The Process of Creating an Heirloom Book

Working with LifeWriter is a very personal process. All of your contact throughout the project will be with me, Maia Fischler. I’ll do all the coordination, so you can relax and enjoy the journey.

• Before any work begins, we’ll discuss your desires for the project. Once we’ve agreed to the scope of the project and the budget, we’ll sign a letter of agreement.

• Then I’ll come to your home for a series of audio-taped interviews. We call these interviews, but they’re really just casual conversations. You don’t have to prepare anything. I’ll ask you questions about your life, and you’ll tell me stories, flowing from one topic to another just as if you were chatting with a friend. It’s all very relaxed. Normally, each interview session will be about 2 hours long, depending on what’s comfortable for you.

• When the interviews are complete, I’ll have the tapes transcribed.

• From these word-for-word transcripts, I’ll work to create a narrative. It will be written in your own voice and with your own words, but it will be organized and edited so that it’s easy and enjoyable to read.  

• When I’ve finished shaping the narrative, I’ll send you a full draft to review and change as you see fit. You’ll always have complete control over the contents of the book.

• I’ll come to your home again to go over the changes and help you select photographs and other memorabilia to include in the book. You may include letters, a family tree, newspaper clippings, or even a family recipe. (If we’re not within easy traveling distance, we don’t have to meet face-to-face; we can choose the photos during our initial interviews and discuss the changes by phone.)

• Our graphic designer will scan the photos and lay out the pages in book form.

• I’ll bring (or mail) the book to you for final review and approval. At this point, we’ll discuss the binding style and decide how many books to print. The number is not limited: we can produce one book or hundreds.
  
  
• The books will be printed and bound. In addition to the books, you’ll receive one set of the audio-taped interviews on CD.