General information from a recorded webinar, not legal advice for your situation.

How do you publish a memoir?

Quick answer · 0:52 · From Legacy Writing: Obituaries and Memoirs · Recorded Aug 27, 2026

Short answer

You have three main paths. Self-publishing works well for family projects. Traditional publishing means finding an agent and a major publisher. In between are independent presses, some of which pay royalties on sales.

Key points

  • Self-publish for family and friends.
  • Traditional publishing usually requires an agent.
  • Indie presses sit in the middle.

Kate LeibfriedWriter and ghostwriter, Click Clack Writing · Guest presenter

Read this part of the transcript

This is typically for family projects, where the memoir is not meant for widespread publication. It’s meant for family and friends. You could choose to traditionally publish, and that is where you get an agent, you go through the traditional process of publishing. You’re published by a big-name publisher. And in between those two extremes is indie publishing houses, and sometimes called vanity presses or mentoring presses, or indie publishers who will actually pay you a royalty for any sales that you make from your book. So, there are many options available to you for publishing, and that is a conversation all on its own. But I think I will end it there and answer any questions that people have.

Created automatically from the recording. Full transcript on the webinar page.

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