FAQ
FAQ
Hi. Welcome. If you found this page, then you’re probably thinking about hiring a ghostwriter, book coach, or editor to help you write your memoir.
Congratulations. It’s a big step. If done right, it can be transformative.
Before you get started, you probably have a lot of questions. No worries—we have answers.
Q: What’s the difference between an autobiography and a memoir? How about a biography?
An autobiography is an account of the author's entire life from the author’s point of view. It often spans from birth to the present. Autobiographies tend to focus on factual events.
A memoir is a more selective story of the author's life. It can cover one day, one year, or just one theme, for example, a parenting memoir, travel memoir, or even a culinary memoir. It often focuses on more personal experiences, sharing an emotional journey.
A biography is the life story of a person written by someone else. Biographies are often more objective, as they rely on research, interviews, and analysis by the biographer. Biographies are written in the third person, while autobiographies and memoirs are written in the first person. Corporate biographies are less personal than business memoirs, which are written from one person’s point of view.
Q: What’s the difference between a personal memoir and a business memoir?
Many people hire us to write the story of their life. That’s a personal memoir. Many business leaders hire us to write the story of their company or career. That’s a business memoir. Still others merge the two, as their lives are intricately linked to their businesses. We love to write them all.
Q: What’s private publishing?
Many people want to write their memoirs for a private audience, usually just friends and family. That’s private publishing—a beautiful, high-quality book that’s not on public sale.
Q: What about other kinds of publishing?
Your project might be the right fit for a traditional publisher, indie, hybrid, or self-publishing. If you don’t know what any of that means, don’t worry. That’s why we’re here. We can walk you through all the options.
Q: Isn’t hiring a ghostwriter cheating?
No one expects you to renovate your own kitchen, do your own graphic design, or cut your own hair. But somehow, the world seems to think that you ought to be able to write your own book.
In truth, most authors don’t write their own non-fiction books. Some estimates say 70% of non-fiction books are ghostwritten. We suspect that number is even higher. Experts matter. If you want your book to be something people actually want to read, hire a professional.
Q: Can you make me a bestseller?
No. But we know who can. (Hint: he’s a marketer.)
Q: Will the book sound like me?
Yes. That’s the most important part of the job. Ghosts are invisible. Your voice shines through.
Q: Can you show me examples of your work?
Due to the private nature of ghostwriting, we only share work for which we have permission from the author. Please look around this website to see case studies of work we’re able to showcase and testimonials from past clients. We can send pages privately of some works on request.
Q: How exactly does this work? What’s your process?
Every project is different, but it typically goes something like this:
1
WE CHAT
We’ll schedule a free, introductory call to talk about your project. At the end, you’ll have:
– A full understanding of the ghostwriting, editing, or coaching process.
– A path forward. If we’re not the right fit for you, we’ll refer you to someone who is.
2
WE SCHEDULE A STRATEGY SESSION
You talk. We listen. We ask questions. You answer. We dig deeper. Why do you want to write this book? What are your specific goals? What does success look like? When we fully understand your vision for your book, we’ll write a book plan. We’ll meet again to fine-tune it until it’s exactly what you envision. When we’re done, you’ll have:
– A comprehensive outline that becomes the blueprint for your finished book as well as a roadmap for how to get it done in 6-9 months. You can take this and write the book yourself, take it to another ghostwriter, or if we’re a good fit, we can move forward together.
– A publishing goal. Is your project right for a traditional publisher, indie, hybrid, self-publishing, or private publishing?
3
WE WRITE YOUR BOOK.
We work chapter by chapter. First, we talk through the chapter. Then, we write it. You read it, and we talk again. We revise. Wash, rinse, and repeat until it’s perfect. In the end, you’ll have:
– A final manuscript, ready for publication.
Q: Can we work in person?
Our ghostwriters are based in Philadelphia, on the Philadelphia Main Line, and in Southern New Jersey. Our writers can travel for assignments, provided that travel expenses are covered by the client. If you want to work with an in-person ghostwriter outside the Philadelphia area without the added travel costs, we can usually refer you to excellent ghostwriters from our extensive network.
Q: Can I put photographs in my book?
Absolutely.
Q: Can you show me examples of finished books?
Because of the private nature of ghostwriting, we only share select projects online, with the author’s permission. We can send writing samples and direct you privately to published books in some circumstances.
Q: What about AI?
Fantastic question. AI is fundamentally changing the way we write and publish. It's excellent at transcribing interviews and okay (but not great) at editing. It's also excellent at plagiarizing and writing over-the-top, made-up nonsense. There are services that will help you write an AI-enabled memoir. We are not one of them because as of this writing, the technology just isn't there. Tomorrow, however, that may change. We are constantly trying out new technology to see how it can increase our speed and bring down costs. If you're interested in AI-enabled memoir writing, book a chat and we can refer you to the companies we think do it best.
Q: Alright. Enough chit-chat. What’s this going to cost?
Glad you asked. Price is often the biggest hurdle for people when getting their memoirs done. Unfortunately, interviewing, transcribing, and writing are very labor-intensive, time-consuming, skilled endeavors. Are there ways to do it cheaply? Yes. Of course. And we can gladly point you to them. But our work is different. We don't want you to write a memoir that no one will read, one that will sit on the shelf, gathering dust. If you're going to put in the time, consider making the investment.
Payment plans are available to work within your budget, and discounts are available if you can pay 50% upfront.
We offer three main tiers of service: ghostwriting, coaching/editing, and classes.
GHOSTWRITING SERVICES
Strategy Session
$450
This is the first step of writing any book — setting a firm foundation. It includes 2 hours of talk. You get a document that outlines your entire book. If we find we’re a good fit and mutually want to continue to work together, we deduct the cost from the final package.
Ghostwriting: We write your book.
$1.00 to $1.75 per word
A typical private memoir is 12,500-20,000 words (about 55 pages before pictures).
A typical hybrid or self-published memoir is 30,000-60,000 words (about 120-240 pages before pictures).
A typical traditionally published memoir is 65,000-80,000 words (about 260-320 pages before pictures).
The range in pricing represents the amount of research needed and the complexity of the storytelling. For example, if we need to interview many subjects or access archives for historical context, the cost is higher. We can quote bespoke projects (longer books, coffee table books, etc.) on request.
COACHING AND EDITING SERVICES
Editing an existing manuscript.
Typically, $650-$2,400
Book coaching without editing: You write. We talk.
$1,000/month, six-month minimum.
We act as project manager, mentor, butt-kicker, and cheerleader. We speak twice a month and read everything you write.
Book coaching with editing: You write. We edit. We talk.
$2,200/month, six-month minimum.
We act as project manager, mentor, developmental editor, line-editor, butt-kicker, and cheerleader.
WORKSHOPS
We offer a series of in-person and virtual workshops that are a great way to get expert guidance and motivation at a fraction of the cost. Come join us!
Blog or other content writing.
Let’s talk.
Q: Do these prices include publishing?
No. Books have three stages:
- Writing
- Publishing
- Marketing
Once we deliver your polished manuscript, you’re done phase 1. Congratulations! This is a huge step. After this, our job as ghostwriter, editor, or book coach is done. We can absolutely help you navigate stages 2 and 3, but those services are not included in ghostwriting, coaching, or editing fees. If you’re interested in publishing and marketing services, book a chat and we can discuss.
In general, to add publishing services to a book is between $3,500-$25,000 per project, depending on too many factors to go into here.
Main Line Memoir
Professional ghostwriting in Philadelphia and beyond. We offer bespoke biography, memoir writing, and publishing services for you and your loved ones.
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