As mature human beings, and I might say in the latter half of our life we develop a need to leave a legacy. We seek to identify ourselves, to explain our existence within a historical as well as social context. And only by doing so can we present ourselves as individuals. The older person understands contexts, in fact demands their clarification, in order to place him/her self within it. We have lived and internalized consequences, and speak of ourselves as such. Yes, everyone has a story to tell; that's the cliche. What is more important is how we choose to tell it, what we choose to highlight and omit, how we want to be remembered, and by whom.
I am trained both as a writer (B.A. in Creative Writing & Comparative Literature) and as an anthropologist and oral historian (PhD), and I combine my skills as a writer,interviewer, and oral historian to engage in a collaborative interview relationship with clients and to write their life story. This is a long process that involved hours of interviewing, sharing materials, sometimes research and interviewing other family members.
Everyone has a different ambition for such a project. Some want a simple hand-bound narrative with photos to share with family. At the other end of the spectrum are those who want a fully published book with copyright. All of these are possible and are reflected in my pricing, and in the contract we create together.
I am trained both as a writer (B.A. in Creative Writing & Comparative Literature) and as an anthropologist and oral historian (PhD), and I combine my skills as a writer,interviewer, and oral historian to engage in a collaborative interview relationship with clients and to write their life story. This is a long process that involved hours of interviewing, sharing materials, sometimes research and interviewing other family members.
Everyone has a different ambition for such a project. Some want a simple hand-bound narrative with photos to share with family. At the other end of the spectrum are those who want a fully published book with copyright. All of these are possible and are reflected in my pricing, and in the contract we create together.