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Process

How does this all work?

Through an initial consultation Bespoke Chronicles will help you determine the scope of your project — what content, sources and general look and feel you’re aiming to achieve. Together we’ll discuss budget, deadlines and realistic timelines for the completion of your project. 
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We’ll provide research support, conduct interviews, write, edit, organize photos and other visuals. And then with your input, we’ll design and layout your book and manage the production process. If you’d prefer to do some of these tasks on your own to lower costs, we’ll work to guide you and keep the process and project on track.

We’ll be sure to carefully manage your Bespoke Chronicles project from start to finish. Here is a typical scenario:

Initial project consultation

• We get together to discuss what you want your project to cover. Are you the focus of the project or are you initiating the work on behalf of someone else? What scope would you like to consider? An entire life story or some specific aspect? Will more than one person be contributing to the book? This is where we begin to get to know each other and set up a schedule of interviews.

Interviewing and recording

• We collect the stories and information that will go into the book. This is done through a series of relaxed, enjoyable interviews in the comfort of your home or location that’s convenient, quiet and where everyone is at ease.
• Each project is unique, but the number of interview hours needed for a full life story is usually in the range of 6 to 16. We’ll do the interviews over a matter of days or over several months — you decide. It’s your project so clearly we will accommodate your schedule.
• You have complete control over what material goes into the final product; you can add or delete anything you wish.

Transcribing

• We then transcribe the recordings so we have the conversation as a written, digital document.
  

Editing and shaping the transcripts into an engaging narrative

• We then organize, edit and polish the text so the ideas, stories and language flow. If your story is to be written in first person, we’ll work to maintain voice and character; your words in print will sound as though you're talking directly to the reader. In some cases we’ll work with information collected from various people. In this case we might be working with multiple voices or one narrator’s voice. We’ll decide together how to best handle that situation.

Revising and proofreading

• After you have read the manuscript and made any corrections or deletions, we revise and proofread and return it to you for final approval.

Book production

• If you want to publish your manuscript in a book, we scan your selection of photographs, consult with you about captions and design and pull together your photos and stories in an attractive, professional layout. Once you have approved of the look and feel, it’s off to the printer and binder, and your books will be delivered. Want to sell your book? We can place it on Amazon and other outlets. We can also produce an e-book for the iPad, Kindle and other devices.

How much does it cost? 

​Just as every person and their distinct set of experiences and stories is unique, every Bespoke Chronicles book is unique. There is no template. Instead, we seize the opportunity to ensure the story and the people behind it define and direct what ultimately is created. Of course that means working within your budget. So, how much does it cost?

As you might imagine, the answer to this question is rather like asking how much a trip to Europe will cost. It depends. It depends on how many interviews, how much research, how much photo organization and editing is required. It depends on how lengthy or detailed your story is and how many people might be involved in the telling. It depends on the final product — the number of pages, the quality of paper, the kind of binding…

In the end, you determine what your budget is and we’ll work within it. And we'll be thorough enough in our communication to keep things crystal clear. Through our initial consultation we’ll discuss your ideas, timelines and your budget and we’ll work with you to lay out a workable plan that meets your needs.