The memoir ghostwriter alternative

What a professional ghostwriter costs, what a personal historian does, and where a conversational AI biographer fits between them.

Hiring a memoir ghostwriter or a personal historian is the traditional route, and for some people it is still the right one. A professional interviews the subject over months and writes a polished book. StoryTerrace, one of the larger services, lists an all-in price from $3,250 for its entry package and from $24,000 for its professional tier, with a timeline of about five months.

That buys genuinely literary prose and almost no effort from the family. What it does not buy is speed, and it rarely preserves the actual voice: the finished product is printed text.

StoriedLife is the other trade. Eva conducts the interviews, asks follow-ups and writes each story up, for $129.95 a year. The prose is clear rather than literary, and there is no human author assigned. In exchange the first stories exist this week, the recorded voice stays with every chapter, and the book keeps growing after it prints.

How it works

Three steps, one conversation

The interview

Eva asks, listens and follows up, across as many sessions as it takes. No hourly meter and no scheduling.

The writing

Each conversation is written up in the first person, so the story reads as theirs rather than as a transcript.

The book

Chapters, photographs and the recorded voice are laid out as a book, digital immediately and printed whenever you want it.

What you get

Unlimited conversationsThere is no cap on how many stories get told or how long each one runs.

A written life storyEvery conversation is written up properly, not left as a raw transcript.

The voice, keptEach story keeps the recording, so the family can hear it told rather than only read it.

A digital bookIncluded from the start, so there is something to read straight away.

A printed keepsakeA softcover for $49 or a hardcover for $69 whenever the book is ready.

Room to growNew stories can be added at any time; the book is never finished on a deadline.

What it costs

$129.95 / year

Unlimited conversations, the written life story and the digital book are included. A printed softcover is $49 and a hardcover $69. Thirty-day money-back guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a memoir ghostwriter cost?

Professional memoir services vary widely. StoryTerrace lists an all-in price from $3,250 for its Classic package and from $24,000 for its PRO package; bespoke luxury services run considerably higher. Confirm current pricing with any provider directly.

What does a personal historian do?

A personal historian interviews someone about their life and produces a written or recorded record of it. The work is the same shape as a memoir ghostwriter's, often with more emphasis on archives, photographs and family history.

Is an AI biographer as good as a human ghostwriter?

Not for literary prose, and it would be dishonest to claim otherwise. Eva is an AI. What it does well is ask a great many follow-up questions without tiring, write clearly in the storyteller's own words, and cost a fraction of the price.

How long does a memoir take?

A ghostwritten memoir commonly takes five months or more. With StoriedLife the stories are written as the conversations happen, so there is something finished to read after the first session.

The same instinct, a different trade.

See what a conversation with a biographer actually produces.

See how it works View pricing