Do you only write memoirs, or do you also write business books, nonfiction books, or fiction books?

Fundamentally, we can write any type of book you want. While we focus on memoirs, we also help clients write business books, self-help books, and other types of nonfiction or even fiction books. You provide the vision and the material, and we write the book.

What if I don’t know what I want to say?

You don’t need to know what you want to say, just that you have something to say. We will pair you with a friendly, approachable ghostwriter who has the skills and experience to ask you the right questions to help you tell your story.

Who will be credited as the author of my book?

You will. We are not named as an author or coauthor, and we don’t receive any royalties.

Who are your writers?

Our writers are experienced professional ghostwriters who LOVE memoirs and nonfiction books. They have written successful books, either as ghostwriters or as credited authors, and have worked with a huge variety of clients. We will match you with a writer with knowledge of your background or industry who can capture your voice and personality.

Can I be involved in the editing process?

As much or as little as you’d like. Our clients who are BigLaw partners often prefer to edit alongside us. Our celebrity clients often prefer to have us do 99% of the editing. Your level of involvement is up to you.

Can I add images to my cover and/or book?

Absolutely—as many as you’d like to any book (non-transcript) package.

How do you maintain confidentiality?

Every member of our team who works on your book—from the writer to the editor to the cover designer—has agreed to confidentiality provisions.

Do you have any samples?

Yes, we can send you a few samples (with the clients’ permission). Please fill out this form so we can send them to you.

Will my book sound like it was written in my voice?

Yes. The interviews are about more than simply collecting information from you. They’re also an opportunity to capture your essence so that your ghostwriter can write the book in your voice and in the tone you specified during your Vision Meeting.

MemoirGhostwriting.com Services and Rates

Services, Rates, and Speeds

Our memoir and business book packages suit a variety of needs. Find them here.

Looking to land on The New York Times or USA Today bestseller lists? Or looking to position your story for film or acquisition by streaming platforms? Contact us.

Why write a book?

For private books: We aim to write the book we would have wanted from our own grandfather or grandmother. If that’s something you would have loved to read, you can provide that experience to those who come after you.

For public books (memoirs, leadership books, and business books): Our books regularly amplify credibility, help attract clients and investors, position our authors as thought leaders, preserve institutional knowledge, and create opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise exist; we've helped venture capitalists raise millions of dollars, startups attract enterprise clients, politicians launch successful campaigns, financial professionals get on CNBC, and retired military officers establish paid speaking careers. Talk with Luke, our founder, about your real-world goals.

You get one chance to do this right.

Heads of state, Nobel Prize recipients, four-star generals, ambassadors, Fortune 500 CEOs, astronauts, and prominent startup leaders have trusted us with their books. Equally important are the countless families (including our own) who have commissioned legacy books to preserve their history, stories, and values.

Years after publication, families have come back to us within hours of a loved one’s passing to write the obituary for the same person whose story we helped capture. To our founder, this is the greatest signal that we’re exceeding the expectations of those we have the opportunity to support.

Whether you aim to share your wisdom and journey publicly or privately, our guiding principle is simple: doing for your book what we would do for our own books.

“Is this really worth the investment?”

For private books: Atypically, we keep our pricing transparent (see below), but in general, it ranges from the same cost as a small bathroom remodel to a kitchen remodel. We believe what we offer to individuals and families is far more valuable than either.

For public books: The right conversation on pricing is one that involves ROI instead of costs. It’s about what becomes possible once your story, expertise, or ideas exist in a form that the world can benefit from. While no one makes a material amount of money from book sales directly, they do make money from what happens after their well-positioned book is in the hands of those they want to influence. The most common goals of public books are speaking, consulting, securing for-profit board seats, raising capital, and more. We help with those scenarios all the time.

“People don’t read books anymore.”

The right people read books. Before we start writing, we spend a lot of time helping you clarify your goals and the book’s audience to ensure that what we help you write will do for you in the real world what you want it to do. In your book, we’re going to speak to the people you most want to affect, whether they’re great-great-great-grandkids whom you want to reach with a private book or retiring orthopedic surgeons considering selling their practices.

For public books: Most public books we write these days are written as what our founder calls “subway books”: books that you can dive into and out of while sitting on a subway. You don’t have to read them cover to cover. You can pick and choose from a table of contents what is most relevant to you. And while nonfiction reading has increased over the past decade, audiobook listening has grown even faster. To meet that demand, we partnered with the same audiobook team that did The Life of Pi and Harry Potter.

“I’m too busy to write a book.”

You are. In a year, you’ll almost certainly still be busy. If you've ever thought, "I have a story worth sharing," you probably haven't also thought, "I have plenty of time to write it." Luckily, we make it easy to produce a phenomenal book. Let’s start with a short conversation, and then all you need to do is show up for interviews over Zoom (we sometimes travel to clients, if that’s easier for them).

We’ve made the process simple for heads of state; we can for you, too.

Don’t wait to start.

Health changes. Energy changes. Memories fade. Opportunities disappear.

For private books: Memories, stories, and key family information have a way of disappearing if they aren’t captured—and helping ensure that this doesn’t happen is why we wake up every day excited to do this work. We did this for our own parents.

For public books: You’ve spent decades learning through struggle and strife, and now is the time to capitalize on that. The earlier you write your book, the more time you have for the book to be useful in advancing your business and life goals. We’ll write your book to be as evergreen as possible so that you can use it to accomplish your goals for many years.

As promised, prices and service descriptions are below, but we always recommend requesting a free Vision Meeting.

Our most popular packages:

1. Remembered Forever Transcript Package – For those who want to get their whole life story down expediently in a series of guided interviews, yielding a beautiful book of polished transcripts, along with video files.

2. Remembered Forever Transcript Package with a Life Overview – For those who want to go beyond transcripts and video files with a 140-page summary that contains unlimited photos (photo restoration included).

3. Friends and Family Memoir Package – For those who want to present their life story in a timeless, library-quality memoir crafted to be treasured for generations.

4. Bestseller Package (memoirs, business books, self-help books, and more) – For those who want to become a wide-reaching voice in or beyond their field.

Scroll down to see all of our packages or click on the links above to jump to the package most relevant to you.

We also regularly offer:

5. Genealogy Services – For those who want to uncover, understand, and preserve their family history through professionally researched, thoughtfully documented genealogical work, including local partnerships in 180+ countries.

6. Corporate and Organizational Histories – For companies and institutions seeking a compelling narrative that captures their mission, growth, and milestones through interviews and research.

7. Family History Coffee Table Books – For families who want to preserve their story with rich genealogical research, interviews, and archival visuals in a stunning heirloom-quality book.

Do you already have a full or partial draft? We offer manuscript critiques, developmental editing, and other publishing support to strengthen your book and publish it. Contact us.

Remembered Forever Transcript Package

01

Immortalize your life story in transcripts for your family.

Imagine if your grandparents’ life story and values had been written down. Don’t let your children, grandchildren, and great-great-great grandchildren miss out on understanding where they come from.

This popular option captures your story, delivered as interviews transcribed for posterity rather than in the form of a memoir. We’ll transcribe and format the interviews and then bind them in a beautiful book for future generations.

The greatest reason to do this is simple: You would have wanted the same thing from your grandparents. A life story interwoven with family history is the kind of gift that grows more meaningful with every passing year. This is not about ego; this is a gift to your future family members.

You could try to do this on your own, but most people never finish. Our impartiality and deep expertise also lead to better results. We’ll guide you through the process, keep you on track, and ensure that the experience is a lot of fun.

Don’t let your stories and insights disappear; contact us today to get started.

US$5,995 for your 12 transcripts (beautifully bound) and video recordings

Free trial: Get your first two interviews 100% free so you can get to know our team. Keep the recordings and transcripts even if you decide not to proceed.
Money-back guarantee: If for any reason you’re not thrilled with the final package, we will work assiduously to amend it, and if you’re still not thrilled, we will refund 50% of your full payment (US$2,998). Keep the transcripts and recordings.
Interest-free installments: Pay in two installments over a month.
Low time commitment: If you have enough time for lunch, you have enough time for us to record your story. We only need you for one hour-long interview a week for 12 weeks.

Free Consultation

Package specifications

See an example here.

Up to 12 transcribed interviews—with any filler words (ums, ahs, and stutters) filtered out (Don’t have time for 12 interviews? We can do all the interviewing in a single day.)
Completed in 3–4 months for most people or just 3–4 weeks if you’re willing to do the interviews in a more compressed time frame
Delivered in 5 beautifully bound softcover copies and digitally as a PDF for easy sharing (included). Upgrade to 10 hardcover copies for $195
Upgrade to a fully designed custom cover by a professional cover designer for $1,675, created with your input to reflect your story and family legacy. This option includes multiple design concepts, premium typography, and stock image licensing where appropriate
Interview recordings are made available for download for 6 months and delivered via postal mail on two flash drives (a lot of clients put these in a safe deposit box for future generations)

Transcripts are enough for some. Most people want to upgrade to a stunning story with photos.

A life overview is a series of chronological vignettes that your children, grandchildren, and great-great-great-grandchildren will read for generations to understand your values, their family history, the decisions that shaped your life, and the moments that have mattered most.

Presented with digitally edited photos that bring these defining moments to life, this is what hundreds of adult children have chosen for their parents—and what many parents choose to leave for their children.

Explore the Life Overview package.

Remembered Forever Transcript Package with a Life Overview

02

Go beyond transcripts with a manuscript of roughly 140 pages of chronological vignettes and unlimited photos.

A life overview is a clear, thoughtfully organized summary of key moments in your life that makes your story easily accessible to future generations. Drawing directly from the 300–400 pages of transcripts, an expert writer will distill key themes, lessons, stories, names, and dates into a clear, chronological document of approximately 140 pages. The result is a powerful dual legacy: a full archive of transcripts for depth (which we optionally and often include in the back of the hardcovers) and a refined and accessible narrative with photos.

With our many years of expertise, you can be confident that your life overview will be produced carefully and correctly the first time.

US$15,990 for your professionally written life overview (including transcripts and recordings)

Commission one for you and your significant other at the same time for $29,980 (save $2,000).

Are you an adult child looking to commission this for a parent? Find out more here.

An Unheard-of Guarantee for Life Overviews
In the exceptionally unlikely event you’re not thrilled with your life overview (here are many people who were overjoyed with the outcome), we will work assiduously to make it right. If you’re still not thrilled, MemoirGhostwriting.com will issue a 100% refund of all payments made and you’ll keep everything we’ve created, including the full manuscript, the 10 printed books, the recordings, and the transcripts. In addition, we will donate $100 to your favorite charity.

Why? We’re only interested in producing phenomenal work.

Free trial: Get your first two interviews 100% free so you can get to know our team. Keep the recordings and transcripts even if you decide not to proceed.
Interest-free installments: Pay in three installments over four months.
Low time commitment: If you have enough time for lunch, you have enough time for us to record your story. We only need you for one hour-long interview a week for 12 weeks. We then draft your life overview with your periodic review. You always have the final say.

Free Consultation

Package specifications

See an example here.

Up to 12 transcribed interviews—with any filler words (ums, ahs, and stutters) filtered out (Don’t have time for 12 interviews? We can complete the interviews in a single day.)
A professionally written life overview of approximately 140 pages, carefully distilled from your interviews into a clear, chronological narrative
Completed in 5–6 months for most people or as quickly as 3–4 months with a more compressed schedule
Delivered as 10 (or more) beautifully bound hardcover copies with a professional cover design (or faux leather) and digitally as a PDF
Includes as many photos as you want to add, digitally restored when needed (scroll down to see an example)
Interview recordings made available for download for 6 months and delivered via postal mail on two flash drives

My career as a doctor and anti-landmine activist has taken me all over the world, from refugee camps on the Thai–Cambodian border to Nigerian villages to Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. I’ve worked with a number of international organizations to bring health care to underserved regions, advocate for banning landmines, and even evaluate a former Georgian president for torture. When I wanted to add structure to my story so I could have a professional, polished way to share the details of my life and career with my family, friends, and descendants, I turned to Luke and the rest of the MemoirGhostwriting.com team. They were exactly what I was looking for, asking insightful questions, confirming details with me, and writing my story to ensure it’s clear and engaging for those who come after me.

—Dr. James Cobey

Nobel Peace Prize recipient (shared with Physicians for Human Rights for the Campaign to Ban Landmines)
Recipient of the 1998 International Humanitarian Service Award from the American Red Cross and the 2001 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Johns Hopkins University
Cofounder of Health Volunteers Overseas
Founding board member of the G4 Alliance, which advocates for access to safe surgical operations in underserved countries
Board member or advisor for the American Fracture Association, Capitol Hill Hospitals, the Fogarty International Center of the NIH, and Refugees International

We'll Bring Your Most Important Photos Back to Life

Before

After

All packages that include photos also include digital restoration of up to 20 images affected by issues such as fading, discoloration, creasing, water damage, or other age-related wear.

Friends and Family
Memoir Package

03

Immortalize your life story as a memoir for your family.

Imagine being able to talk to and share your values with family members long after you’re gone—that’s the power of having your own memoir, which we can help you write in 7–8 months. Your great-great-great-grandchildren will know exactly what you’d like them to know about your life. This isn’t about personal pride; it’s a meaningful gift you’re leaving for future generations of your family.

US$48,500 for a library-quality memoir, complete with your recordings

US$38,500 with our public service rates (details below)

Working with a limited budget but want a full-length, stunning memoir? We can support authors through a done-with-you approach instead of a done-for-you approach. Contact us.

An Unheard-of Guarantee for Friends and Family Memoirs
In the exceptionally unlikely event you’re not thrilled with your Friends and Family Memoir (here are many people who were overjoyed with the outcome), we will work assiduously to make it right. If you’re still not thrilled, MemoirGhostwriting.com will issue a 100% refund of all payments made and you’ll keep everything we’ve created, including the full manuscript, the 10 printed books, the recordings, and the transcripts (this is unheard of in the world of ghostwriting). In addition, we will donate $100 to your favorite charity.

Why? We’re only interested in producing phenomenal books.

Expertise at each step: Your team—which usually consists of 9 people, including an interviewer/writer, editors, and designers—will develop your memoir, typically in 7 to 8 months.
Free trial: Get your first two interviews 100% free so you can get to know our team. Keep the recordings and transcripts even if you decide not to proceed.
Interest-free installments: Pay in 5 installments over 8 months.
Low time commitment: If you have time for lunch, you have time to write a book; we need you for just one hour-long interview a week for 12 weeks and for as long or as little as you’d like to provide feedback on your drafts. You always have the final say.
Public service rates: The price of a beautifully bound, library-quality memoir is US$48,500. For those who have dedicated at least 10 years to a public service career, we recognize that contribution with a special rate of US$38,500.

Free Consultation

Friends and Family Memoir: Couples Edition

While we typically recommend that each person have their own memoir—since even the closest couples experience life differently—we understand that some clients are eager to tell their shared story. For those who are set on co-authoring, we offer a special Couples Edition of our Friends and Family Memoir.

This package captures both individuals’ voices and perspectives, weaving them together into a unified narrative of your life together. It typically involves:

Joint and individual interviews with each partner
Careful narrative structuring to honor both viewpoints
Additional editorial work to preserve coherence and clarity

Because these projects require extra coordination and a more complex writing process, the investment for the Couples Edition is US$55,000.

Package specifications

See an example here.

Up to 12 interviews (Don’t have time for 12 interviews? We can do nearly all the interviewing in a single day and then just ask follow-up questions as needed.)
Unlimited review meetings until you’re 100% happy
Up to 60,000 words (about 218 pages)
Completed in 7–8 months for most people or just 4–5 months if you’re willing to do the interviews in a more compressed time frame
The inclusion of as many photographs as you’d like, digitally restoring them to their former glory (scroll up for an example)
Delivered as 10 (or more) beautifully bound hardcover copies with a professional cover design or faux-leather hardcover copies and digitally as a PDF
Interview recordings are made available for download for 6 months and delivered via postal mail on two flash drives (a lot of clients put these in a safe deposit box for future generations)

We offer the following add-on services:

Public distribution on Amazon.com, including procuring ISBNs and barcodes from MyIdentifiers.com, crafting marketing text (description, blurb, bio, tagline), optimizing book metadata (BISAC determination, keywords), adding your ISBNs and barcodes to your covers, setting up Amazon Author Central, and full upload support, for US$1,995
Our professional genealogy packages offer 25, 50, or 100 hours of research—enough to solve a focused mystery, explore multiple branches of your family tree, or conduct a deep, multi-line investigation. Each project is handled by expert genealogists based in the countries where your ancestors lived, giving you access to local records and insights that would otherwise be out of reach. Every package includes a printed report, original documents, a deluxe binder, and a private web page. Most projects are completed in 4–6 months (US$3,195 for 25 hours, US$5,995 for 50 hours, or US$11,495 for 100 hours)
An audiobook of your memoir read by a professional voice actor and produced by the same experts who created audiobooks for Life of Pi and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (US$7,995)
A translation of your memoir into the language(s) of your choice (price varies)
For those who prefer in-person interviews instead of Zoom or FaceTime or those who have extensive documents and/or photos to collate and scan, we offer the option to fly to your location anywhere in the world (price varies based on location). We’ve met with clients in Manhattan, DC (more times than we can count), Yokohama, LA, Princeton, and more

Want something even more beautiful?

If you're looking for a stunning custom coffee table book of your family's history, complete with photos, stories, quotes, and deep genealogical research, we can help. These custom projects generally take two years and cost about US$225,000. Contact us today to schedule a private consultation and learn more about how we can bring your family’s story to life.

As a venture capitalist and someone who prides himself on being a good judge of character, I’m careful about the people I choose to work with. I selected Luke and the MemoirGhostwriting.com team to capture my story because of their exceptional professionalism, sensitivity, and expertise, and they did a wonderful job of retelling my life beyond the business world. The team dug deep and articulated my journey in a personal and—at times—profound way. The interviews were an absolute joy, and I’m thrilled with the work they produced. I highly recommend their services to anyone looking to preserve their legacy.

— Hon. William H. Draper III (see Wikipedia)

Former head of the United Nations Development Programme
Cofounder of Sutter Hill Ventures (one of the earliest venture capital firms) and an early investor in Skype
Former president and chairman of the Export–Import Bank of the United States
Cochair of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Author of The Startup Game (foreword by Google CEO Eric Schmidt)

Bestseller Package

04

Become a top thought leader with an Amazon, BarnesAndNoble.com, USA Today, or New York Times bestseller (memoir, business book, or self-help book) and a full-blown marketing campaign.

Become known as one of the most recognized leaders in your field and easily win more business, position yourself for board seats, increase your speaking fees, or launch a consulting career.

If you want to reach a wide audience to improve your name recognition or status as an expert in your field, which often leads to prestigious speaking and consulting engagements and/or larger customer accounts, writing a best-selling book is the quickest way to increase your credibility. Many high-performing business leaders have released their own books, usually through ghostwriters. From that moment, they can introduce themselves as, for example, J. Doe, CEO of Acme Inc. and author of Lessons in Leadership. That addition to their introduction is powerful and permanent.

In only 9 months, we can help you write a memoir, business book, or self-help book that reaches the Amazon and/or BarnesAndNoble.com bestseller list in your category—guaranteed or your marketing money back. We can also help you target the USA Today and/or New York Times bestseller lists.

From US$68,000 for your public-facing memoir, business book, or self-help book

Working with a limited budget but want a full-length, stunning book that shares your story and advances your business goals? We can support you with a done-with-you approach instead of a done-for-you approach. Contact us.

Expertise at each step: Your team—which usually consists of 11 people, including an interviewer/writer, editors, designers, and publishing experts—will develop your book, typically in 9 months.
Free trial: Get your first two interviews 100% free so you can get to know our team. Keep the recordings and transcripts even if you decide not to proceed.
Money-back guarantee: If for any reason you’re not thrilled with the final package, we will work assiduously to amend it, and if you’re still not thrilled, we will refund 50% of your full payment (US$34,000 or more). Keep the book and interview recordings. This is unheard of in the world of ghostwriting.
Interest-free installments: Pay in 9 installments over 9 months.
Save on taxes: This service can often be purchased as a pre-tax business expense.
Low time commitment: If you have time for lunch, you have time to write a book; we need you for just one hour-long interview a week for 12 weeks and for as long or as little as you’d like to provide feedback on your drafts. You always have the final say.

Free Consultation

Unique Model for Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Venture Capitalists, and Private Equity Leaders

Publishing a high-impact business book can elevate your public profile and establish you as a thought leader in your industry. We’ll ghostwrite your book—and we’re open to being compensated partially through cash and partially through carried interest or equity. These models are unheard of in our industry, but they’ve worked well for our clients and our team. In rare cases, if you’re growing rapidly, we can be compensated fully with equity or carried interest. This allows you to access elite authorial talent without upfront costs.

Under the venture capital/private equity model, we’ll ghostwrite your book to elevate your public profile, increase LP interest, and amplify deal flow. If you represent a venture-backed startup, our team will partner with you to craft a compelling book that positions you as a thought leader in your industry, showcases your vision, and subtly positions your brand at the forefront of your market.

Free Consultation

Package specifications

See an example memoir here.

See example business books here.

Up to 14 interviews (Don’t have time for 14 interviews? We can do nearly all the interviewing in a single day and then just ask follow-up questions as needed.)
Research and data beyond just the interviews (to pull in facts, figures, and quotes)
Unlimited review meetings until you’re 100% happy
Further review by beta readers and sensitivity readers
Up to 120,000 words (about 436 pages), though most great memoirs, business books, and self-help books come in below 80,000 words (about 290 pages)
Writing completed in only 9 months (promotion begins after manuscript completion)
The inclusion of as many photographs, charts, tables, and/or images as your message requires
Ready to print on demand in paperback and hardcover at Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com for online retail and distributed via IngramSpark—one of the primary channels through which bookstores and libraries order books in volume. We also craft your full Amazon presence—description, keywords, tagline, positioning, and author page—to give the book the strongest possible foundation once it’s live. We can also help you shop around to agents and publishers if you'd like
Delivered as 10 (or more) hardcover copies with a professional cover design and digitally as an eBook and PDF

Additional marketing services:

Add US$3,800 to make it an Amazon or BarnesAndNoble.com bestseller or US$7,400 for both lists (guaranteed or your marketing spend back)
Targeted marketing campaign to land on the USA Today bestseller list (this generally costs under US$100,000)
Targeted marketing campaign to land on The New York Times bestseller list (structured as ad spend + base consulting rate + a bonus if you land on the list—this can run between US$150,000 and US$500,000, depending on your existing online following and media connections)
Note: In the event your book doesn’t make the list, you’ll still sell tens of thousands of books, land on other bestseller lists (USA Today is highly likely), and build a big following (email addresses, social following, etc.)
Targeted marketing campaign to land on The New York Times audiobook bestseller list (US$155,000–US$255,000, including audiobook production)
Featuring your book in a USA Today and/or Forbes magazine article (guaranteed or your marketing spend back)
Pitching to Big Five publishers (Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, MacMillan, and Hachette) by agents who have sold to them (subject to a free viability assessment; subsequent consulting fees apply)
Pitching to small and medium-sized publishers by those who have sold to them (subject to a free viability assessment; subsequent consulting fees apply)
Promotion and global distribution of your book in major bookstore chains, including Barnes & Noble, Hudson News airport stores, Target, Walmart, and most leading independent bookstores in the US and globally (price upon request)
Comprehensive publicity campaign (3–6 months) to secure coverage across major online, magazine, newspaper, television, and blog outlets (prices start at US$20,000 and are quoted based on your marketing goals)
Foreign rights management and representation, leveraging a network of over 2,700 international rights buyers and including representation at the biggest international book festivals, such as the Frankfurt Book Fair, London Book Fair, and Sharjah Book Festival, to secure international distribution for your book, with translation services available for non-English markets (price upon request)
Arranging book signings at bookstores and coffee shops (price upon request)
Front table promotion in Hudson airport stores (guaranteed or your marketing spend back)
Securing you a TEDx talk (guaranteed or your marketing spend back)
Connections to speakers’ bureaus (free)
Appearances on niche, industry-leading, and top-ranked podcasts through pay-for-performance booking campaigns (you only pay for confirmed placements; price upon request)
Appearances on news programs (you only pay for confirmed placements; price upon request)
Featuring your book in luxury lifestyle and entertainment magazines (guaranteed or your marketing spend back)
Pitching your book for film or streaming adaptation (price upon request)
Featuring your book in VIP suites and poolside in luxury hotels like the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, The Pierre NY, and locations throughout the Hamptons (price upon request)
Full-service social media management for book launch and beyond (price upon request)

Additional production services:

An audio version of your book read by a professional voice actor and produced by the same experts who created audiobooks for Life of Pi and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (price varies). Audiobook distribution to libraries, online retailers, etc., and audiobook marketing services are available as well
Translation of your book into the language(s) of your choice (price varies)
Referral to a leading literary lawyer for pre-publication review for libel and defamation (fees paid directly to the attorney)
For authors with military, intelligence, or certain government backgrounds, coordination with the Department of Defense or other agencies for required pre-publication review and clearance (price upon request)
Done-for-you newsletter setup and launch, including strategy, branding, platform configuration, subscriber capture systems, automated welcome sequences, and monetization planning (price upon request)
Done-for-you podcast setup and launch, including concept development, branding, production workflow, distribution to major podcast apps, and launch strategy (price upon request)
For those who prefer in-person interviews instead of Zoom or FaceTime or those who have extensive documents and/or photos to collate and scan, we offer the option to fly to your location anywhere in the world (price varies based on location). We’ve met with clients in Manhattan, DC (more times than we can count), Yokohama, LA, Princeton, and more

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, USA Today, and The New York Times are not affiliated with MemoirGhostwriting.com. They do not sponsor, partner with, or endorse MemoirGhostwriting.com or any of its products or services.

How do we get your book on bestseller lists?

Targeting the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists requires a fully fledged personal and book marketing campaign, the likes of which we regularly orchestrate. Our marketing team includes some of the best book marketers in the business, making them experts on landing authors on these bestseller lists. With New York Times and USA Today campaigns, landing on one of those lists isn’t guaranteed, but our team has helped authors accomplish that feat 100+ times, and they’ll give you the best possible chance of achieving your goal. Even if your book isn’t selected for those lists, it’ll certainly end up an Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com bestseller, and your public profile will be greatly boosted by all the associated marketing efforts.

For Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com, we do guarantee we’ll get you on those lists, and we’ll refund your marketing spend if we don’t. Why? We don’t miss; those lists are far more formulaic (i.e., did you sell X books to real people within Y time period to rise to the top of your category?). Over the years, we’ve built up extensive email lists of highly engaged readers who are actively looking for discounted eBooks in their preferred genres. We simply email the subsets of those lists that have purchased similar books before and tell them that your book is now available. Enough people choose to buy that your book rockets to the top of either or both lists.

Here’s exactly how we do it:

We lower the cost of the eBook to US$0.99 for a limited time.
We run some calculations to estimate how many people it’ll take to land your book on the bestseller list that you select.
We email a carefully selected segment of our vast reader network—those who actively seek books in your genre.
Enough people choose to buy your book with no other incentive beyond the sale price that it lands you on the bestseller list.

No. We reach an audience of readers who have signed up to receive emails about interesting books for sale. This is no different than reaching followers on social media. (Our email list just happens to be very large!)

We simply email the subsets of our list most likely to be interested in your genre and say, “This new book you may be interested in is for sale. Would you like to buy it?”

If you don’t reach an Amazon or BarnesAndNoble.com bestseller list through our marketing efforts, we will refund your marketing money.

In other words, we’re so confident in our Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com marketing strategy that we’ll refund 100% of your spend on this strategy in the unlikely event that it fails (it hasn’t yet).

Do we knowingly violate any bookseller policies to increase sales?

Your Time Commitment

If you have enough time for lunch, you have enough time to write a book. All you need is one hour a week for 12 weeks for interviews (no need to prepare or know what you’re going to say—it’s our job to ask great questions and then listen to find the story) and then time to review drafts as you see fit when they’re ready.

Reality is such that those who are busy now tend to be busy later. With that in mind, we encourage you to start today. Our aim is to structure a dialogue so casual that you’ll write a book without even noticing that you’re doing it.

The Process

Step 1: Your Free Vision Meeting

Your Vision Meeting, held with our founder, Luke Palder, is crucial to making sure we understand your goals and have the skills to help you accomplish your vision. Luke will oversee your project from start to finish, ensuring top-tier quality every step of the way. We’ll tell you if we’re not the right fit—though, with 50+ team members, that’s rarely the case.

The Vision Meeting is also when we carefully match you with the right ghostwriter for your project—someone whose background, writing style, and personality align with your story and vision. With nearly 50 experienced ghostwriters on our team, we’re confident we can find the perfect fit. That writer will accompany you throughout the entire process, offering continuity, trust, and a consistent voice from start to finish.

During your Vision Meeting, Luke will ask questions like the following: Why are you considering writing a book? Who specifically do you want your readers to be? What do you want to happen after it is written? Why did you choose to write your book now?

We’ll also help you figure out basic thematic elements, the appropriate length, whether to include images, how to narrow the target audience for the best reception, and more.

Again, your Vision Meeting is 100% free.

Free Consultation

Step 2: Interviewing You

Your interviewer will

treat you with the utmost empathy and respect throughout the interview process,

work closely with you to determine all of the most important elements for your story,
help you choose the most compelling narratives and themes to engage your readers, and
ask pertinent questions to flesh out the most important details and develop a strong outline of your life story.

Unless your project calls for a separate interviewer with specific expertise, your interviewer will be your ghostwriter. This continuity helps ensure that your voice and vision are preserved from the very first conversation through to the final draft.

Free Consultation

Step 7: Publishing

If you intend to self-publish (which is faster and easier), our team will

design an attractive and eye-catching cover for your book, and
format your book for Amazon, IngramSpark, or the platform of your choice.

If you intend to publish your book with a traditional publisher (which is slower but historically regarded as more prestigious), our team will

leverage their expertise in the publishing industry to help you land an agent and publishing deal (being accepted by a traditional publisher is a difficult process that is not guaranteed—the original Harry Potter was rejected 12 times; that said, we can always help you self-publish if you don’t receive a traditional publishing offer that you like),
walk you through the query letter process and handle initial contacts with agents, and
guide you in understanding the publishing landscape and the nuances of the traditional publishing world.

Free Consultation

Step 8: Promotion (if desired)

Our team will help you get your book onto the bestseller list of your choice, including for Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com—guaranteed—by

using data to determine how many readers it will take to land your book on the bestseller list you’ve chosen (Amazon, BarnesAndNoble.com, The New York Times, or USA Today), and

leveraging our book-marketing partnerships to contact a subset of over five million readers who are looking for reading suggestions.

Free Consultation

MemoirGhostwriting.com client Chelsey Klein at her book signing for Beyond the Edge: A Survivor’s Tale.

Immortalize your legacy in the crisp pages of a professional memoir or nonfiction book.

Writing a book is one of the best ways to immortalize your legacy. It’s your chance to tell the world your story or message, with all the details you want to include.

With our services, you can share the insights and knowledge you’ve acquired throughout your successful life and retell interesting anecdotes from your experiences. You can also give your descendants a way to connect with their heritage, telling your story how you’d like.

Our approachable, friendly ghostwriters have worked with a wide array of diverse clients and are skilled at turning anyone’s life story into a private family treasure or bestseller. You will work directly with a professional ghostwriter with the relevant experience and knowhow to ensure we capture your story how you see fit. It’s your story, and we can be your voice in telling it.

Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us to discuss your vision and potential book plan. We can set the stage for your success as an author.

We make the ghostwriting process easy and convenient, all while preserving your voice.

Writing a book may seem daunting, but you’ll work with the same ghostwriter throughout the endeavor. The project manager will oversee and coordinate the project from start to finish, so you can relax and leave the technical details to us.

From our very first meeting, we’ll ensure that your book reflects your story and personality. During your Vision Meeting, we’ll discuss the work's structure and style, including its tone. While conducting your interviews, your ghostwriter will focus on capturing your voice to make sure it carries through in the final product. At your review meeting, your ghostwriter will gather feedback from you to ensure that your book is everything you dreamed it would be. And we’ll keep rewriting it until you’re absolutely delighted with the result.

Our focus throughout the ghostwriting process is always on you—on providing you with professional service based on excellent customer care while maintaining confidentiality at all times.

Free Consultation

This company was born out of ProofreadingServices.com, where we've had 26,000 clients over the last 14 years. About 4,000 of those clients were authors, and about 1,200 of those were memoirists. The memoirists kept telling us that they had spent 6 or 7 years writing their memoir, and they'd ask if we could help edit it. Internally, we kept saying to ourselves, “Wow, 6 to 7 years is about 5 to 6 years too long.” We also assumed that for every person who came to us with a completed first draft of a memoir, there were probably 99 other people who started and never finished.

With our Bestseller Package, we help clients write, publish, and market best-selling memoirs, business and nonfiction books, and self-help books. This package is suitable for anyone who wants to write a bestseller, but it’s the favorite of CEOs and entrepreneurs because writing a bestseller helps them expand their client base, immortalize their legacy, make a difference in their industry or in people’s lives, promote themself as a consultant, secure speaking engagements, set themself or their business apart from the competition, share their ideas and experience, and support others as they navigate life or business challenges. With our Friends and Family Memoir Package, we help clients immortalize their legacy in a beautiful, professionally formatted book, share their life story with their loved ones, and support their loved ones and those who come after them on their life’s journey. With our Remembered Forever Transcript Package, we help clients immortalize their legacy through beautiful, professionally formatted interview transcripts, and share their life story with their loved ones.

1. I’m not a strong storyteller or writer. All of our ghostwriters are experienced professionals who know what to ask to turn every client into a strong storyteller and writer. We make sure to pair you with the ghostwriter best suited to making your story compelling while retaining your voice. 2. I don’t have the time to write a book. We do all the hard work so that you don’t have to. The clients we support are busy people. If 12 interviews sounds too time consuming, we have solutions: We can conduct all the interviewing in a single day. We might need to ask you a few follow-up questions, but we can ask 95% of the questions in a single day. We can do this on Zoom or we can travel to you for an additional fee. We can try to get everything done in as few as four interviews. We’ll focus on the most common questions and fill in the blanks with targeted questions later on. We can meet with you at any hour of the day. (Whether you’re available at 6:00 a.m. or 9:00 p.m., we’ll make it happen.) We can interview those close to you instead for up to a third of the interviews. Interviewing your children or your spouse is a great way to have other people “brag” for you. 3. I don’t have enough content to fill a book. Our ghostwriters are skilled interviewers, and we will match you with a writer who has the experience and expertise to help you identify interesting anecdotes to include in your book. Contrary to popular belief, no one’s life is “too boring”; everyone has fascinating thoughts and anecdotes to share. 4. My book won’t be interesting enough to sell, or my book won’t stand out in its niche. Our ghostwriters have the knowledge and experience to know what sells. We will pair you with the ghostwriter best able to leverage that knowledge to identify the most important elements for your story and the most compelling narratives and themes to engage your readers. 5. I won’t get enough of a return on my investment. Publishing a bestseller is the simplest way to reach a wide audience and promote your personal and business brands. Our clients see returns not only through an expanded client base but also through paid speaking and consulting engagements. You might even be able to claim the cost as a business expense (although you’d need to discuss this with your accountant). 6. I’m just not ready to write a book. We’re available to discuss and address any lingering fears. You have nothing to lose by contacting us to talk about what’s stopping you from writing your memoir or nonfiction book. Get in touch today!

Besides offering first-in-class talent, we always take initiative. When a client sends us a grainy photo, we restore it. When a family story leads to a dead end, we find another way forward. When something feels unclear, incomplete, or inelegant, we fix it. Our clients hire us for judgment, initiative, and obsessive care. That means we do whatever it takes to serve their story, history, and legacy. Our pricing reflects this approach. It allows us to go above and beyond as a matter of course—not as an upsell.

Yes. The clients we support are busy people. If 12 interviews sounds too time consuming, we have solutions: We can conduct all the interviewing in a single day. We might need to ask you a few follow-up questions, but we can ask 95% of the questions in a single day. We can do this on Zoom or we can travel to you for an additional fee. We can try to get everything done in as few as four interviews. We’ll focus on the most common questions and fill in the blanks with targeted questions later on. We can meet with you at any hour of the day. (Whether you’re available at 6:00 a.m. or 9:00 p.m., we’ll make it happen.) We can interview those close to you instead for up to a third of the interviews. Interviewing your children or your spouse is a great way to have other people “brag” for you.

We hire warm, caring interviewers who develop a relationship with you and ideally make you comfortable turning over personal rocks. We can ask you about your life in chronological order to draw out your major accomplishments. We can interview those close to you instead for up to a third of the interviews. Interviewing your children or your spouse is a great way to have other people “brag” for you.

For the Friends and Family Memoir Package and the Bestseller Package, your ghostwriter will conduct the interviews unless we think your project calls for a specialist interviewer. Based on your Vision Meeting, the writer will know what information they need to flesh out your story, capture your tone and personality, and spin your message into a fascinating narrative. For the Remembered Forever Transcript Package, kind, caring people with sociology, journalism, or similar backgrounds will conduct the interviews.

Most clients self-publish on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo because they want to maintain full control of their story, and we handle the tech side of this for them. For those who want to traditionally publish, we provide support with writing query letters and preparing materials for the query package to make this process less daunting. We also have deep connections with agents that we can leverage on your behalf.

Machine transcripts still aren't good enough for the level of quality that we seek. That’s why we use a five-step process to ensure our transcripts are as perfect as we can get them. Step 1 – Initial Draft (Transcriptionist) The conversation is carefully typed out from the audio, with clear speaker labels, time stamps every two minutes, fillers and stutters (e.g., “um,” “ah”) removed, and adherence to our exacting style guide. Step 2 – Accuracy Check (Reviewer 1) The transcript is reviewed to correct the spelling of names and places; remove repeated or filler phrases, idle chitchat, and unrelated tangents; confirm or replace any uncertain words (replacing with “unintelligible” when unclear); and ensure the transcript remains faithful to what was said while keeping it concise and clear. Step 3 – Final Transcript Review (Reviewer 2) We then conduct a second accuracy and clarity check, paying special attention to double-checking all names and proper nouns, correcting punctuation and grammar where needed (without changing the speaker’s natural voice), resolving unclear sections when possible, ensuring speakers are correctly identified, highlighting key questions in bold, and flagging potential issues or sensitive content for follow-up with the client. Step 4 – Client Review & Approval The interviewer goes through any remaining uncertainties with the client, including confirming names, unclear words, and factual details; discussing sensitive or potentially offensive content and deciding whether to redact or remove it; and finalizing the transcript for inclusion in the manuscript. Step 5 – Proofreading (Reviewer 3) Once the transcript has been finalized, it is proofread to catch any remaining spelling, grammar, or formatting errors; ensure consistency in style and layout; and prepare the text for seamless integration into the manuscript.

We only use AI in the context of image production: namely, photo restoration and, with client approval, select elements of cover design. With permission, we’ve experimented with AI in other parts of the book production process. What we’ve found is that it can reliably produce a solid B–. With significant human effort, that can sometimes be elevated to a B+ or even an A–. But we’re not in the business of B+ or A– work. We aim for an A+ every time. That’s why we don’t use AI in the writing or editorial processes. Photo restoration is the exception because today’s tools allow us to do things that simply weren’t possible a few years ago. When used carefully with oversight from human experts, AI can upscale old or damaged photos with great results. At the end of the day, our standard is simple: Every book should echo with soul. This requires judgment, care, and craftsmanship that can’t be “prompted.” We therefore rely on experienced writers, editors, and researchers to shape each book with heartfelt precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Remembered Forever Transcript Package Guarantee Terms:
*We’re committed to delivering phenomenal books that you’ll treasure. That’s why we offer an unheard-of guarantee: In the exceptionally unlikely event that you’re not thrilled with the result, simply email Luke@MemoirGhostwriting.com within 30 days of receiving your finalized book. We’ll promptly address any concerns, revising your book within 60 days. And if somehow you’re still not satisfied after those revisions, we’ll process a 50% refund—you keep the book, interview recordings, etc. This guarantee applies to full-price projects only..

Life Overview and Friends and Family Memoir Guarantee Terms:
*We’re committed to delivering phenomenal books that you’ll treasure. That’s why we offer an unheard-of guarantee: In the exceptionally unlikely event that you’re not thrilled with the result, simply email Luke@MemoirGhostwriting.com within 30 days of receiving your finalized book. We’ll promptly address any concerns, revising your book within 60 days. And if somehow you’re still not satisfied after those revisions, we’ll process a 100% refund, and we’ll donate $100 to your favorite charity—you keep the book, interview recordings, etc. This guarantee applies to full-price projects only.

Bestseller Package Guarantee Terms:
*We’re committed to delivering phenomenal books that you’ll treasure. That’s why we offer an unheard-of guarantee: In the exceptionally unlikely event that you’re not thrilled with the result, simply email Luke@MemoirGhostwriting.com within 30 days of receiving your finalized book. We’ll promptly address any concerns, revising your book within 60 days. And if somehow you’re still not satisfied after those revisions, we’ll process a 50% refund—you keep the book, interview recordings, etc. This guarantee applies to full-price projects only.