Ghostwriting memoirs and autobiograpies that capture extraordinary lives.
your story matters
Your story shouldn't be left to memory alone.
There comes a time when looking forward means looking back at your life experience. Whether you’ve just wrapped up a defining professional chapter, navigated a major life transition, or simply reached a milestone where you want your grandchildren to truly know your journey—your personal history deserves to be remembered.
As a memoir ghostwriter, I don’t believe in cookie-cutter biographies because I don't work with cookie-cutter people. I work with individuals who are ready to transform a lifetime of experiences into a masterfully crafted, beautifully preserved book.
Let's write your legacy memoir.
I'm Leslie. I've been a professional ghostwriter since 2012.
I began as a writer of non-fiction, such as self-help guides and how-to's. My favorite part of those creative writing projects was always the connection with my clients—listening to them deeply to help tell their story as a compelling narrative, and share insights they otherwise wouldn't have given voice to. That's how I found my favorite way to support my clients: writing their personal stories.
I decided to dedicate myself to ghostwriting memoirs.
As a biography and autobiography ghostwriter, I help people turn their life experience into something lasting: a memoir that honors a meaningful chapter or relationship, a personal biography that preserves a legacy for family, or a thoughtfully written autobiography that reflects the full context of their life story.
What I create as a biography ghostwriter
Every project is different, but most clients come to my ghostwriting service looking for one of the following:
Memoir Writing Service
A memoir reflects on the defining moments and milestones of a life well-lived. Written intimately from your own perspective (by your memoir ghostwriter), it warmly maps out the most meaningful chapters of your journey. Rather than a strict chronological history, a memoir typically captures the specific stories, hard-won wisdom, and personal insights you will want your children and grandchildren to hear.
Biography writing service
Written in the polished third person, a biography offers an objective, authoritative account of your life story, crafted from the perspective of an expert researcher and narrator. Along with a comprehensive chronicle of your milestones, a biography ghost writer can include in-depth explorations of your your career and leadership, inner character and personal evolution, and intellectual biography (sharing the origin and development of your core philosophies). Biographies are sometimes ordered by family members as gifts, or to honor a late family member.
Autobiography writing services
An autobiography is the definitive, comprehensive account of your entire life’s journey, told directly in your own voice. Moving chronologically from your birth (or your ancestry) and childhood memories to your present achievements, your ghostwriter captures the full scope of your legacy. Skilled autobiography writers weave together your personal milestones, career trajectory, and evolving worldview into an authoritative, first-person historical record of who you are and the impact you’ve made.
As your ghostwriter, I'll shape the work around your goals. I can weave in stories from family members, photographs and images, or elements of your family history. If you're looking for guidance as you write your own life story, I'm happy to consult and offer structure.
A thoughtful, guided process.
What does the process of working with a ghostwriter feel like? Most people come to a writer with only a loose sense of where to begin. You may have stories you’ve told for years, or memories that feel vivid but unstructured. You may not be sure what belongs in a memoir—or how it all fits together. That’s completely normal. My memoir writing process is designed to meet you exactly where you are, and to guide your story forward with care.
Everything starts with an initial call. This is a chance for us to talk—about your life, your ideas, and what’s drawing you to possibily hire an autobiography ghostwriter. You don’t need to prepare anything or have a clear outline. This is simply an open, thoughtful conversation to explore your story and see if we’re a good fit to work together. Just as importantly, it’s a chance for you to get a sense of me—how I listen, how I ask questions, and how I approach the book writing process. There’s no pressure here. Only clarity.
Biography Ghostwriting begins with a conversation.
If it feels right, I come to you.
These days, it's common for ghostwriting services to take place entirely remotely—over the phone or online meetings. I approach the process differently. For most projects, I travel to meet clients in person. There’s something important that happens between a client and their bio writer when they sit together in the same space—whether that’s at your kitchen table, in your living room, or surrounded by old photographs and familiar objects. The conversation becomes more natural. Memories surface more easily. Details emerge that might never come up over a screen or a phone call. This is where ghostwriting work really begins—not as an interview, but as a series of conversations that unfold over time.
I begin shaping your story.
Once our conversations are complete, I step into the writing phase. I begin by developing a clear structure for your memoir or biography—an outline that gives shape to your experiences and highlights the themes that run through your life. From there, I start writing with care and intention. With most ghostwriting, the goal is for the story to be in your voice. My goal is not just to document what happened, but to create a narrative that feels true to you—something that reads with clarity and flow, while still holding the texture and personality of your lived experience. I have a background in fiction writing, and bring your stories to life with vivid, emotive clarity. As chapters and excerpts take shape, I share them with you. You’ll begin to see your story come together piece by piece, in a way that often feels both familiar and newly understood.
We refine it together.
This approach to story writing is a collaborative process, and your voice remains central throughout. You’ll have the opportunity to read (or share with a reader for feedback), reflect, and respond as the manuscript develops. Some clients make small adjustments. Others take more time to revisit certain moments or clarify details. There’s no rush here. We continue refining the work until it feels right—until the story on the page reflects your life as you recognize it. Nothing is finalized without your full comfort and approval.
By the end of this process, what began as conversation becomes something tangible: a completed memoir or biography.
Some clients choose to keep this work private—a book for themselves and their family.
Others explore publishing and sharing their story with a wider audience.
Either way, the result is the same: a life, a legacy, thoughtfully preserved.
Start the conversation!
If you’re thinking about hiring a ghostwriter, or exploring a memoir or autobiography, the first step is simply a conversation.
No pressure. No expectations. Just a chance to talk with a writer about your story and what you might want to do with it.
Email me:
HiLeslie [at] LeslieHedrick [dot] com
Frequently Asked Questions
Telling your own story can be harder than it sounds. Not because you don’t remember—but because it’s sometimes difficult to step back and see the whole. To shape it. To give it structure and flow. That’s where a professional writer makes the difference. Expert biography writers can help you: - Find clarity in your story - Capture your voice authentically - Shape your experiences into a meaningful, compelling narrative - Move from scattered memories to a finished book But more than that, this is a process of listening, shaping, and preserving something deeply personal. It’s careful work. And it’s collaborative.
Why should I work with a professional biography writer?
Not at all! Most clients start with scattered memories, stories, or a general sense of what they’d like to capture. Part of my role as your writer is helping you organize and shape those pieces into a cohesive narrative. With a career in non fiction writing (and a lifelong fiction hobby!), I have a strong sense of story, narrative, and structure.
Do I need to have my life story organized before we begin?
Every ghostwriter has their own rate scale, and big autobiography ghostwriting services often have standardized packages. As an independent ghostwriter, most of my private memoir and biography projects range from $35,000 to $60,000. The exact quote depends on scope, travel, the finished product you're looking for (how many printed copies you'd like, whether you'd like a leather bound edition or audio book, etc.) and the depth of the work involved. Each project is unique, and I'll be happy to provide a detailed, personalized proposal after our initial conversation.
How much does autobiography writing cost?
That’s completely normal. During our conversations, I’ll help guide you—identifying the moments, themes, and experiences that will form the foundation of your story.
What if I'm not sure what belongs in a memoir?
It varies. Shorter projects involve a few days of in-person conversation, while others unfold over several weeks. We shape the schedule around your comfort, availability, and the depth of your story.
How long does the interview process take?
Yes, with your permission. Recording allows biography ghostwriters to focus fully on listening and asking questions, while ensuring your words and phrasing are captured accurately. After your book is complete and our work is finished, you have the option to reclaim all of the interview materials from me.
Do you record the interviews?
That's always the goal with the best ghostwriting services! My role as your memoir writer is to capture your voice—your tone, your rhythms, your way of seeing the world—so the final work feels authentic and familiar to you.
Will the writing sound like me?
Absolutely. This is a collaborative ghostwriting process. You’ll review drafts as they’re written, and we’ll refine the manuscript together until it feels complete and true to your experience.
Can I make changes along the way?
How much research do biography ghostwriters do?
A tremendous amount! A truly great biography doesn't happen in a vacuum—it requires immersion. Depending on the scope of your project, my research goes far beyond our one-on-one interviews. With your permission (and theirs!), I'll interview family members, close friends, and long-term colleagues to round out the narrative. I can also dive deeply into the background context of your life—whether that means researching the specifics of your industry, the social history of the era you grew up in, or tracking down old timelines. Because my background includes years of deep-dive research and structural storytelling, I know how to dig up the historical details that make a story feel real, vibrant, and accurate.
Do you provide more than biography ghostwriting?
Yes. Along with biography, I provide memoir and autobiography services, as well as book editing and consulting. (I've even been a professional bio writer for executive clients.) I partner with cover designers, formatters, and printers to ensure the final result of your book is professional and attractive. If you're interested in book publishing (either through traditional routes or self-publishing), I can guide you through the process. I'm not, however, an expert in book marketing… but I can point you in the right direction there.
You’ll have a complete, polished book! You'll have the option to create a paperback or hardback edition. I also partner with a custom leather bookbinder, if you'd like a leather-bound biography. If you'd like digital and audiobook editions, I can create those for you.
What happens after my biography manuscript is finished?
What sets me apart from other professional ghostwriting services?
You'll find many biography writing services and ghostwriting companies available today. Some offer a full team (a whole ghostwriters crew!), standardized packages, or fully remote processes.
Working with me is different.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all service, and it isn’t passed between departments or writers as the agency tries to match you with the best professional autobiography writer for you.
We begin by taking the time to see if we’re a good fit. From there, the work unfolds through direct, one-on-one collaboration.
You’re not handing your story to an agency of ghost book writers—you’re sharing it with one skilled writer who will carry it from beginning to end.
IN-PERSON, IMMERSIVE INTERVIEWS
Whenever possible, I travel to meet clients in person.
These conversations are not rushed or scripted. They unfold naturally, in your space, at your pace. Sitting together allows for a depth and nuance that’s difficult to achieve any other way—the small details, the tone of a memory, the moments that surface unexpectedly.
This is where much of the real work happens.
A PROCESS THAT HONORS THE COMPLEXITY OF A LIFE
Many larger professional biography services are designed for efficiency.
My work as a memoir ghostwriter allows for something different—more space, more reflection, more attention to the shape of your story as it unfolds.
We can follow threads, revisit moments, and take the time needed to get it right. Because a life isn’t linear—and telling it well takes care.
DISCRETION AND TRUST
This is deeply personal work, and it’s handled that way at every stage.
You’re working directly with me, and your story remains private and protected. There are no additional writers, no outside bio writing teams or a big ghost writers crew, and no sharing beyond what you choose.
Trust is built through consistency, and that consistency is part of what I offer as a writer.
MORE THAN A FINISHED BOOK
At the end of this process, you’ll have a completed biography.
But often, clients tell me they appreciate something more than the finished book. They have a clearer understanding of their own story and the impact they've had on others. They feel a deeper connection to the moments and the people who shaped them. And they now have something lasting to pass on.