Saving Stories Personal Historian
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"I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the beautiful job you did on our family book. It is so wonderful to see all of the old photographs and stories together. The book has brought the whole family closer together. Because of this book, everyone is talking and reminiscing about the old days. You have no idea how much this means to all of us."

— Mary G.
"The book you produced is just beautiful and I can't wait to unveil it at our 20th year celebration. It was such a joy to work with you on the layout and production. I am proud to be able to present our organization's history in this form and can't thank you enough."

— Sandy T.
(Book celebrating the 20th anniversary of a non-profit organization.)
"There was only one person left among my siblings who knew the early history of our family. That was my sister who was in her nineties. When I found out about Saving Stories and saw their finished product, I knew that they would be the ones to do the job. I was not disappointed. The interviews were remarkable; the photographs, many faded, were reproduced beautifully. Now the memories are preserved. Don't wait too long!"

— Judy V.

"I would like to thank Chris for her professional and personal expertize which rescued my lagging memoir and turned it into a lovely book. Having finished the writing, I had no idea where to turn. At that moment, Chris was recommended to me, and it has all been remarkable to me since. Beyond her amazing technical skills, Chris has a warm, intuitive sense, not only of what will work well, but what will be pleasing to the client. A case in point was my surprise and joy with the cover design she proposed for my book. It struck a vibrant chord with me and nothing could have delighted me more. My sincere appreciation to Chris Wisniewski and Saving Stories."

— Millie R.

Products

MEMOIRS / Family History

Just as each person’s life is unique, so is each memoir and the process to complete it.
We can assist with the following:

  • You have written some portion of your memoir and you’re stuck;
  • You have written most or all of a memoir and need help editing it
  • You have a completed manuscript and need help getting it into print; or
  • You haven’t started, but you’d like to (or you hope your mother or father will start).
Whatever your situation, if you would like to write your memoir, we can help.

Here is the process, which we can adapt to fit your particular needs:
  • You tell your stories in the form that works best for you.
  • We meet in half-day sessions.
  • We record interviews, or take notes as you tell us stories. We specialize in asking questions to draw out your best stories.
  • We will review edited transcriptions of your interviews or any writing you have already completed. We will check for accuracy and determine which areas need more detail.
  • We will conduct background research as needed and/or requested.
  • We will help you keep on track, direct your focus, and bring your project to completion.
  • We will help with photograph selection.
  • We work with you to come up with a book design and layout that will enhance your story in a clean, classic style that will be appreciated for generations to come.
  • At the conclusion of each session we will determine together the next steps to be taken: what areas you should focus on for our next meeting, and which work we will complete to keep the project moving forward.
  • We coordinate with the book printer/binder to ensure the final product meets your specifications.

You are in complete control of the scope of your project. You are free to stop, or take a break, at any time. We will hold as many or as few of these meetings as needed until your book is ready for printing. Later sessions will include a review of the design and layout of your memoir.

Half-Day Session:

Session may include a recorded interview, background research, writing and editing, or design and layout.

Transcription of recorded interviews, proofreading of final text, and printing* of books will be billed separately.

The cost of your book will include however many half-day sessions you decide is right for you plus transcription, proofreading, and printing.

Click here to see examples of our covers and interiors of personal history, family history, and memoir books.




MINI-MEMOIRS

Perhaps you are uncertain that you have a whole book to write, but you would like your grandchildren to know about your childhood, or you would like to describe an especially meaningful time in your life. Maybe your parents are hesitant to write a full memoir, but they have some stories you and your siblings would love to collect. The mini-memoir is designed to meet this need. It includes:

Books on Corporate History, Organizational History, or
Anniversary Books for Businesses and Non-profits

Preserve and celebrate the founding and growth of your business or non-profit. We can work with you to produce a book to honor and celebrate what sets your business apart; what has kept you going through the years. Saving Stories can help you craft a history to document your beginnings, founders, values, employees, and goals for the future. A history of a business or non-profit is a perfect way to mark significant anniversaries. It offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on how you started and where you are headed. A book highlighting your business history can also be a thoughtful way to show appreciation to your employees, investors, supporters, and board members.


FAMILY COOKBOOKS

For many families, some of the most cherished memories revolve around the kitchen table and the taste of the food prepared by those we love. Capture these memories in a family cookbook. Include recipes, family photos, scans of orginal recipes handwritten by your grandma or mother, and stories from the kitchen or those family celebrations when everyone gathered together to share your favorite meals. Let us help you create a special cookbook to celebrate and share your family’s culinary heritage.


MEMORIAL BOOKS

Tribute books can take a variety of forms. We would be happy to discuss the best way to honor the life of your loved one.


Photo restoration and scanning

Saving Stories offers is photo restoration, either as part of the process of creating a book or as a separate service. We carefully eliminate imperfections, signs of damage, wear, and fading, while maintaining the integrity of the original photograph. The end result is a high resolution digital file, which can be used to print new prints or to share with others.

Saving Stories also is able to help scan old photos and organize them systematically according to the needs of the client. You can view an example of our photo restoration work here. Please contact us with any questions on photo restoration, scanning, or organizing services.


CUSTOM PROJECTS

If you have something in mind that doesn’t fit into one of the categories on this page, feel free to contact us. We can do group story-telling events, community projects, or consulting on a range of personal history-related projects. Any idea is a possibility which we can help bring to life.


Gift Certificates

Know someone with a great story to tell? Interested in helping a friend or relative start preserving their own stories? Saving Stories offers gift certificates to help get the process started. It will be a gift which will be appreciated for generations. Contact us today to learn more.



Click here to see examples of our products, including covers and interiors of personal history, family history, and memoir books.


All prices quoted above are subject to change
.




  Personal historians Northest Network  
American Folklore Society National Aging in Place Council Socieity of Geneologist London
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"I've always been really curious about things and slightly confused by the world, and I think someone who feels that way is in a good position to be the one asking questions."
— Terry Gross