: Re: Mother is writing a book, thinks writing her life stories is same as telling them My mother is a celebrity in a small niche world. Her contribution and experiences are wonderful and should

@Moriarity138

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There is a very standard solution for people in your mother's exact situation. Hire a ghostwriter. Writing is a demanding art, and someone who excels in their own area of expertise is rarely also a great writer. So most people hire someone to interview them, and turn their story into a book. This might be someone famous themselves, but it is more likely to be someone unknown, a good writer who isn't famous and doesn't have an exciting story of their own. Depending on the exact arrangement, the ghostwriter might be credited as co-author or left off the cover of the book entirely.

It sounds like your mother might be a little resistant, but plenty of bestsellers, and even critically acclaimed classics have been produced this way. You can tell her that 90% of all musicians' autobiographies are probably ghost-written (that's a made-up stat, but plausible).

As far as costs, those will depend on how well-known and experienced your ghost-writer is. If your mother is sufficiently famous, there may be people willing to work entirely for a percentage of the eventual profits. Otherwise, you'll probably need to pay up front.

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