How It Works
First we interview you
Our writer will start by having a general chat with you to work out how you want to structure your book. For example, you may want it to be an overview of your whole life, or it could focus on a specific period – for example, your career, or your childhood, or a particularly important episode in your past. Would you prefer it to be written in the first person (this is the most common) or in the third person, like a biography? Is there anything particular that you want the writer to know before you begin?
Then you’ll have a series of interviews. They can usually be in person (depending on your location), or they can be online. Don’t worry about not knowing what to talk about! We will have lots of questions and prompts to guide you along the way. It should feel almost like a conversation you’re having with a relative or a friend, and we hope you’ll really enjoy the process.
Next, we write your story
Once the interviews are done, we’ll get writing. When the first chapter is complete, we’ll send it to you before we carry on, so you can make sure that the style is as you want it.
We’ll do our very best to capture your authentic voice, using direct quotes from the interviews wherever possible, and crafting a writing style that echoes who you are as closely as possible.
When the first draft is finished, it will then go to you for feedback and we’ll make any changes.
You choose the pictures
While we’re busy writing, you can be thinking about which images you’d like to include. We’ll agree with you in advance the number of pictures the book will have. These don’t just necessarily just have to be photos; they could also be documents: for example, an old passport, a marriage certificate… anything that is significant to you. Choosing these can be an absorbing and nostalgic process in itself.
Once the text is finalised, we’ll send it to our graphic designer, who will typeset it beautifully and add the images you send us.
We’ll also talk to you about how you want the book cover to look. It could have a photo, or a collage of photos, or maybe just a beautiful nature picture (we can source this for you).
Then, we create your memoir
Now comes the most satisfying part:
We’ll send the finished pages to you, with all the text and pictures in places, and you can make sure you’re completely happy with everything.
Finally, it will be sent to a professional proofreader to iron out any last-minute glitches, and then it will go to our trusted printer, who will print as many copies as you wish.
You’ll receive a delivery of your memoir in beautiful, high-quality hardback. The pages are section sewn, meaning that they are bound together firmly to make a book that will endure down the generations. The pictures are printed on glossy paper that shows them off to their best advantage. The books have a dust jacket with the cover design you have chosen. We’re also happy to discuss any extra features that you might like – for example a ribbon bookmark or a slipcase.
We hope that the memoir will have lasting meaning for you and your family, and serve as a record of your life that can be passed down through the generations.
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