Have you got a story to tell? It can be extraordinary, moving, inspiring or just ordinary. It can be a tale of success, adversity, travel, adventure or you may have some important life lessons to share. I understand why a life story is so important to preserve on paper. It can be long or short, based on your whole life (autobiography), or just part of it (memoir). It will provide a lasting legacy of memories, which will then be a comfort to those left behind, or to help your grandchildren and beyond learn all about your life, ensuring you won’t be forgotten. Your story matters and my biography / life writing services will help you get it published!
Using a ghostwriter to tell your story has a number of benefits. You might have an idea of what you want to write but have no time to get started, or you might have a draft on paper but are unsure if it makes sense. I will bring my professional writing and story telling skills to your project and help get it all into a comprehensive format ready to publish. I can help edit a story, or write the whole thing from scratch, whatever is needed and the final work will be credited to you.
My biography / life writing services are comprehensive, caring, and thorough. I include as many interviews as you like and write your story in the first person, capturing your tone of voice as much as possible. I will also help you publish your biography or memoir in a physical book form so that you can gift your story to family and friends. This includes layout and typesetting, photographs, cover design etc, as well as your own hard copy and / or PDF to keep.
Here’s how it works:
- Initial Consultation (FREE)
I will meet up with you in person or online, whichever you feel comfortable with, to discuss your needs and why you want to tell your story. I will ask you whether its a part of your life you want to convey, or your whole life story, what time period it involves, who are the major characters, where it will be set etc. Then we will discuss how you want your final book to look and who you would like to read it. - Quotation
I will then go away and do your quotation for you, based on what we discussed. Telling a story properly requires much thought and effort, so isn’t necessarily cheap, but I will make it as cost effective as possible for you based on your budget. I can also offer deposits and payment plans to help spread the cost. - Interviews
Once the project is agreed, the next (and most fun) step is interviews! We can have as many as you like, in person, on the phone, or online, and the aim will be so that I have enough information to capture your story. I will ask lots of questions and prompt or clarify your memories further. Your tone of voice is also important, so as you tell me I will be observing and recording this, so I can make sure the writing is as you would tell it yourself. - Planning
Now that I have the nuts and bolts of your story, I will go away and put it all into a timeline to help me plan the book’s structure. Then I will present this to you with chapter headings and synopsis for each, and we can discuss if this works for you or not. - Writing
The main part of the process where, armed with your memories, photos and a plan for the book, I will start writing. We will agree a timescale for when I will present a first draft to you and on presentation of this, there will be a review and edit stage to make sure I’ve got it just right. On the second draft there can be more edits if needed, with a maximum of 3 drafts before the final one is approved. - Production
I will then set to work with the design and layout of the book (I am a trained typesetter), and provide you with a proof before sending it off for production. This will be sent to a professional book printing company to produce the book to your specifications, running off the number of copies you require. These can be delivered to your own address, ready to unwrap at your pleasure!
To get started call me on 01296 662172 (please leave a message) or email rachel@racheltoywrites.co.uk.
A bit of background
I decided turn my writing skills into a Biography Writing Service after losing my beloved Dad in October 2022. I realised how essential it was to capture his story, his life was unique and it is so important to us as a family to remember all he gave to us via his achievements. I also remember sitting in the kitchen with my grandparents as a child in the 1980s, and they would tell stories about WW2. I wish I had written some of them down and could go back and speak to them today! All of their life stories helped me understand who I am today, and will no doubt inspire future generations of our family.
If you are interested you can view an article I wrote about my Dad’s life for Best of British magazine here.
I have been writing professionally for over 10 years now, and also trained as a typesetter in my early career. I have full knowledge of the printing process (thanks to my Dad who was a printer), and am used to dealing with the print manufacturers directly, which helps to eliminate any potential problems before your book goes to press, avoiding costly reprints.