Harris KhanAs time spent reading rises so does time spent writing: biography writing service StoryTerrace experiences dramatic growth amidst pandemic
- 1 in 4 people in Britain believe their life story could be turned into a book or film
Rutger Bruining, Founder and CEO of StoryTerrace, discusses Britain’s renewed desire for reading and explains why so many people are looking to complete their biographies during the pandemic.
One of the UK’s largest publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing, has announced their best half-year profits in over 10 years, thanks to a huge increase in demand for books throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.
Bloomsbury said that they had seen an increase in demand for both their e-book/digital content, as well as regular print books, which was consistent throughout the lockdown period, suggesting that there are many people who have discovered a love of reading which is now enduring well beyond the lockdown.
It’s not just a love of reading that Brits have discovered though. Professional biography writing service StoryTerrace is another company which has seen a considerable increase in demand during lockdown, as more and more Brits have been inspired to write their autobiographies and memoirs to document their life stories, or the stories of their families.
The company, whose professional writers have documented over a thousand life stories to date, have reported a huge increase in revenues, as hundreds of Brits searched for help with recording their experiences and memories. StoryTerrace’s research earlier this year found that 1 in 4 people in Britain believe that their life story could be turned into a film or a book – add in the chaos of a global pandemic, and it’s no wonder that thousands of people are looking to document their experiences and chronicle their journeys.
Founder and CEO of StoryTerrace, Rutger Bruining, explores why people in Britain have rediscovered a love of reading, and discusses the phenomenon around the growing number of people writing their biographies in lockdown:
“As someone who has dedicated their life to writing and fully understands the benefits that reading can bring, I am thrilled to see that there has been such a clear increase in demand for books and literature in lockdown.
Initially, it’s unsurprising to find that more people were looking to buy books earlier in the lockdown, as people searched for ways to fill the time and occupy their minds whilst confined to their homes. However, to see that the demand increased consistently throughout the lockdown into June would suggest that this new-found desire for reading has endured for months, and may have given way to more people experiencing the joy and the myriad benefits that reading can have.
At StoryTerrace, we connect everyday people who want to write their biographies with professional ghost-writers. It seems as though the Coronavirus pandemic has not only encouraged people to think more about their life experiences, but has also provided people with the extra time needed to get around to documenting their history. We’re extremely happy to see that so many people are finally making time to celebrate and document all of their experiences, both for themselves and their families, and are undoubtedly feeling the benefits of recording their lives.”
About StoryTerrace
StoryTerrace helps people to turn their life story into a book. The company takes care of the whole process – matching clients with one of their 600 professional writers, interviews, photo gathering, editing, design and printing – for a fixed price. Books are on average 100 pages long, meaning that everyone can have their life story – or the life stories of their loved ones – documented in a professionally curated autobiography, biography, or series of memoirs. Customers are able to pick their ghostwriter based on a smart, highly personalised match considering factors such as professional and cultural background, shared experiences, personality and interests.
