Voice
Memoir
First-person, "I"
Biography
Usually third-person
A Life Story, Told Accurately
A biography isn't a memory dump — it's a researched, structured, factually accountable account of a life. Our biography writers combine interview craft with real research to produce a book that holds up.
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Trusted Authors
Henry
Told Berg I needed a simple author website and they nailed it in two weeks. Clean design, books front and centre, newsletter signup, done. Sean was responsive and easy to work with. Looks way more polished than I expected. Already sent two writer friends their way.
Crispin Oakley
They guided me through every step of the publishing process, ensuring my book was professionally edited, designed, and marketed. Their team was responsive, knowledgeable, and truly cared about my success. Highly recommended.
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Know Before You Commission
Biography vs. Memoir — Not the Same Book
Choosing the wrong format is the most common regret we hear about after the fact. Here's the real difference.
| — | Memoir | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | First-person, "I" | Usually third-person |
| Scope | One theme or period | Full chronological life arc |
| Purpose | Emotional truth, reflection | Factual record, legacy |
| Research | Primarily interview-based | Interviews + documents + third-party sources |
Scope
Memoir
One theme or period
Biography
Full chronological life arc
Purpose
Memoir
Emotional truth, reflection
Biography
Factual record, legacy
Research
Memoir
Primarily interview-based
Biography
Interviews + documents + third-party sources
What Kind of Biography Are You Commissioning?
A family member's life story.
Children and grandchildren preserving a parent's or grandparent's story as a legacy document.
My own biography (third-person).
Public figures and executives who want their life told with third-person biographical credibility.
A business or organizational history.
Founding stories and institutional histories tied to a leadership transition or milestone.
Actually, I want a memoir.
First-person, theme-focused, your own reflective voice — a different service.
The Craft Difference
A Research Project, Not Just a Conversation
Anyone can clean up a transcript. A credible biography survives fact-checking from family, colleagues, and the historical record.
Structured, multi-session interviews
Sequenced by life period, with follow-up sessions once research raises new questions.
Corroborating research
Public records, correspondence, and news archives verify the subject's own — naturally imperfect — recollection.
Timeline reconciliation
Memory is rarely chronologically accurate. Discrepancies are flagged with the subject, never silently altered.
Sensitive-content handling
A dedicated review pass for defamation risk and privacy before anything is finalized.
How It Works
From First Conversation to Finished Biography
Discovery call
Who it's about, why now, and what source material already exists.
Research & interview planning
Life mapped into periods before a single interview begins.
Interview sessions
Structured rounds, scheduled around the subject's actual availability.
Drafting by life-period
Reviewed and corrected chapter by chapter, not only at the end.
Fact & sensitivity review
Names, dates, and living-person content checked before finalizing.
Delivery & ownership
Full manuscript, full copyright — editing and printing available after.
Biography Writers, Not General Ghostwriters
Biography requires interview craft and research discipline together — a different skill set than fiction or memoir writing.
Research-Led Biographers
Documentary Research
Background in archival and public-records research, cross-referencing memory against verifiable fact.
Interview Specialists
Oral History
Trained in structured, multi-session interview technique — especially with aging or ill subjects.
Executive Biographers
Corporate & Legacy
Experience turning founder and leadership narratives into credible, board-ready legacy documents.
What's Included
What Protects You and Your Family's Story
Full Manuscript Ownership
The finished biography belongs entirely to you or your family.
NDA-Protected Interviews
Confidentiality signed before any interview begins.
Flexible Scheduling
Interview pacing built around aging or ill subjects' actual availability.
Sensitivity & Accuracy Review
A dedicated pass, not an afterthought, before anything is finalized.
Milestone-Based Delivery
Review and correct facts chapter by chapter, not only at the end.
Direct Family Communication
Sensitive content decisions are discussed with you, never made unilaterally.
Common Projects
Who Commissions a Biography
Preserving a parent's story
While they're still able to be interviewed directly — the most time-sensitive reason to start.
Executive legacy documents
Tied to a retirement, milestone, or leadership transition.
Public figures
Choosing third-person credibility over self-written memoir.
Family archive projects
Often privately printed in small quantities rather than published commercially.
Proof of Work
Real Biography Projects
A 91-Year-Old Father's Story
Memory-first interviews cross-checked against family letters and photographs, catching and correcting misremembered dates before print.
Founder Legacy Document
Commissioned around a company leadership transition, combining executive interviews with internal archival research.
Transparent Pricing
What Determines the Cost
Research depth
- Living subject, direct interviews
- Deceased subject, documentary-only
- Archival/public-records complexity
Interview volume
- Single-subject sessions
- Third-party corroborating interviews
- Multi-session scheduling needs
Delivery scope
- Private family printing only
- Public-market publishing
- Editing & distribution add-ons
A Note on Sensitive Stories
Handled With the Weight It Deserves
Biographies frequently involve aging, ill, or already-passed subjects, and often touch on other real, living people. We don't treat this as a sales opportunity — every project includes direct conversation about what to include, what to soften, and what requires legal caution, before anything is finalized. If timing matters because of a subject's health, tell us in the discovery call and we'll scope the interview schedule accordingly.
Families Who Trusted Us
What They Said
The writer didn't just take what he said at face value — she cross-checked dates against old letters and photos we had, and caught two things he'd genuinely misremembered. That mattered more to us than anything.
They guided me through every step, ensuring the book was professionally researched, edited, and produced. Truly cared about getting it right.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a biography and a memoir?
Memoir is first-person and theme-focused; biography is typically third-person, chronological, and research-corroborated. See the comparison above.
Can you write a biography about someone who has passed away?
Yes — the process shifts to documentary research and interviews with people who knew the subject, typically requiring a longer research phase.
How do you handle sensitive family history?
Every biography goes through a dedicated sensitivity and defamation-risk review, discussed directly with the commissioning family.
How long does interview-based biography writing take?
Longer than memoir of similar length, due to added research and fact-reconciliation work. Request a quote for a project-specific timeline.
Do I own the finished biography?
Yes. Full copyright transfers to you or your family upon delivery and final payment.
Let's Begin
Some stories only have a narrow window to be told right.
Free consultation. No obligation. An honest read on what your project needs.
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Have a story to tell? We're here to help bring it to life.
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