Working with Life Stories Preserved is easy, efficient, and enjoyable!
Individuals may laugh or cry during the discussions, but they always give a heartfelt thanks at the end. Old memories easily float to the surface. It is a remarkably cathartic experience.
Process/Q&A
How It Works:
Interview
The interviewing and information gathering process are typically done online via video-chat and/or audio software, with each session lasting approximately one hour.
Write / Edit / Design
These interview sessions are transcribed and combined with the subject's own photographs and documents. Each chapter is submitted for review prior to printing, as is a choice of several different, professionally designed book covers.
Print / Deliver
The end-products are professionally designed and published, 6" x 9" hard-cover books (soft-cover for a Life Synopsis), with e-books an additional option. The entire publishing process is carefully managed and supervised.
The books produced by Life Stories Preserved LLC are beautifully designed, professionally printed case-bound books, all with satin or gloss laminated, hard front and back covers (soft cover for a Life Synopsis). E-books are an option, too.
The interview and information gathering processes are video conference-based using proprietary software. Follow-up is done as needed via email and telephone communication. In-person interviews-discussions can be arranged, as well.
The sessions are typically recorded to facilitate transcribing and to ensure accurate capture of information and quotations. As an alternative, the interviews can be conducted exclusively with audio devices. These discussions are scheduled on the days and times most convenient for all parties involved.
The interviews are transcribed, written-drafted into sequential chapters, and combined with photographs and/or documents germane to those chapters. Chapters are reviewed and approved by the client prior to publication. There are no surprises.
All information is kept private, and professional confidentiality is maintained at all times. Your instructions are carefully followed about who can be interviewed, who your story can be shared with, as well as who has access to it.
Let’s take this important journey together!
Conducting an online video-chat discussion for a biography-life story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on whether our project together is a life story-biography or a shorter memoir or life synopsis, we will schedule between two-eight interview sessions. Each session will probably average about one hour. They will be scheduled when most convenient for everyone involved. These discussions are almost exclusively done online, using proprietary video-chat software.
To make our time together as efficiently spent as possible, you will receive a list of the specific topics to be discussed and several questions at least a few days prior to our next scheduled session. This will allow you time to formulate your answers and research any relevant information, as well.
Ideally, it is best to email the photographs along with their corresponding captions. If this isn’t possible, then the photos and/or documents can be snail-mailed to us and we will scan them. In either case, all images will be sized, cropped and enhanced (if possible) before being incorporated into the book. Photographs and other images and documents will all be returned to the sender, as well.
Truth-be-told, others often bring a different perspective and view to the table. They sometimes recall stories and events that you may have forgotten about. Whenever possible, and only with your expressed permission, will we seek input from your friends, family, colleagues, etc.
The cost is a function of the exact specifications of each project. After a discussion of the project’s scope and breadth, we can estimate the book’s length, the probable number of pages. This, together with the number of copies to be ordered, determines the exact cost. There is also an option for ordering an e-book version, as well.
Yes, in fact, Life Stories Preserved makes a wonderful birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or holiday present. We can send a card to the gift recipient, informing them that a Life Stories Preserved present has been commissioned in their honor.
Every project is reviewed by the client prior to going to press. Groups of chapters are typically submitted for review during the writing and editing process, and a final proof is reviewed and signed-off on before printing commences.
It’s possible, but not very cost-efficient. It costs far less doing a single press run, rather than returning to press at some later date.