Family History

A family history book is a unique, highly personal project, and our clients come to us with a very specific set of goals and concerns. They want to work with a team of writers who will genuinely enjoy listening to them and getting to know their family – and they want to know that they’ll end up with a finished book that they’ll be proud to pass on to generations to come.

Perhaps most importantly, they want to be sure the team they choose for family history writing services will be one they genuinely like and enjoy working with. A family history project requires you to spend a great deal of time with your writers as you share memories and family stories. It’s critical that you not only choose a ghostwriting team that can technically complete the work – but that you choose a team that is enthusiastic about your project and enjoyable to work with.

Books of family history, acknowledging The Writers For Hire contributions.

When you choose us as your writers for family history, here’s what to expect:

  • We will take the time to get to know you. The process of writing family histories is anything but a detached exercise. Before we write a word, we visit you in your home (or whatever space you choose) and spend two to three days interviewing you and your family, learning more about your story, and discussing your style preferences, timelines, additional interviewees, and printing options.
  • We will listen to you. Our writing team wants to hear what you have to say. We come to every interview ready to learn more about your story – and we take detailed notes and make recordings so that we don’t miss a word.
  • We won’t disappear for months at a time. Ghostwriting is a collaborative, back-and-forth effort – not at all like working with a ghost! We communicate with you regularly, and you’ll always know the status of your book.
  • If you don’t like something, we’ll change it. It’s your book, and we want you to be 100% happy with it. We seek feedback from you on everything we write. You tell us what’s working and what you’d like to change, and we revise based on your comments.
Some ancestry books kept open.

We love working on projects involving ancestry research, and we’re always honored when someone considers our team for the job. It would be an even greater honor to be selected to help you create a family history book.

As a standard procedure, we record all the interviews, and you get to keep all the recordings. As an add-on service, we can provide a digitally edited version with your family's most memorable soundbites.

What Is A Family History Book?

Rather than focusing on a single person, this type of family story book chronicles the lives of multiple generations, often within a greater historical context. Your ghostwriting team will use a variety of sources – from personal interviews to historical records to family documents and photographs – to craft an ancestry book that will preserve your family’s legacy for years to come.

Books of family history, written about individual family members.

Some of our past family history projects include:

  • An anthology of stories, favorite traditions, and wedding memories from a family of German immigrants.
  • A multi-media history project about a heroic Texas police officer, commissioned by his niece and nephew.
  • An illustrated family history from the early 1900s until today, told from living memory. The Writers For Hire interviewed more than 20 family members and chronicled the family’s successes, stories, and adventures.

If you’re looking for an alternative to a traditional book, your ghostwriters can work with you to create a custom family history project as unique as your family:

  • Showcase treasured family photos in a one-of-a-kind coffee table book.
  • Collect your favorite family stories in a single anthology-style volume.
  • Create a book of collected interviews with various members of the family.
  • Create a website or mini book to recognize a family member’s accomplishments.

Beyond Writing: Interviewing, Organizing, And Project Management For Family Histories

Books of family history often require genealogical research.

Large book projects require more than just great writing skills. A family history project involves extensive interviews, background reading, and research – and it requires a team of skilled project managers to keep things organized and moving.

If you’re looking for the best writers for family history, be assured that our team can handle every part of your special project, including:

  • Helping you decide what kind of book is the best fit for your family and your goals.
  • Gathering and organizing information from a variety of sources.
  • Coordinating and conducting interviews with family members anywhere in the world.
  • Helping you explore your printing options.

References Available From Family History Clients

Maybe you’ve been searching through family history sites, comparing reviews. Consider The Writers for Hire’s proven results.

Sure, we think our writing team is pretty great, but we’re just a bit biased. So, don’t just take our word for it. Find out what it’s like to work with us from our real ghostwriting customers—we’ll provide references upon request.

Our Family History Writing Process

Ghostwriting process explained in steps.

FAQ’s

  • Q: Who has the rights to my book?

    A: You do. It’s your book, and you retain 100% of the rights to it.

  • Q: Who gets credit for writing my book?

    A: You do. In addition to retaining 100% of the rights to your book, you can claim sole authorship. Some of our clients choose to credit us as editors or co-writers. Although it’s nice to get a shout-out now and then, the majority of our clients don’t disclose the fact that they used a ghostwriter – and that’s fine with us.

  • Q: Is ghostwriting ethical?

    A: Of course. Your ghostwriter is simply helping you say what you want to say in a clear, engaging way. The ideas are 100% yours – all a ghostwriter does is help you get it on the page.

  • Q: I don’t want anyone to know I used a ghostwriter. How do I ensure privacy?

    A: We take your privacy seriously. Most of our ghostwriting contracts include a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

  • Q: I’m short on funding. Can I pay you a portion of proceeds, after publication?

    A: Our ghostwriters are professional, full-time writers and editors – and in order to keep them on our team, we have to pay them for their time. Our business model simply isn’t set up to take projects on spec.

  • Q: My business/subject matter is very technical. Are you sure you can write/edit my book?

    A: Yes. Our diverse writing and editing team includes experienced writers with backgrounds in science and technology, oil & gas, journalism, education, and software engineering. They’re smart, naturally curious, and genuinely interested in learning more about your area of expertise. And, because ghostwriting is a collaborative effort, you’ll have the opportunity to review and fact-check every page we write.

  • Q: Can you publish my book?

    A: We can publish your book through KDP, an Amazon subsidiary. If you are interested in other publishing options, we can recommend and provide introductions to several traditional and self-publishing companies.

  • Q: I live in Seattle. Your company is based in Houston. How can you write my book?

    A: Technology makes it easy for us to work with anyone, anywhere. Plus, we love to fly and will to travel to you if you prefer. After the initial kickoff meeting, most of our ghostwriting clients communicate with us via email, phone, or Skype. We’ve worked with hundreds of happy clients from all over the globe – from Singapore to San Jose to Scottsdale.

  • Q: What if I don’t like your edits or writing?

    A: Ghostwriting is a back-and-forth process, and we seek specific, constructive feedback from you every step of the way. Once we get a feel for your style preferences, we write a few pages and send them to you for review. You tell us what’s working – and what’s not working – and we send you a revised copy. You see every chapter as we go, which means there won’t be any surprises at the end.

  • Q: Can you design my book’s cover or create custom illustrations or infographics?

    A: We don’t offer illustrations and infographics in-house, but we can provide introductions and recommendations for design work, and we can project manage the design portion of your book.

  • Q: My 92-year-old grandmother isn’t thrilled about talking to a writer. How are you going to get her to open up?

    A: A lot of people get nervous about the idea of talking to writers; that’s why all of our family and personal writing projects begin with a face-to-face meeting. A book – especially a biography or family history book – is a big project that requires a lot of collaboration. It’s important that we take the time to get to know you, and it’s also important that you like us and feel comfortable talking to us. (So far, we’ve got a great track record. By the end of most book projects, most of our clients feel like we’re members of their extended family.)

  • Q: Can you guarantee that my book will get published?

    A: If you are referring to self-publishing, which is now almost 20% of the current market, then yes. If you are referring to traditional publishing, no one can guarantee publication. We can, however, provide you with introductions to a few local/niche publishers; we can help guide you through the self-publishing process; and we can pitch your book to traditional publishers.

  • Q: How long will it take to write my book?

    A: A full-length book typically takes between 6 and 12 months. However, a compressed scheduled can almost always be accommodated. Just tell us what your deadline is. Chances are, we can make it.

  • Who Gets Family History Projects?

    YOUR LOVED ONES

    Give a unique gift and preserve cherished memories. It would be an honor to be entrusted with your family member’s memoir or autobiography project.

    FAMILIES

    From a traditional book to something a little different, we will work with you to create a one-of-a-kind heirloom.

    INDIVIDUALS & CREATIVES

    Express yourself. Write your novel. Tell your story.

    Request A Quote
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    Call 713-465-6860


    Why Choose The Writers For Hire?

    You'll work with a great team of writers, with real-world experience. No newbies here, just check out our resumes. Equally important, you'll work with writers who understand -- really understand -- what it means to take care of our customers, make projects our own, and deliver on our promises.

    Testimonials

    The "Trees" arrived safely today and they are perfect. I love them. I know family members on both sides are going to be thrilled to understand our "roots" and learn about their forebears and the risks they took to allow us all to live in this extraordinary country. I read one through completely and found nothing needed to be corrected. Whew!!! Thank you both again for helping me realize this long held dream. I greatly appreciate your skill and professionalism throughout this project.

    avtar

    Genealogy Client

    Thank you for making the book a reality. I really appreciate all of your hard work and my family and I really enjoy the book.

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    Anna M, Ghostwriting Client

    To Wintress Odom and Stephanie Hashagen, who helped me organize and write Kevin’s story

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    Jerry H, Ghostwriting Client

    I had previously sent you an email stating how very much pleased with the book...but, I am not sure whether I fully expressed it. Frankly, the writing of the book is simply outstanding! You and your team have done a wonderful job of creating a very readable and interesting book! I just can't believe how it is all coming together.

    avtar

    Norm, CEO

    “We came to the conclusion that there is no way we could have gotten this kind of reach and saturation without everyone's help.”

    avtar

    Ghostwriting Client

    Request A Quote

    To receive a no-obligation quote for your next copywriting, ghostwriting, editing, or proofreading project, fill out the form below or call (713)465-6860.

    To review general pricing, visit our writing prices page.


    More Than 300 Happy Clients Around The World