by Giovanni Casali, editorial coordinator
If the text already exists (memoirs, diaries, poems, recipes), publishing it is a matter of weeks: editing, layout, cover and printing, starting at €1,500. If the book is still all in the stories, that is where we start: interviews and writing, and the book is born from scratch.
Those who write to us about a parent's or grandparent's book almost always come from one of these two situations: there is a text sleeping in a drawer, or there are only the stories, and the wish not to lose them. They are two different jobs, and both are worth explaining.
Grandad's handwritten memoirs, the war diary, mum's poems, the recipe notebook. In this case the work is care, not rewriting: we transcribe if needed, correct typos and punctuation, smooth where the text stumbles, but the voice remains theirs. It is the point we care about most: a grandfather's book must smell of the grandfather, not of an editor.
Then comes the material part: professional layout, the family photographs in the right places, a worthy cover, the printed copies. And if the family wishes, publication on the stores, so that others may read it too.
If the protagonist is here and can tell, it is the biographer's work: calm interviews, transcription, writing in their voice. If they are no longer with us, the book is built with several voices, from the memories of the children, the letters and the photographs. We talk about this at length here: How much does a family biography cost?
Most of these books are born for a date: an eightieth birthday, a wedding anniversary, a Christmas. You can print any run you like, even ten numbered copies with a dedication, one for each grandchild. Tell us in time: we plan backwards, starting from the day the parcel is opened.
| Situation | Starting from |
|---|---|
| The text exists: editing, layout, cover, printing | €1,500 |
| The text needs writing: short collection of memories | €2,500 |
| Biography with interviews (short format) | €3,500 |
| Biography with interviews (full format) | €6,000 |
The exact quote comes after the first consultation, free of charge.
The complete picture of prices is here: How much does a ghostwriter cost?
Yes: we transcribe it ourselves, with the patience it deserves. Even difficult handwriting surrenders, sooner or later.
Yes: the book can go on Amazon and the other stores, with the rights remaining in the family. Many do it just to be able to search for their own surname, one day.
If the text exists, a few weeks. If it needs writing, 3 to 6 months. With a date on the horizon, we work backwards from it.
The working journey, step by step: How does a ghostwriter work?
Tell us what is in the drawer, or what still lives only in memory:
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.