FAQs

Do I Need You?

No. There are a lot of people who can write a biography or autobiography all by themselves and do it well. But most people will benefit from advice and comment from someone with expertise in this kind of project. Among other things, we’ll help keep you focused, help you make sure the content is clear and interesting, and help keep you on track for the time frame you choose.

In theory, a friend could serve as your editor. Our experience is that this isn’t likely to be successful. Friends can be great for basic comments and suggestions, not to mention for technical editing, but they’re usually reluctant to offer tough criticism. And when they do, they might not have the skills needed to help you improve.

What Financial Risks Am I Taking?

The biggest risk you face is if you get a long way in and then quit. But our experience is that most people who give up on projects like this do so early, so we think it’s unlikely you’ll have this problem.

Other Risks?

You could promise Auntie Em you’re going to do a biography of her and then not follow through. Not recommended, especially if she’s friends with the Wicked Witch of the West.

How Does Payment Work?

The usual arrangement will be pay-as-you-go. After the free consultation, we’ll tell you how much the next stage costs. When we have payment (via PayPal, probably) we’ll do the work. And so on. We could take credit cards if absolutely necessary, but don’t like to because we don’t want to be responsible for keeping the information secure.

Why Not Just Videos?

Videos are great and you can certainly do something interesting with them. But a collection of videos isn’t likely to be a substitute for a biography.

One problem with the video approach is that editing hours and hours of talk into something people will want to watch is not only really time consuming, it requires considerable talent. An interview format helps but is still a big challenge.

A more important problem is perspective. If your subject is older, then the grandchildren are likely to always associate the subject with the image of an old person. Not likely what you want.

On the other hand, with a book you tell the story of a life from many angles and in many dimensions. In some parts of the book the subject will be young, and if you describe things well the reader will see him or her that way.

 If you want to use videoed recollections, they’re most effective as supplements, not as the main story. 

Who Gets Credit as Author?

You, or whoever you designate, gets credit. You don’t need to mention us if you don’t want to. Of course, we expect to be proud of the product and will want to be able to cite it for prospective clients. We won’t make connections to the book without your permission, though.

How Long Will This Take?

A generic estimate isn’t possible since there are so many variables. For example, gathering information might be very easy or very difficult depending on whether you have access to the subject, whether there are friends and relatives who can help, etc. Your own time is a factor, of course, as is the level of comfort you have with writing and organizing. In the face of these unknowns, we can still offer some general comments about time. First, think in terms of months, not weeks. A year isn’t unreasonable. On the other hand, it isn’t a good idea to start something like this without a clear schedule. If you’re too vague, and just say “well, I’ll work on it when I have time,” the odds are it will never get done. As with so many things, you have to strike a balance.

Who Are You?

PFW is a group, but the principal writer/ editor is Garrison Walters. Now retired, Walters spent some 40 years in higher education, first as instructor/administrator at a university, then as a senior executive in several state systems. All this experience has given him a strong understanding of how to manage complex projects—a good description of a biography.

In his early career, Walters did mostly academic writing, including one biography. Later, in the state systems, he did a lot of public presentations as well as writing for newspapers and other public outlets. Some op-eds are included in the reference list at the end of this section.

As an administrator, Walters produced numerous reports and studies and in the process learned to drop academic pretentiousness and write effectively for an audience that wasn’t deeply involved in the subject. In this period Walters also learned the value of collaborative writing; no matter how good your first draft, it can almost always be improved by the comments and suggestions of others.

Walters has extensive experience as a writer outside of the academic and bureaucratic spheres. His The Other Europe was published first by an academic press then republished by a popular press that featured it on a catalog cover. It’s had strong reviews, was reprinted many times and remains in press after 25 years.

Another effort to explain a complex topic to the general reader is The Essential Guide to Computing. Published by a major commercial house, Prentice Hall, this book has also garnered excellent reviews and remained in print for fifteen years. A similar effort that is more directly focused on the general reader, Total F*ing Magic, has recently appeared as an e-book on Amazon.

Walters’ first effort at fiction, The Transylvania Connection, was not a success. He didn’t understand the publishing process and mistakenly expected important guidance from editors. Unfortunately, editorial help for authors is uncommon these days. The experience of this book was discouraging, but the knowledge gained from this unhappy process will be helpful to others.

The next novel, Killing Justice, is a great improvement but hasn’t yet been actively marketed. That will happen when the second volume in the series, A Riddle, appears in 2014.

Walters’ principal associate has a Ph.D. in Psychology and is both a professor and a licensed therapist. She has experience and insights that will be especially helpful for autobiography.

Other colleagues will be involved as appropriate, but you will always know who you’re working with.

More Information

·       Perspectives on Biography

·       How Much Will it Actually Cost?

·       The Stages of a Biography

·       FAQ

·       Questions to Get Started

·       More Thoughts on Autobiography

·       Writing References for Garrison Walters

Getting Started

Send an e-mail to gwalters@outlook.com