Victor DiGenti
Bio
After a career in broadcasting that included producing award-winning documentaries and special events, including the renowned Jacksonville Jazz Festival, I turned to my first love—writing. I had freelanced throughout my career but always wanted to write long-form fiction. Six award-winning novels later, I moved from writing fiction to collaborating with one fascinating individual after another. I began by penning biographies for two WW II veterans. In the past eight years, I’ve worked with and written about successful men and women from diverse fields, including real estate, economics, music, golf, banking, law enforcement, and more.
Why are so many people considering having their biographies and family histories written? Too often, people regret not asking more questions of their parents or grandparents until it’s too late. There’s a quote a biographer friend of mine adds to his emails. It’s from an NPR interview about writing your life story. It goes like this: When my grandfather wanted to tell me about his earlier life, I was too young to care. When I was old enough to listen, he couldn’t remember. Each person is unique, and preserving and sharing their life story is as much a gift to them as it is to their family. Capturing these memories in a book is a way of leaving a literary legacy and becoming a part of history.
Anyone who has led a life filled with extraordinary experiences has probably been told, “You should write a book.” It’s easier said than done, but many of them turn to someone with a track record of working with accomplished individuals and successfully completing biographies that paint a revealing portrait of that person’s life. Someone like me. And it doesn’t hurt that this biographer is also an award-winning novelist.
Here’s how I work: In our initial meeting, I assure the client that our work together will be a collaborative process. The resulting book evolves from hours of interviews with the client and often with family members, friends, and possibly former co-workers. My services include the additional research necessary to add context to the narrative, the transcription of the interviews, and writing and revising until the client is satisfied. My job is to listen, capture their voice and memories, and craft a compelling narrative for the reader. As a novelist and a short story writer, I try to bring some of the same creative elements to my nonfiction.
Testimonials:
“One of the greatest gifts you can give to a family is a gift that creates a lasting legacy. Victor DiGenti’s book, The Joy in Life is Helping Others: The Life and Times of Walter Dickinson, captured my father’s many accomplishments, his personal struggles, and the rewards of a successful career. More than a simple recital of chronological facts, Vic’s writing, research, and many interviews, pulled together a family history dating back several generations and helped us connect to our past.”
~ Alan Dickinson
“Vic DiGenti wrote the history of my husband’s family. He did significant research and recorded it along with personal stories from family members. It was so well done my family also retained him to do our family history. We could never have done what he did, and now, the stories will not be lost to future generations. These books are the best gift we could pass on, and it’s thanks to Vic.”
~ Barbara Haugen — A History of the Haugen–Landmark Families
“Vic DiGenti did a fantastic job of reorganizing and rewriting my biography. He contacted many friends from my past and included their comments in my book. I highly recommend Vic for anyone considering a biography of their life.”
~ Bill Prince — Music is My Ticket: The Musical Journey of Bill Prince
“Vic DiGenti did a superb job for our family in creating a book from the letters our husband/father wrote to his mother while in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Vic took his 150-plus letters and accompanying materials and put them in historical and pictorial context to create a lasting memory for our family. The book was expertly organized and accurately depicted an enlisted man’s experience as part of a B-29 war crew. We highly recommend Vic for his ability to create distinct publications chronicling a family’s legacy.”
~ Harriet, Katie, and Ted LeMaster — Love Ebbie: Edward LeMaster’s Korean War Letters
“I never could have done this without Vic’s professional help. His editing and organizational skills were crucial to the success of my book. As more friends and family heard about it, the demand for copies continued to grow. My immediate family cherished it, as will my grandchildren and hopefully future generations.”
~ Mike Diffenderffer — DIFF: The Time(s) of My Life
To date, I have co-authored, ghosted, and edited 13 books for clients. If you have a story waiting to be told, contact me, and we’ll make it happen.
Email vicdigenti@gmail.com
Website
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Phone 904-614-5196