Some Lives Should Be Recorded
A life is more than dates, places and achievements. It's the people, decisions, experiences and unexpected turns that made it what it was.
I write private and published memoirs, working directly with you from our first conversation to the finished book.
“I spoke to a few writers before Mark, but once we started talking I knew I had the right guy. He didn’t just write the story, he worked through it with me and made sense of it.”
David Giles - CEO, Entertainment Brands Group
Why Work With Me
Your Life. Your Story. Written with care.
I'm a UK-based ghostwriter and author, but geography doesn't really matter. I help create the books that should exist, but often don't, wherever you are.
I believe interesting lives aren't confined to people who've built businesses, achieved public recognition or done extraordinary things. Some of the best stories come from ordinary lives, the people we've known, the choices we've made, the things that went right and those that didn't. Whether someone's spent a lifetime in business, medicine, the arts, public service, sport or simply getting on with life, there are experiences worth preserving. Often, it's the stories nobody thought to ask about that turn out to matter most.
I work personally with each client, from our first conversation to the finished book. I take on a small number of commissions, giving each the time, attention and care it deserves.
I've spent much of my life working with people, leading teams, making decisions, taking risks and dealing with consequences, good and bad. It's taught me something about ambition, judgement, relationships and the gap between what people intend and what actually happens. I bring that experience to my writing, along with a curiosity about what makes people who they are, whatever their background or profession.
Earlier in my career, I wrote Crystal Mapping, a book about visual thinking and clear communication. The same discipline applies here. Stand far enough back to see the whole thing, work out what really matters, breathe in life and energy, and make it make sense.
You don't need to have written anything or even know where your story begins. We can figure that out together. I'll listen carefully, ask the right questions and find the story within the life. Then make it clear and dangerously human. Something others will actually want to read, without polishing away the person behind it.
If you've lived a life worth recording, or know someone whose story shouldn't be lost, give me a shout.
How We Can Work Together
There's no single reason people decide to write their story, what matters is the connection between the story and the people it's written for.
Every life has its own story, and every memoir its own purpose. Some preserve personal memories for family and future generations. Others capture the values, principles and judgement behind a lifetime of building a business, passing on not just the assets, but the thinking and decisions that created them. And some are written for a wider readership. All deserve the same care, curiosity and attention to detail.
Whatever its purpose, I manage the entire process, from our first conversations to the finished book, whether that's a beautifully bound private edition for family and friends or a book prepared for publication and a wider audience.
Private Memoirs
Not for the bookshop, but for the people who know you, and those who may only ever know you through what gets written down. A private memoir captures the experiences, relationships and turning points that shaped your life, creating a lasting record for children, grandchildren and generations to come.
Memoirs for Publication
Some lives have stories that reach beyond family and friends. They may offer insight into a particular world, an extraordinary experience, or simply something about being human that others will recognise. These memoirs are written with a wider readership in mind, combining the truth of a life with the narrative craft needed to make a compelling book.
Explore Memoirs for Publication
From Conversation to Book
You don't need to arrive with a manuscript, a detailed plan or even a clear idea of where your story begins. Discovering that is part of the process.
First, we talk.
We begin with an informal conversation about the life you want to record, who the book is for and what you hope it will achieve. If we decide to work together, we'll agree the scope, timescale and fee before anything begins.
Then, we explore.
Through a series of relaxed, recorded conversations, we revisit the people, places, experiences and decisions that shaped your life. Photographs, letters and other material can help bring memories to the surface. Where appropriate, I may also speak with family, friends or colleagues.
Next, I write.
I find the connections, develop the structure and turn those conversations into a narrative. Not simply a chronological account of what happened, but a story that captures the life of person who lived it, in the voice that's unmistakably theirs.
Finally, we refine.
You'll have the opportunity to read the manuscript, correct details and help me make sure it feels right. We work through the revisions together until we have an agreed final manuscript, ready for the next stage, whether that's a private family edition or preparation for publication.
The aim throughout is simple: to make the experience enjoyable, the process manageable and the finished book something you'll be proud of.
Fees & Scope
Every memoir is different. Some lives cover decades of extraordinary events. Others are quieter stories, no less interesting for that, where the people, relationships and decisions matter more than the milestones.
My memoir commissions start from £18,000, with the final fee depending on the length, complexity, research and intended purpose of the book.
A typical commission includes a series of recorded conversations, research and supporting material, the development of the book's structure, writing the manuscript and working through revisions together.
Most projects take between six and nine months from our first interviews to a completed manuscript, although some take longer depending on the scope of the book, the availability of contributors and the amount of research involved.
We'll agree the fee and payment stages before we begin, so there are no surprises along the way.
Professional editing, design, printing and publishing support can also be arranged where required, with any additional costs agreed in advance.
The first conversation is simply an opportunity to explore what you have in mind, whether it's for yourself, someone in your family or a wider readership. It's free and there's no obligation.
Every story begins with a conversation.