edith

An East Yorkshire wedding from circa 1935

Who is it for?

Anyone who wants to record any aspect of their family life.

The story of your life,

A pregnancy or a child’s life

A wedding day recorded in your words and those of your guests

A journey of self-discovery

A Relationship or friendship

A eulogy

Please feel free to make contact and discuss your requirements and I will let you know honestly if I can help.

 

Who can commission it ?

You can commission it for yourself or as a gift for someone else but if it is for someone else they must be willing to be interviewed. Depending on the desired length of the written piece this can vary.

 

What is on offer?

Following a recorded interview  I will write your story to an agreed length in your words and in the first person (unless another style is better suited to the material).  If you want I will include scanned or digital photographs  all laid out in both PDF or word form. I will give you both printed and electronic form.  We can then work on corrections or additions

I will also give you a copy of the video record of the interview (which usually runs to several hours of DVD)

You then have the choice to take the document away and have it printed and bound if you wish or  I can source a binder to suit your taste and pocket

In certain circumstances where a person already has a partially completed document I can edit and transform the document  to meet their needs.

 

What is the process ?

I will travel to meet you or your relative at home or at a venue of your choice. A camera will be set up in an unobtrusive place and I will interview you or your relatives.  I will both write notes and ask questions but the recorder will be the best record.

I will return home and present the first draft , complete in projects of 10,000 words or less, or section by section for a longer work. You will have an opportunity to correct errors and then the final marked up copy will be presented within 2-3 weeks depending on the length and how quickly the drafts are turned around.

I would ask you to present scanned photos if possible though I can scan them if necessary

 

doug

I am willing to travel quite a distance to get a story….

How much does it cost?

Less than you might think.

Charges include:

TRAVEL: charged at cost

INTERVIEW: £12 per hour (Generally 6-8 hours will be sufficient)

WRITING: £35 per 1,000 words

This means a 12,000-14,000 word autobiography will cost less than £650 and you can have as many copies of it as you want. I can get the autobiography including photographs and illustrations, professionally printed and bound for you at cost which is in the region of £12-14 per copy, depending on length. Another option would be as an e-book but I can discuss these with you.

I do offer a discount for people who fit into certain disadvantaged categories, please contact me for details.

For non-autobiographical commissions please contact me directly for a no obligation quotation.

 

Does it matter where I live  ?

At the moment I am willing to travel to anywhere From the Midlands to the Borders of Scotland and Wales.  I am located in East Yorkshire.  For an engagement outside of these areas, please contact me to discuss availability.