The 2am DIY
A free logo app, three energy drinks and a font you swore looked fine. Spoiler, it looked like hot garbage in the morning.
- time spent
- one long night
- cost
- your sleep
You tried the free logo app. The cousin with Photoshop. The big fancy agency. Twenty-five plans later, you're right where you need to be.
ok real talk, this one's a little personal
Somewhere right now there's an amazing author nobody's heard of yet. They poured years into their writing and then hit the dumbest wall ever. How do I get people to actually notice me? TBH we know that wall way too well. Most of us have banged our heads on it.
Plan Z started at a kitchen table with a few book-obsessed friends and a stack of dog-eared paperbacks. We kept watching amazing writers get priced out, talked down to or straight up ignored by the big agencies, and honestly it pissed us off. So we quit whining and became the crew we wished those writers had. The kind that reads your book first. The kind that actually gives a damn.
We build the face, the home and the voice of your author brand, and we do it with you, not for you. Every logo we sketch and every page we design starts with your story, because screw changing who you are just to get noticed. Got a weird idea? Hit us with it. Hate a draft? Say so plz, we can take it.
No great author should stay invisible just because they couldn't afford to be seen.
So fuck the other plans, you've still got Plan Z. Ok, enough about us. We'd honestly love to hear about you.
Rooting for you like crazy,
the Z-Team
Every author we meet has a little graveyard of plans that flopped. Here's how it usually goes down. Stop us if this sounds familiar.
A free logo app, three energy drinks and a font you swore looked fine. Spoiler, it looked like hot garbage in the morning.
He said two weeks. That was last spring. Now all you get is a thumbs up emoji and zero files.
Fancy office, terrifying invoice and a project manager who called your memoir a content asset. Hard pass.
You bring the big dreams and the weird ideas. We figure out the rest together, one honest chat at a time, no fluff, until your brand feels like you on your best day ever.
Skipped straight to Z? Look at you, skipping the BS. Tell us about yourself and we'll take it from here.
Three things we make, all built around you from scratch. Grab one or go all in. No templates, no lazy copy paste jobs, pinky swear.

Cozy mystery queen or cosmic horror weirdo, your logo tells readers who you are before they read a single word.
go ahead, judge the cover
Your bio, your books and a newsletter sign-up in one cozy corner of the internet. You can update it yourself, zero tech degree and zero tears needed.
doors open 24/7
Posts and templates so on-brand your followers clock it's you before they even see your name.
double tap worthyType your pen name, pick what you write and drag the line. Left is the 2am DIY. Right is you, with a little Plan Z on.
Psst. That's a 3 second doodle, not your real logo. The real one starts with your story and a real human on Team Z.
These authors trusted us with their whole author vibe. Here are a few we still brag about to our moms, like, a lot.
Tessonja OdetteFantasy romance
Thomas GoodyearHorror
Jenna WolfhartRomantasy
Ron ShawDark speculative fiction
Chloe LauterLiterary horror
Kate KhavariHistorical mysteryReal authors, real reviews, straight from our Bark page. Every word is theirs, typos included. We wouldn't dare touch them.
Take our free Brand Check and get an instant report card on your logo, website, socials and more. Graded on a curve. The curve is J.K. Meowling's tail.
Grade my brandLook, we're shameless. Every author gets two endings. You pick.
You go back to blending in. Another year of "someday." Readers scroll right past you because nobody can tell what you're about. Kinda tragic, right?
One quick five-minute form. A real human gets back to you by tomorrow. Then a logo, a website and socials that finally look like the author you really are, and readers who actually find you.
Yes! Start my Plan ZStill scrolling? Your future readers just texted us. They said pick Ending #2.
Spoiler, it started with one very talented friend and one very ugly website. Here's the whole thing, zero corporate BS.
meet the crew
Her debut was brilliant. Her author website had not loaded properly since 2019, and her logo came from a free app at 3am. We fixed it all in one weekend, paid in pizza.
Her writing group noticed. Then their friends did. Pretty soon we were sketching logos on lunch breaks for authors in four time zones and loving every second.
Z is the last letter, and we're the last plan you'll ever need. Bold claim? Absolutely. Every author on our wall showed up after trying everything else and left with a brand they're obsessed with. We're not the backup. We're the comeback.
New authors, wilder genres, bigger launches. Every project pushes us to go louder and better than the last one. The next chapter of this story? Pretty sure it has your name on it.
Real humans, strong opinions about fonts, one very sleepy cat.

Started Plan Z and can do every job on this page. Yes, every single one.

Always asks "what if we go bolder?" Annoyingly, she's usually right.

Turns messy moodboards into designs you'd want to frame.

Kerning is her love language. Your name, bestseller ready.

Draws moody forests, tiny dragons and everything in between.

Builds author sites that fly on every phone. Speaks fluent code.

Makes covers readers judge, in the best way.

Knows exactly what makes thumbs stop scrolling.

Writes bios and captions that sound like you on a great day.

Keeps every project on track and every author calm. Bakes for launch days.

Approves every moodboard by sleeping on it. Has never missed a snack break.
Everyone keeps asking if AI does our work. So we put it in the ring.




fine, we let the robot have that last one
The robots can keep the boring stuff. Everything creative is made by real humans, and your words never go into any AI tool.
If that ever changes, you'll hear it from us first. Scout's honor.and that's our story
Dear Plan Z, my name is and I write . Help me look as good as my books read, plz.
Every author here walked away with a brand that feels unmistakably them (zero cookie cutter crap) and a presence readers actually remember. Tap a photo to see how it came together.
meet the authorsEvery one of these started as a chat, a coffee and a "so, who are you as an author?" Tap a card to see how their brand came to life.
Bring your voice and your big dreams, we'll bring everything else. One chat is all it takes to get your spot.
Four plans, one free gift and zero BS surprise bills. Pick the one that fixes your biggest headache, or grab them all.
see the plansReaders see your name and feel nothing. No look, no vibe, no wow. You need a logo that makes people go "oh, that's them".
That's Signature MoveSomeone googles you after a great chapter and finds a dead Facebook page. Ouch. You need a home base online.
That's Author HQRandom fonts, random colors, random everything. You need socials that look like one person made them, on purpose.
That's The SpotlightWhy our plans hit different. Nothing comes off a template shelf. Every logo, page and post starts from a blank page and your story. Add revision rounds, plain English and one simple upfront fee, and you've got the whole deal.

Your name turned into a logo readers spot from across the bookstore.

Your home on the internet, where readers find you, fall for you and buy the book.

A feed that looks planned and posts itself for a month, even on your pajama days.

Signature Move, Author HQ and The Spotlight in one go. Your logo, website and socials built side by side as one story, so readers know it's you everywhere from day one.
Here's a secret. Covers are our first love. That moment a reader picks up a book and just has to know what's inside? Pure magic.
So whatever plan you pick, your next ebook cover is on us. No catch. And every now and then, when a story totally steals our heart, we design a cover just for love, no plan needed. We're softies, sue us.
25% offfor you
25% offfor your bestie
Refer an author friend and you both get 25% off your packages. Every hero needs a sidekick.
Tell us who's coming
Still deciding? Real Talk has answers to questions authors actually asked us.
We're road tripping across all 50 states (in spirit, with very good snacks). In every state, one lucky author gets any single plan for just $99. First come, first served. Once your state is claimed, it's gone.
find your stateNo forms from 1997, no waiting rooms, no catch. Just a quick road trip with a very happy ending.
Scroll the map. Plates stamped CLAIMED are gone, the rest are up for grabs. Yours still open? Hell yes.
Pick your plan, pop in your details and pay $99. Your damn neighbor can only watch.
Same plan, same team, same revisions as full price authors. Just a way tinier bill.
No state matches that. Typo, maybe?
Every state goes to exactly one author, first come, first served. One claim per person, one plan per claim, and the brand has to be for your own author name or pen name.
Once you confirm and pay your $99, we'll ask for one document that shows you live in that state. Any one of these works.
Psst. Cover everything except your name, your state and the date. We only check where you live, then delete it within 7 days.
We verify within 24 to 72 hours. If we can't confirm it, you get a full refund and the state goes back on the map for someone else.
Once all 50 states are claimed, the tour is over. No reruns, no sequels.
Every plate on this map is one lucky author. Once your state's taken, it's gone for good and some damn neighbor gets bragging rights. Grab your ticket while the road's still open.
Every question on this page came from a real author who slid into our inbox. They get the credit, we just do the answering.
read the mailbagA company interviewing itself. "Why are we so great?" "Great question, us!" What a load of crap.
Questions straight from authors like you, with your name on them. Ask something good and you might end up here too.
Totally. We build a personality for your pen name with an illustrated avatar, a voice and a color story. Readers feel like they know you, and your neighbors never have to find out about chapter twelve.
Not weird at all, it's actually smart. A brand while you write means you can grow readers before launch day. Plenty of our authors start with a working title and a dream.
One simple upfront fee, that's it. No hidden extras, no surprise invoices. And if your budget's tight, check if your state is still open on the $99 tour, or grab the Sidekick Deal with an author friend.
Then you tell us, loudly. Every plan comes with revision rounds, and if a direction totally misses we scrap it and start fresh. We'd rather redo it than have you settle.
That's the plan (Plan Z, obviously). We build on easy editors and record a walkthrough video, so you can add books, events and news without us.
A logo takes about two weeks, a website three to four, and The Full Story around five to six. Launch breathing down your neck? Tell us the date and we'll see what we can squeeze.
Not for anything creative. Humans sketch, humans design, humans write, and your manuscript stays far away from robots. The full AI promise is here.
Each state gets exactly one lucky author at $99. Yours already gone? Bummer, but the regular plans are still one simple upfront fee with zero surprises. Check the map.
Seven? Love that for you. We design a series system so every book clearly belongs together. And hey, one of those covers comes free with any plan.
Not even a little. We make templates so simple you just swap the words and hit post, plus a video that walks you through it. Some of our favorite feeds belong to grandparents.
Yes. Once you've paid, the logo, files and designs are all yours to use however you want. No hostage situations.
Really, truly free. Grab any plan and we design an ebook cover as our gift. The only catch is you'll want to show it off. Read about The Cover Gift.
Send it our way. The stranger the better. We answer every single one, and the best ones land on this page with your name, what you write and a shoutout.
Tell us about you and your writing. We read every note and come back with ideas, never a sales pitch.
How's your author brand really doing? Answer 8 quick questions and get an instant report card. Want the real deal? Send us your links and Team Z will grade it by hand, for free.
grade meThere are no wrong answers. Well, there kinda are, but that's why we're here.
Drop your links and we'll personally go through your website, socials and author presence. You'll get a real report card in your inbox within 3 business days with what's working, what's not and the quickest wins. Free. No strings. No sales pitch ambush.
the short versionUsing our site or working with us means you're cool with these terms.
Plan Z is an author branding team. We make logos, websites and social media kits only for authors. These terms cover skiptoplanz.com and every project we take on with you.
By using the site, filling out a form or booking a plan, you agree to these terms. If something here doesn't sit right, talk to us before you book. We're nice, promise.
the short versionGrown up authors building their own author brand.
You need to be at least 18 to book a plan. Every brand we make is for your own author name or pen name.
If you're booking on behalf of someone else, like a publisher or an agent, you're confirming that you're allowed to make decisions for that author.
the short versionWe chat, we agree on the plan in writing, then the magic starts.
Every project starts with a catch up by email, text or chat. We learn about you, your books and your readers.
Before any work begins we send you a project summary. It lists what you're getting, the timeline, the number of revision rounds and the price. Once you approve it and pay, we're officially in business.
Anything outside that summary is extra. We'll always tell you the price first and only start once you say yes.
the short versionThe price on the tag is the price you pay. One payment, upfront.
All prices are in US dollars. Each plan is paid in full, upfront, before work starts. No surprise bills, no sneaky fees.
Payments are handled by trusted payment processors. We never see or store your full card details.
If sales tax applies where you live, we'll show it before you pay. Add ons are quoted separately.
the short versionWe tweak until you love it, within the direction we agreed on.
Your plan includes the revision rounds listed in your project summary. Revisions polish and refine the direction you approved.
If you'd like a brand new direction after you've already approved one, no problem. We'll quote it as extra work so it stays fair for everyone.
the short versionWe're quick, but we need you too.
Timelines are our best estimate and depend on how fast feedback and content come back to us. We'll keep you posted the whole way.
If we don't hear from you for 30 days, we'll pause your project. After 60 days of silence we'll consider it complete and send over everything finished so far. Want to pick it back up later? Just say hi and we'll work out a restart.
the short versionFull refund before we start. After that it's fair and case by case.
Changed your mind before work starts? You get a full refund, no hard feelings.
Once work has started, we refund the part of the project we haven't done yet. Custom creative work can't be un-done, so time already spent isn't refundable.
Once final files are delivered, the project is complete and there are no refunds. Free gifts and discounts have no cash value.
the short versionYour words, photos and books belong to you. Always.
Anything you send us, like your manuscript, photos, bio or book covers, stays yours. You give us permission to use it only to make your project happen.
By sending it, you confirm you own it or have permission to use it.
the short versionPay in full and the final brand is all yours.
Once your project is paid in full, you own the final approved designs we made for you, like your logo and brand graphics. Use them anywhere, forever.
We keep the rights to sketches and concepts you didn't pick, plus our own tools, templates and code we use across projects.
Some fonts, photos and plugins come with their own licenses. If one needs to be bought in your name, we'll tell you before using it.
Website hosting, domains and platform subscriptions belong to you and are paid by you, so you always hold the keys.
the short versionWe love showing off your brand, but we'll never spoil a reveal.
After your brand launches, we may share the work on our site and socials with your name. Rather we didn't? Just email us and we'll keep it between us.
Big cover reveal or launch coming up? We keep everything secret until you go public.
the short versionOur deals are generous. These are the house rules.
The Cover Gift is one ebook front cover per author with any plan. It has no cash value and can't be traded for something else.
The Sidekick Deal gives you and the author friend you refer 25% off each, once your friend books a plan.
The US Discount Tour is $99, one author per state, with proof that you live there. The full rules are on the tour page.
Deals can't be combined unless we say so. We can end a deal anytime, but we'll always honor one you've already claimed.
the short versionTips are gifts, not purchases.
Chipping in for Z HQ is a voluntary tip. You're not buying a product or service, tips are not refundable and they're not tax deductible.
the short versionNo robot is designing your logo.
We use everyday design software to work faster, but your brand is created and finished by real people on Team Z.
the short versionDon't mess with the site or copy our stuff.
Please don't misuse the site, try to break it or copy our designs, words or drawings for your own business. Everything on skiptoplanz.com belongs to Plan Z unless it belongs to one of our authors.
the short versionWe do great work, but we can't promise bestseller lists.
We'll always do our very best work for you, but we can't guarantee book sales, followers or any particular results.
To the extent the law allows, Plan Z isn't responsible for indirect losses like lost sales or profits. If something goes wrong, the most we're responsible for is the amount you paid us for that project.
Our site links to other places, like Amazon or Instagram. We don't control them, so their own terms apply.
the short versionTalk to us first. Seriously, we'll fix it.
If you're unhappy, email us and we'll work it out together. Most things get sorted with one honest chat.
These terms follow the laws of the State of California. Any dispute that can't be worked out will be handled in the courts of California, unless the law where you live says otherwise.
the short versionIf we update them, the date up top changes too.
We may update these terms from time to time. The version on this page applies to new projects from the date shown at the top. Your project summary always follows the terms in place when you booked.
Email hello@skiptoplanz.com and a real human (not the cat) will explain anything on this page.
the short versionWe only collect what we need to work with you. We never sell it. We never spam.
This page explains what we collect, why we collect it and what you can do about it. It covers skiptoplanz.com, our forms and every project we work on together.
the short versionOnly the stuff you give us, plus the basics every website sees.
Things you tell us, like your name, email, phone number, author name, project details, budget, links to your books or socials, files you send and questions you ask.
For the US Discount Tour, a document that proves which state you live in.
Payment confirmations from our payment processors. We never see your full card number.
Basic technical info every website receives, like your browser type and the pages you visit, from our hosting provider.
the short versionTo reply, to make your brand and to run our little business.
To answer your messages, plan your project, send payment links, share progress and deliver your files.
To check your state for the US Discount Tour.
To answer questions you send through Real Talk. Your first name only shows up on our site if you tick the box that says it's okay.
To keep our site working, safe and getting better, and to follow the law.
the short versionQuick updates only. Reply STOP anytime.
If you give us your phone number, you're saying it's okay for Team Z to text you about your inquiry or project. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP anytime and we'll stop.
We only send marketing emails or texts if you've separately said yes, and every one has an easy way out.
the short versionOnly the helpers we need to do the job. We never sell your info.
We use trusted service providers to run Plan Z, like email, form, file storage, hosting and payment companies. They only get what they need to do their job and must keep it safe.
We might share info if the law requires it or to protect our rights, or with a new owner if Plan Z ever changes hands.
We never sell your personal information and never share it for targeted advertising.
the short versionNo creepy tracking.
Our site doesn't use advertising cookies. Your browser may save small things on your own device, like the pen name you sign on the first page or whether you turned the sound off, to make the site work smoothly. They never leave your device.
If we ever add analytics, we'll update this page first.
the short versionChecked, then deleted within 7 days.
The document you send to prove your state is only used to confirm where you live. We delete it within 7 days of checking it and never share it.
the short versionOnly as long as we need to.
If we don't end up working together, we delete your inquiry after 24 months.
For clients, we keep project and payment records for up to 7 years because tax rules say so. You can ask us to delete anything we don't legally need sooner.
the short versionIt's your info. You're the boss of it.
You can ask us what we have about you, fix it, get a copy or have it deleted. You can also opt out of any marketing.
If you live in California or another state with privacy laws, you have rights under those laws, including the right to know, delete and correct your info and to not be treated differently for using them. We don't sell or share your info, so there's nothing to opt out of there.
Email hello@skiptoplanz.com and we'll get back to you within 45 days. We may need to confirm it's really you first.
the short versionWe lock the door, every time.
We use sensible security to protect your info, like secure connections and trusted providers. No system is 100% hacker proof, so if anything ever goes wrong, we'll tell you quickly.
the short versionOur services are for grown ups.
Plan Z is for authors aged 18 and up. We don't knowingly collect info from anyone under 13. If you think a child sent us their info, email us and we'll delete it.
the short versionIf we update it, the date up top changes too.
We may update this policy from time to time. Big changes get a heads up by email if we're working together.
Email hello@skiptoplanz.com and a real human (not the cat) will explain anything on this page.
We looked everywhere. Under the couch, behind the coffee mug, inside a cardboard box. This page is gone, but the cat looks very pleased with herself.
Right now Team Z is fully remote and loving it. The dream office in LA exists, just only in our sketchbooks for now.
A sunny little office in LA with a giant desk for Team Z and a comfy chair for J.K. Meowling. We did the math, twice. 800 projects or 150 authors gets us the keys.
every dollar goes into the HQ fund progress updates on our socials