The same answers we give on the phone, 1pm–11pm ET, 7 days.
How do I write a book about my life if I'm not a writer?
You don't have to be one. Send whatever exists — drafts, letters, recordings — and our editors shape it. Prefer telling it out loud? A ghostwriter interviews you by phone and writes it in your voice, from $1,600. The book carries your name and stays 100% yours.
How much does it cost to publish a memoir?
From $699 for a finished manuscript, one payment. Most memoirs choose the $1,199 Professional package for the hardcover. Ghostwriting, if you need writing help, starts at $1,600. No fee appears later that wasn't quoted in writing first.
Can I include photographs, and what do they need to be?
Yes — most of our memoirs include them. We scan original prints at 600 DPI and check every image for print quality before layout. You choose a photo section or pictures through the chapters; every photo gets a captioned name and date.
I only want copies for my family. Is that okay?
Completely. Many of our authors publish for 20–50 family copies, not for sales. Once the book is live you order author copies at printing cost, whenever you like. Nobody here will push marketing you don't want.
My manuscript isn't finished. Can you still help?
Yes — about half the memoirs we take on arrive unfinished. We work in drafts: your editor maps what's missing, and you fill the gaps yourself or with a ghostwriter's help. Stalling at the hard chapter is the most common thing we see. It's fixable.
Who owns my life story after publishing?
You do — 100% of the rights and 100% of the royalties, in writing, forever. The stores keep their standard retail cut and printing cost; the rest goes to your account every 60–90 days. Nothing publishes until you've approved the final proof.
