A personal memoir, or memory book, combines the stories captured through oral history interviews with old photos and memorabilia to create a well-written, beautifully designed hardbound keepsake book for generations to treasure.
The professiona
lism and quality of Chapters of Life® memory books is unparalleled. It used to be that only the rich and famous could have their story told by a professional writer. Chapters of Life® has now made it possible for all of us to have our story told by a professional writer. The cost of a memory book is of little consequence when compared to the priceless value of capturing forever the life of a loved one.
Phillip A. McDonald Jr., Lakewood, Colorado
The memoirs can be written in first-person or third-person narrative or a more formal (but often less readable) question-and-answer format. Information for these stories comes directly from the interview transcripts, which are edited and organized to create a narrative that flows smoothly from start to finish.
Photos and memorabilia are scanned on quality equipment, then stored on a computer hard drive and inserted into the book wherever they best illustrate the stories.
We can print the pages of the book in full color or black and white. We work with clients to create catchy titles that illustrate the life story captured inside the book. We can print and bind as many books as the client desires.
You may find our free article, 13 Reasons to Create a Memoir, the Frequently Asked Questions about Creating a Memoir, and a description of the process we use to create a memoir interesting as you explore this exciting idea.
What to Expect
After receiving your call, we meet with you to show samples of the work we’ve done and discuss just what you would like to see in a finished product. We provide you with a biographical information sheet to fill out and mail to us, so that our interviewer is well-prepared to ask intelligent questions to inspire thoughtful reminisces by the narrator (you or whoever is sharing stories).
During the first interview, we converse casually with the narrator to create a warm and comfortable rapport. We explain the interviewing process and assure the narrators that we genuinely want to hear the stories they will share.
We find a quiet and comfortable spot in the home to set up the recording equipment. We clip a lapel microphone to the narrator’s clothing to ensure those recollections are recorded clearly on our high-end, unobtrusive equipment. We clearly ask brief, specific questions that trigger memories and start the stories flowing.
Julie is a dedicated professional who provides an extremely professional result. Having the memory books to pass on to my child is an incredibly wonderful gift. Recording and writing down family stories is a task many people would like to do but often don’t get to, and then it is too late. Julie is ready and organized to provide this service with wonderful results.
Alene Zander Brown, Portland, Oregon
Focusing on the narrator at all times, we remain attuned to signs that the narrator may be tiring or might prefer a change of subject. We are always honored and humbled when narrators share their precious memories with us, and we let the narrator know how much we value them and the wisdom they’ve gained through their life’s journey.
We help the narrator sort through photos and other memorabilia, which we store in a fire-safe container to ensure the safety of those keepsakes when we borrow them for scanning. We scan photos, slides, and other memorabilia on professional equipment and back up the files securely.
All material entrusted to us is returned untarnished in the condition received. We care for your historical keepsakes as if they were our own.
Options
Personal memoirs can be long, at times more than 250 pages, or much shorter, perhaps 50 to 80 pages. The length of the book depends on the number of interviews, the number of people interviewed and the willingness of the narrator or narrators to share stories.
I had no idea what this book would be like. It was a wonderful surprise. I found it to be very accurate on the stories in the book. What great memories for me to recall. My grandchildren were each given a copy of the book. Each book had on the front page a picture of the special grandchild receiving that book. It was very special for them. Now all of my children want a copy of the book for themselves. It was very well done ~ with the narrative and coordinating photos.
Nora McDonald, Vancouver, Washington
A personal memoir focuses on a person’s entire life or a special chapter of a person’s life, such as a wartime experience, career journey, exotic trip or courtship and marriage.
If someone has already passed away, we can create a memorial book commemorating the life of the person who has died. We interview family members and friends to capture the stories of the loved one’s life, and then retell those stories and share photos within the pages of a priceless memorial book.
Most books contain anywhere from 50 to 250 photos, depending on what you desire. They are printed on acid-free paper, trimmed in a predetermined size— 5×8, 6×9, 7×10, 8½x11 —whatever size you prefer. The books can be paperback or case-bound using quality endpapers.
Payments are accepted in separate installments, corresponding to different stages throughout the interviewing, editing and book production.
Getting Started
A Chapters of Life memory book has been a tribute to our grandparents, letting them know how much we cherish them and value their wisdom, so much so that we will capture it for generations to come in the pages of a memory book.
Phillip A. McDonald Jr., Denver
After meeting to discuss your proposed project, we will provide you with a biographical information form to gather the basic factual details about the narrator’s life and that of his or her spouse, if applicable. Filling out these forms helps us avoid unnecessarily frustrating a narrator during an interview with questions about dates, spellings, and other factual details.
When meeting for the interview, we will arrive on time and quickly establish rapport and ensure the comfort of the narrator and quietness of the interview setting. Then we’ll settle down for a friendly “chat.” Although perhaps feeling a bit uneasy at first, narrators begin to relax during the interviews as it becomes clear how much we relish hearing their stories from the past.
We always bring narrators back to the present when winding up the interview, by scheduling the next session or perhaps discussing current events.
Samples of Personal Memoirs
Have you read about Family Memory books? Learn more about Julie Zander or contact us to order your personal memoir created.