Where It All Began

About Me

The Ghostwriter Behind the Story

I discovered my calling by accident. It started with friends asking for help with speeches: birthday toasts, wedding tributes, and award remarks. I'd spend an hour or two really listening, then step into their shoes and write something that sounded unmistakably like them. Then one day, someone asked if I could ghostwrite her father's memoir. I said yes. And that's how Where It All Began was born.

I feel grateful every day that I get to write about people's lives for a living. Everyone has a story to tell, and even when someone thinks their life is ordinary, it never is. Once they start talking, the memories come flooding back. My clients often tell me afterward that the conversations alone were worth it.

With more than a decade of ghostwriting experience and a certification in proofreading, I've worked with everyone from families preserving a legacy to entrepreneurs, executives, and entertainers. Most of my clients come through word-of-mouth. That kind of trust tells you everything.

Years Ghostwriting

Life Stories Written

Interview Hours

Clients by Referral

How It Works

The Ghostwriting Process

The Conversation

Thoughtful questions that draw out stories you didn't know were worth telling. Less an interview, more a long talk with someone who genuinely wants to know you.

The Shape

For a memoir, I find the thread that connects everything and build the story around it. For an autobiography, I look for the moments that define you and make sure they're written the way they deserve to be written.

Writing the Story

By the time I sit down to write, I know how you talk and what makes you laugh. Your voice is already there. I just put it on the page.

The Finished Book

A hardcover keepsake for your family, or a manuscript ready for publishing. Something treasured for generations.

Services

Choose the Package That Fits Your Story

Mini Book

An overview of your life, sharing key highlights and the moments that matter most.

Starting at $25,000

10 one-hour interviews
10 photos included
3 hardcover books

Standard Book

In-depth stories, including personal and professional accomplishments.

Starting at $50,000

20 one-hour interviews
20 photos included
5 hardcover books

Published Memoir

A captivating narrative built for readers, to attract clients, build a legacy, or share what you've learned.

Price upon request

Unlimited one-hour interviews
25 photos included
Formatted manuscript
Ready for publishing

Sample Excerpts

A Glimpse Inside a Finished Book

A sample of what a finished memoir looks like: three short excerpts from one story.

For My Mother · The Happiest Day

My mom used to tell me that the happiest day of her life was March 5, 1973—my birthday. And it wasn't just because I was born. It was because, in her eyes, my arrival completed her perfect family. She had married her Prince Charming. She had a healthy son and now a healthy daughter. In that moment, she had all she ever wanted. Then one day, everything changed when my father died in a tragic accident. Overnight, my mom had to step into a new role. She was no longer just a mother; she became a father too. But through it all, the one thing I always knew, with every cell of my being, was that my mother loved me fiercely.

For My Mother · The Long Talks

Someone recently asked me what my favorite memory of her was. I thought about all the birthdays she spent with me. Every year, she'd pull me out of school for a special lunch, a tradition I later continued with my own daughter. My mom came along for all of them, completing the circle. But the best memory wasn't any of those experiences. It was our long talks on the couch or on my bed. I'd tell her about my husband, the kids, my friends, my dreams, my sorrows. She listened to every story, every detail, and only ever wanted the best for me.

For My Mother · The Birthday Card

The other day, I found a birthday card I wrote to her when I was a senior in college. I told her how strong she was, how much I loved her, and how our bond would only grow stronger. I also told her that one day I wanted to be a mother just like her. I did get to follow in her footsteps and love my children as fiercely as she loved me. Whenever I'd say my kids were the cutest, she'd always insist her kids were cuter. How lucky am I to have been raised by her, and to know what it feels like to be loved that fiercely.

What Clients Say

Real Stories. Real Voices.

"What sets Lori apart is how deeply she listens. Her questions helped me remember things I hadn't thought about in years. Lori didn't just help me write a memoir. She helped me create something meaningful that truly connected with people."

— Rob C.

"What amazed me most was how uncannily she captured my voice. When I read the manuscript, it sounded exactly like me. Friends and family kept saying, 'This is so you.' I never imagined my story could come together in such a profound, authentic way."

— Bonnie

"Hiring Lori to write my mother's memoir was truly the best gift I have ever given her. She made my mother feel seen, heard, and celebrated. Now our family has these memories preserved forever."

— Katie

Questions

What People Ask

How is this different from StoryWorth or Remento?

Those are wonderful tools, and I mean that. But they're tools. A prompt lands in your mother's inbox every week, and whatever she types is what goes in the book. Nobody asks the follow-up question. Nobody notices that the story she told in March belongs next to the one she told in October. I sit with you for hours, I listen, and I write. What you get isn't a stack of answers. It's a book.

Other ghostwriting services charge less. Why do you cost more?

Most memoir companies are agencies. You get matched with whichever freelance writer is available, your interview hours are capped, and the writing follows a house formula. With me, there's no pool of writers. The person who asks the questions is the person who writes every page. I take on a small number of books a year, and I write each one the way I'd want my own story written. My clients find me through the people I've already written for. That's the difference showing up on the page.

Do I really need this many interview hours?

We start at the beginning. The first conversations walk through your life in order, so I can see the whole shape of it. Then we go back for the moments worth lingering on. The stories you tell at dinner parties come easily. The ones underneath them take time, and that's where the book lives. And here's the thing: your life happened in order, but the book doesn't have to be told that way.