How much will it cost to produce your biography?  Naturally we can’t be sure what YOUR biography will cost to produce until you tell us what you want to create. Both personal and business biographies deal with subject matter that is very important to our clients.  Most businesses, and even more people, would commission a biography if given the chance, if not for themselves then to memorialize the life of a loved one.  But the cost in time and money for these projects can be daunting.   

If you’re interested in recording your history, understanding what goes into the final cost of a quality product will help you become a more educated customer and avoid sticker shock.

1) Project Managers and Staff Support
A project manager (whom we call a Client Services Manager) with knowledge and experience helps you develop a realistic plan before the actual recording and production of your biography begins.  They help you decide on the major themes of the biography, what materials will be included, whether you want to make a book or DVD, etc.  They also monitor and manage the step-by-step progress of the work, keeping you informed and getting your input. Using their knowledge, experience, and professional connections, they ensure the quality of the work, keep the project on schedule and within budget, and make sure you’re satisfied with the end result. 

2) Skilled Writers and Editors
A biography is a written presentation of the life of an individual or a company.   It should reflect well on the person whose story is being told.  Skilled writing shines a light on the multifaceted person behind the names, dates and events that make up their life story. Skilled editing makes that story easy to read, so your message comes across clearly and effectively to readers.  The specialized skills of writers and editors results in a book that is sure to please not only you, but also the other readers for whom you’re producing the book.

3) Professional Graphic Design and Layout
This step involves much more than adding headers and page numbers. A professional graphic designer takes your manuscript and other materials and artistically combines them to create book and page layouts while applying an overall book tone, font, and color theme. Other work may include illustrations, diagrams, photos, an index, cover and back design. The manuscript must then be transformed into a print-ready proof before it can be printed.  There are many fine points to this process, and it can be time-consuming. Adding photos and other images, graphics and captions can truly enhance a biography, but these items must be carefully integrated into the page design to be sure the book is still easy to read and pleasant to look at.  Traditional photographs must be scanned and saved in digital format before they can be inserted into the book, and this can be very time-consuming as well.  Our graphic artists and page designers use their professional experience and the most up–to-date equipment and computer programs available to shape your book.

4) Printing and Binding
Production costs are more predictable and set than costs of services like editing and design.  There are two kinds of printing, digital and offset, offset being the higher quality and more expensive of the two.  The number of pages, paper quality, cover material, binding type, number of books ordered and other factors influence cost in this area.  The bulk of the expense in creating a book is in the actual writing and layout, but it’s important to understand the terms, materials and methods used in printing to get the best results at the best price.   BoehmGroup’s Client Services Manager can help you sort through your production options to find what suits your needs best.

5) Professional Video Services
If you choose to create a video/DVD biography instead of or in addition to a printed biography, you will need the services of a professional videographer.  The interviewing and the actual shooting of a high-quality video are very specialized skills, as are video editing, adding music or graphics, and the other steps involved in creating video.  These tasks, which require specialized education, expensive equipment and professional reproduction services, are not inexpensive.

To control costs while creating the biography you want, ask questions, have a well-made strategy for your project that sticks to the essentials and work efficiently to streamline the amount of professional labor it takes to complete your project. Boehm Biography Group provides a free Biography Planning Guide to help you organize your story and determine what kind of biography you want to create.  When you contact us, we will answer any questions you have and work with you to provide you with a free cost estimate. We can also offer you good advice about sharing the cost of a biography with others or creating a biography in phases.