Frequently Asked Questions
Thinking about writing your memoir?
You likely have questions about process, fit, publishing, and cost. No worries. We have the answers.
Understanding the Work
What is a memoir ghostwriter?
A memoir ghostwriter is a professional writer who interviews you, shapes your story, and writes your memoir in your voice. You bring the life and the memories; we bring the craft, structure, and editorial judgment that turn them into a book worth reading.
Isn't hiring a ghostwriter cheating? Will anyone know?
Not at all. Ghostwriting is an established, ethical, and confidential practice used by public figures, executives, and celebrated authors alike. You own the work completely, and you decide whether the ghostwriter is ever named. Many of the memoirs you admire were written this way.
Will the book sound like me?
Yes. Capturing your voice is the heart of what we do. Drawing on recorded interviews, your written materials, and the way you actually speak and think, we craft a manuscript that reads as though you wrote it yourself.
What is private publishing?
Private publishing means producing a beautiful, high-quality memoir for a private audience — usually family and close friends — rather than for public sale. The book is professionally written, designed, and printed, but it belongs to you and the people you choose to share it with.
What about other kinds of publishing?
If you want a wider readership, we guide you through the options — traditional, independent, hybrid, and self-publishing — and help you choose the pathway that fits your goals, timeline, and the book itself.
Can you make me a bestseller?
No, and anyone who promises that isn't being honest with you. What we can do is write a book worthy of readers, and point you toward the marketing specialists who help books find their audience.
What's the difference between an autobiography, a memoir, and a biography?
An autobiography is a full, chronological account of a life, written by the person who lived it (or their ghostwriter). A memoir is more selective and theme-driven. It explores particular chapters, relationships, or turning points for their deeper meaning. A biography is a life story researched and written by someone else, told in a third-person voice. Most of our clients want a memoir, focused, personal, and shaped around what matters most, but we write them all.
What's the difference between a personal memoir and a business memoir?
A personal memoir centers on family and relationships. A business memoir centers on a company, a career, or a founder's journey. Many of the most compelling projects blend the two, weaving the person and their work into a single story.
Can you show me examples of your work?
Because memoirs are personal and often private, we share examples selectively and with permission. We're glad to provide approved case studies, client testimonials, and, where appropriate, private writing samples or finished books during a consultation.
The Process
How does the memoir process work?
Every project moves through five stages: a discovery call to understand your story and goals; project planning to shape scope and approach; interviews and materials, where we gather your memories and documents; writing and editing, where the manuscript takes form in your voice; and either design and delivery, where it becomes a finished, beautifully produced book or a publishing exploratory where we help you choose and execute a publishing path.
How long does it take to write a memoir?
Shorter projects typically take six to nine months; larger ones, at least a year. If you choose to publish, the timeline extends further. Self- and hybrid publishing move faster, while traditional publishing can add a year or more after the manuscript is complete.
How much time do I have to personally invest?
Your largest commitment is the interviews, which are typically from 8 to 40 hours spread over several months. Reviewing chapters as they're written takes an hour or so a week. Expect a full day to select and scan photographs and memorabilia. Across the life of a project, most clients invest somewhere in the range of 40 to 100 hours — one to two hours a week. We shape the pace around your life, not the other way around.
Can we work in person?
Yes. Our writers are based around Philadelphia and the Main Line, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, and New York, and we regularly meet clients in person. We also work seamlessly by video and phone, and for some projects, travel is appropriate.
Can I include photographs? How many?
Yes — as many as your story calls for. We help curate, scan, retouch, and place your images so they support the narrative rather than crowd it. Photographs are often among the most treasured parts of the finished book.
Can you help turn existing interviews into a book?
Yes, though we usually recommend additional sessions with your writer. Interviews are a wonderful starting point, but the deeper conversations are what surface the theme, structure, and meaning that make a memoir cohere.
Fit & Approach
What if my family story is complicated?
Most are. Complicated histories — estrangements, hardship, difficult truths — are familiar territory, and we handle them with care, balance, and honesty. A good memoir doesn't flatten the complexity; it holds it with grace.
Who typically hires a memoir ghostwriter?
Executives and founders, professionals with a story to tell, people who've lived through remarkable experiences, and families who want to preserve a loved one's legacy before it slips away. What they share is a story that matters and a wish to see it told well.
What makes Main Line Memoir different?
We're a full-service memoir house, not a writing platform or a content mill. That means experienced editorial leadership, genuine literary and emotional craft, in-house private-memoir production, and real publishing strategy when you want it. Your book is treated as a bespoke story, not a template to be filled in.
Do you work with clients outside Philadelphia?
Yes. We work with clients across the United States and internationally, using video, phone, and secure document sharing to make distance a non-issue. We are also available to travel when appropriate. Wherever you are, the process is personal and close.
What if I'm not sure my story is "worth" a memoir?
Powerful memoirs aren't only for the famous. Some of the most moving books come from lives that never made headlines. If you're uncertain, that's exactly what an early strategy session is for. We help you see the story clearly and find the right form for it. More often than not, the story is there.
Investment
What does a memoir cost?
Every memoir is custom, and the investment reflects its scope — length, interviews, research, photographs, design, and production. Payment plans are available. Below is a guide to our ranges.
Private Family Memoirs
Premium Private Memoir
$18,000 – $24,000
A bespoke hardcover book of roughly 90–150 pages with about 40 photographs, usually centered on one person, chapter, or theme. These memoirs are our most popular offering — a cherished, expertly-written, beautifully-designed book for close family and friends.
Prestige Private Memoir
$25,000 – $125,000
A museum-quality family heirloom: typically 10×10 or larger, 100+ pages, and 50+ photographs. Extensive interviews, often with multiple family members. Richer family history, including a family tree. Top-of-the-line production and binding options.
Published Memoirs
Ghostwriting for Publication
$30,000 – $125,000
A manuscript shaped for a wider readership, with guidance for traditional, hybrid, or self-publishing. Cost reflects length and complexity.
Editing for Publication
$2,500+
Professional editorial shaping and polish for authors who have already begun writing their manuscript.
Memoir Coaching
Monthly Retainer
$500 – $2,500 / month · 6-month minimum
For writers developing their own memoirs: structure, voice, accountability, chapter planning, revision guidance, and publishing advice — steady support as you write the book yourself.
Still have questions?
The best answers come from a conversation. Let's talk about your story and the book you have in mind — no pressure, no obligation.
Book a Free Consultation