Ghostwriters for memoir and autobiography are in high demand today—some form of life writing is the classic ghostwriting service, and writing a life story is a delicate process; and the most personal form of writing. For a new writer, this can be a sensitive balance. Should I change his name? Should I kiss and tell? What if someone I write about reads it?

We provide mentoring, editing and ghostwriting support through the transformational and confessional autobiographical process. Turning your lived experiences into manuscripts is what we do best.

Recalling memory, intellectualising it and then structuring life events can often require the support of an experienced editor or ghost—in order to arrange all of that processed memory around a plot which the reader can connect with. Trust and connection are everything. Discretion, as our core ethos, is upheld by our writers throughout the process and beyond. It’s a daunting task, laying your personal life out in the open, but we have your back as we write your book.

If you are an unknown name, but you have ambitious publishing goals we can discuss ways to write your book as a literary memoir or piece of narrative non-fiction, both of which are more sought after by publishers compared with something linear and traditional.

How we Write your Memoir

We work closely with our clients to understand their perspectives, thoughts and feelings – to seek out and create the right tone and language that fits their personality. This process requires time, patience and an attuned understanding of an individual to find this voice. Only then will the piece become their own. Sometimes, people have not yet discovered their voice, or they don’t know how to voice a book while writing. We help with this, too. A good ghostwriter is someone who is observant, intuitive, detailed and creative.

What’s the Difference Between a Memoir and an Autobiography?

We can help you decide on the ‘type’ of autobiography. The main difference between a memoir and an autobiography is in its presentation. A memoir doesn’t need to present the life story in any linear fashion and can adopt a more artistic narrative, often pivoting around a key event, such as a traumatic formative event or a significant milestone.

‘Any man’s life, told truly, is a novel.’ Ernest Hemingway

The Process

1. Send through an outline of your story here and we’ll arrange a call to talk everything through.

2. We will advise on how best to present the story: literary memoir, autofiction, celebrity autobiography, confessional, psychoanalytical, archival, these are all forms of life story writing.

3. As interviews begin, we start building key items: manuscript, proposal, cover letter. Often, discussions spread over many months or, at times, years, as—and this is especially true with more traumatic events—it can take time to safely recall and process your life story. The journey can’t be rushed, but we will want to generate momentum too.

4. Eventually, a sample chapter will be drafted to agree on a style and a chapter breakdown to decide on the plot. The writer will then need time to produce the first draft of the book.

5. On submission of the draft you will start to make notes and comments, often recalling new memories that will help strengthen certain weak or flat chapters. Often, more interviews are recorded to grab the new ideas and thoughts that are significant to the developing story. This process tends to continue until you are happy with the way the story has been presented and arranged.

6. When the proposal is strong enough, with three shining, polished chapters, we will start the submissions process with you, often submitting on your behalf through a shared mailbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to get my memoir published. Can you help me with this?

We help with submissions only and introduce our clients to our contacts in the industry during the submissions process. We also advise and guide clients with regard to the big self-publishers or hybrid publishers in the UK.

How many words are memoirs normally?

It varies a lot, generally ranging from between 50,000 – 100,000 words, but typically, publishers favour around 80,000 words for a memoirs.

What is a memoir?

A memoir is a ‘type’ of autobiography. Traditionally, an autobiography tells the entire life story or the great majority of a person’s story in a linear form. In contrast, a memoir tends to focus on a certain period of a person’s life in a more intimate way, and allows the writer to share the story using more creative and literary tools. A memoir exists as a ‘type’ of autobiography but you could also say – as a novel. Examples of well-known memoirs include Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. Examples of autobiographies include Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela and Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie.

Should I change the real names of the people in my memoir?

It’s important to get out a first draft without worrying about what details should be revealed. We recommend using real names while you unpack the story so that memories flow freely and accurately. You can start thinking about changing names on the second draft.