There are many reasons why an accredited Life Story Writer is a valuable investment when it comes to capturing your story.
Having your life story professionally written is an investment that pays off in the long run. What value can we give to a well written engaging story? Many people believe capturing history is priceless, so the true value lies in something well beyond dollars. What you are paying for when you engage a professional Life Story Writer is a once in a lifetime expense that if amortised over the duration of 80 years would equal just one cent a day!
When we quote on preparing your life story we take many factors into account. The number of words, source materials available, amount of research required, time and travel to conduct interviews and drafting and editing your story into a cohesive narrative all take time.
Your chosen Life Story Writer has invested many years in continued learning and honing their craft. It’s a dedication not many people are prepared to make but as professionals we are committed to best practice and our accreditation (with Life Stories Australia) ensures a high level of standards and an adherence to an ethical Code of Conduct, which protects you and ensures a process that is fair, supportive and of the highest quality. Most of us have qualifications across a range of disciplines, including post graduate education, and life experience in the field that add to our portfolio of life story telling skills. We invest in our own development and attend many conferences and workshops to be at the forefront of our chosen field. Most of us are running our own businesses and which means we also carry the expense of superannuation, insurances, PAYG and other business costs.
If you think about what you pay to other professionals for their services, life story writers are extremely reasonable. Two hours at the hairdresser could cost $500, a lawyer might charge $400 per hour, a plumber about $200 per hour and even a massage today costs about $140!
Many people, when they first approach us for a quote, face an important home truth. Many share they have been meaning to, or even trying, to write their life story for the last five years (often longer) and haven’t managed to carve out the important time needed to actually get the words down. The truth is you would do it yourself if it was easy, but it’s not, and that’s where we bring value and ease to the process. It truly is the only way to get things done. Outsourcing works well in so many areas of life where we have desire but lack skills – this is one of them! If you haven’t managed to get started (despite your best intentions) then you need us. Sometimes the only way you will get your manuscript done is to pay someone else.
Your manuscript done right with a professional from the outset saves time and expenses in the long run. As we research and write we are providing important services in fact checking, structural integrity, narrative flow, the correct grammar conventions, and even the finer details of consistency, spelling, punctuation and formatting. This means you get a clean product at the end and don’t need to encounter additional or unnecessary expenses when your story goes to an editor (an important part of the process).
These are the serious skills of writing and apply also to the work of our video and audio biographers. Most people simply don’t have the skills (or the time to build the skills) to create outcomes that work.
There is also a true opportunity cost that can be considered when paying someone else to write your story. What else could you be doing with your time that makes more sense? If you stay focused on doing what you’re good at, and let us do what makes us tick, then it’s a win-win all round. You just have to show up and someone else does all the work to make it happen! Sure your best friend, English teacher, cousin or neighbour can write a good letter or put a few words together and that can be an appropriate solution for some stories, but if you’re looking for something ‘above’ the everyday, a professional writer is your best option.
Engaging a professional is for some people the only solution, especially if you want a timely or quick outcome. This can be incredibly potent with the stories of our elders. Often there is a real and present time concern, such as getting story material at the end of life or in the space of advancing memory loss. For an elderly person a professional writer can be a stress-free process, especially if they are not technology savvy, and time may be of the essence. We provide a companionship that is like a trusted friend. We also know that our role as independent observers of story also places us in the honourable role of confidante. We often hear richness in stories that have otherwise gone untold for decades – it’s amazing what people will tell us they might not confide in others, or family, but want captured.
Only a real person can listen, respond and tease your story out with the care it needs. Even in these times of AI as a resource, there is no substitute for a human telling human stories. Responding to AI prompt questions is ultimately far less satisfying than having a person understand and really hear you. A person can respect your emotional boundaries and follow up with you in a way AI will never master. A Life Story Writer is a living, breathing resource that can open up a story with the consideration and insight your story deserves for generations to come.
What would you pay for not just a good story, but a great story? What does your story deserve? A professional Life Story Writer is worth the investment and it’s easy to find the right person for your incredible story at Life Stories Australia.
Check out our Members Page for a complete list of people ready to work with you.
By Lindy Schneider, LSA
Lindy is a deeply experienced Life Story Writer who combines narrative craft, emotional intelligence, and therapeutic insight to create meaningful life stories.
Follow Us