger children (2–4) we write simpler, shorter stories with gentle, rhythmic language. For older children (7–10) the stories can be more layered and adventurous. Just tell us your child's age and we'll calibrate accordingly.

Yes — visit our Sample Stories page to see excerpts showing the style and warmth you can expect. Every real story is completely original and tailored to the specific child.

Absolutely — this is one of the most important parts of your order. You tell us the lesson you want your child to absorb (e.g. "it's okay to be different," "kindness always comes back," "you are brave even when you're scared") and we weave it naturally into the story — no preachy lectures, just a story that makes it feel true.

You'll fill in: child's first name, age, pronouns, favorite animal, favorite color, three favorite things, desired story tone (gentle, silly, or adventurous), the lesson you want the story to teach, an optional avoid list (things to skip — fears, sensitivities), and an optional dedication line. That's it.

There's an "Avoid List" field on the order form. If your child has fears, sensitivities, or things you'd rather not include — loud noises, spiders, separation from parents, water — just list them and we'll steer clear.

Yes — just enter the gift recipient's email address in the email field, and fill in the child's details. It makes a wonderful birthday gift, holiday gift, or a surprise from a grandparent who knows the child's favorites. See our grandparent gift page →

Yes — there's an optional dedication field on the order form. You can include a short message like "For Emma, from Grandma — you are so loved" and we'll include it at the front of the story.

Most orders are completed within 1 business day. Occasionally it may take up to 3 business days if we're especially busy. We'll email you as soon as your story is ready.

No account needed. You fill in the form, pay securely via Stripe, and we deliver your story to your email. Simple as that. You'll receive a unique order code you can use to track your order status.

Payment is handled securely by Stripe — the same payment system used by millions of businesses worldwide. We accept all major credit and debit cards. We never see or store your card details.

One correction round is included for spelling errors in the child's name, personalization mistakes, formatting issues, or reasonable minor adjustments. Additional revisions may require a new order or an added fee. Contact us at hello@custombedtimestoryco.com.

Because each story is custom-written to order, we cannot offer refunds after delivery. If there's a genuine error in the personalization, we'll fix it at no charge. Please review our Terms of Service for full details.

Yes. We collect only what we need to write the story — first name, age, and preferences. Stories are never publicly posted. We do not sell or share your data with third parties. Read our full Privacy Policy →

Please do not include sensitive personal information in the story fields — no last names, home addresses, school names, or medical details. A first name and age are all we need to create a beautiful story.