by Giovanni Casali, editorial coordinator
A family biography starts at €3,500 (€6,000 for the full-length format), interviews included. A shorter collection of memories starts at €2,500, and for €1,500 more the book arrives printed, ready to be placed in the hands of children and grandchildren.
Not the life of a celebrity: the story of a father, a mother, the grandparents. The house you grew up in, a lifetime's work, war or emigration told by those who were there, the business started in a garage. Stories everyone in the family knows in pieces, and no one has ever put in order, while there is still someone who can tell them.
It can be written in the first person, in the protagonist's voice, or with several voices: the children, the siblings, those who shared those years.
How many voices are gathered. A single narrator or five among children and grandchildren: the number of interviews changes, and with it the hours of work.
Length. An 80-page collection of memories and a complete 250-page biography do not cost the same.
Materials. Photos to select and place, letters, period documents: they enrich the book and demand time and care.
The finish line. A manuscript to print on your own, or a finished book: cover, layout, printed copies for the family, and if desired, publication on the stores.
| Project | Starting from |
|---|---|
| Collection of memories, short memoir | €2,500 |
| Family biography (short format) | €3,500 |
| Family biography (full format) | €6,000 |
| Publishing package (cover, layout, print on demand, stores) | €1,500 |
The exact quote comes after the first consultation, free of charge.
For the complete picture of the trade's prices: How much does a ghostwriter cost?
It is the uncomfortable but honest question: family biographies have one enemy, time. The memories of an eighty-year-old parent are a heritage that cannot be bought back, and the most common regret we hear is "we should have done it sooner". An anniversary, an important birthday, a family celebration are the right occasion: the book becomes the gift.
Interviews by video call (or with the recordings the family already has), transcription, writing chapter by chapter with approval at every step, total confidentiality and rights to the family. The full journey is told here: How does a ghostwriter work?
Yes: it is built with several voices, with the memories of children and relatives, letters, diaries, photographs. It is a different kind of work, but it can be done, and it is worth double.
As many as you wish: from ten numbered copies just for the family to a book on sale on the stores. The book and the rights are yours.
Usually 3 to 6 months. If there is an important date on the horizon, tell us at the first consultation: we plan backwards, starting from the day of the gift.
Wondering who could write it? Read also: Who can write my autobiography?
Tell us in a few lines the story you have in mind and who should tell it:
the first consultation is free and without obligation.
info@dualpenbooks.com
Giovanni Casali, editorial coordinator, will reply.
Want to get a sense of how we write first? Read a few excerpts.