FAQs
The questions worth asking
How do you get someone to open up who never talks about themselves?
I never open with the big questions. We start with objects, places, decisions. The real story arrives sideways; my job is to be listening when it does.
What if family members remember things differently?
Memory is perspective, and I manage this on almost every project. A book can hold more than one truth and those differences often make the story more honest, not less.
What about the parts of the story that are painful or complicated?
They're handled with real care. My interviewing is shaped by formal training in narrative practice and certification in Mental Health and Crisis Support: difficult chapters are told at your pace, and you stay in control of what's included. This is professional writing, not therapy, but the hardest material is in careful hands.
How do you capture my voice so the book sounds exactly like me?
Every interview is recorded and transcribed, and I write from your actual speech, your thought process, your phrases, and the way you build a story. Clients tell me reading their draft feels like hearing themselves think.
How is this different from a memoir app or using AI?
Apps and AI transcribe what you say. My work is finding what you haven't said; the question behind the question, the chapter you didn't know was the important one. The value was never the typing.
Who owns the finished book?
You do. The words, the copyright, the credit.
Can the book stay completely private, or be published and sold?
Either. Some books are printed for a family only. Others are self-published and sold. For founders who want to self-publish, a premium package takes the manuscript through design, ISBN and print.
I barely have time to run my company. How much does this ask of me?
60–90 minutes a week: a recorded conversation, built around your diary. No preparation, no homework, no drafting. I do everything end to end. You just need to show up.
How long does it take, and what does it cost?
Every project is different. Most full-length biographies and memoirs take between 18 months and two years, depending on the scope of the story and how much time you can commit to interviews, reviewing drafts and providing feedback. Smaller keepsake books are often completed in less than 12 months.
If you have a specific deadline, it's often possible to accelerate the process, and we can discuss what that would involve during our initial conversation.
Because every story is unique, fees are tailored to the scope of each project. Following a discovery call, I'll provide you with a clear, personalised proposal based on your goals, the scope of your story and the work involved.
Can we do this for a parent or grandparent?
Yes. Families often commission a book together for someone they love. I'm experienced in interviewing older storytellers, always at their pace and with great care and respect.