Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Behind the scenes”
Here at 11stories, we create beautiful books to help you capture and share your stories. Usually those stories are told through interviews with clients, recording your stories in your words. But storytelling can occur beyond the spoken word, through creative writing and the visual arts. In this past year we’ve had the pleasure of working with several clients who are …
In a recent essay in the New York Times, the memoirist William Novak writes about the challenges and rewards of writing books for a small, private audience, “writing books very few will read.” While Novak typically writes about famous people for a commercial audience (think Magic Johnson & Nancy Reagan,) he was recently hired to write private memoirs that would …
11stories: I’m curious, when you gave this gift to Marcus, what were your hopes? Stella: Well, at the time I was looking for a gift that would be meaningful for him. And I know he can buy anything material that he wants, but he’s a very reflective person, very thoughtful. I just wanted some way for him to have something …
11stories: What has this process been like for you, talking and reflecting on your life and your legacy? Client: I wanted to not just do the biographical stuff – I could have sent you my resume – but insights on how I view the world and things about me that are beyond just work. You know, I really wanted to …
In the past few months since I was invited to be a member of The Dream Team, I have been hired to take on several exciting book design and layout projects. While an 11stories Life Story or Love Story Book always involves an element of layout work, these recent projects are bringing that creative work to the forefront. This month …
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and some of our clients in the midst of wedding planning, I wanted to reflect on why the Love Story is such a special part of the work we do at 11stories. So why do I love the Love Story? Let me count the ways… Each couple’s story is both unique and universal. …
About this time last year, I embarked on the great rebranding adventure of 2014. The results includes a fresh new web design and a greater ability to meet the needs of an expanding and sophisticated clientele. So what exactly happened on this adventure? Let’s find out… First things first, my partners in crime were the kick-ass team at Big Deal …
Welcome to Anatomy of a Personal History Book. From our conversations to record your stories to the end result of you holding a beautiful custom book in your hands, how does it all happen? Let’s find out! Being a Personal Historian allows me to use my academic research experience and analytic training (during the interview process and the story structure) …
Welcome to Anatomy of a Personal History Book. From our conversations to record your stories to the end result of you holding a beautiful custom book in your hands, how does it all happen? Let’s find out! Soon after we finish our Interview Sessions, I will listen to the recordings and carefully transcribe your stories. Once I have a complete …
Welcome to Anatomy of a Personal History Book – a new installment of Book Stories, where we explore the process of creating an 11stories Life Story or Love Story book. From our conversations to record your stories to the end result of you holding a beautiful custom book in your hands, how does it all happen? Let’s find out! Each …
This is the third in a three part series, in celebration of Personal History Awareness month. Throughout this month, I’ve talked about the importance of recording life stories before it’s too late, and how to start the process of recording those stories with your loved ones. Now, let’s get real – here are a few of the misconceptions around personal …
This is the second in a three part series, in celebration of Personal History Awareness month. Last week I wrote about the importance of capturing stories before it’s too late. I encouraged everyone to start having conversations with loved ones. For some, a service like 11stories will be the perfect way to capture and record those precious stories. For others, …
This is the first in a three part series, in celebration of Personal History Awareness month. Each time I talk with someone about my work, I inevitably hear some version of the same response, “oh, I wish I had known about 11stories last year, before we lost my mom. She had such a wonderful story…” And each time I hear …
The final step in capturing your story is the book layout and design. This is where the real fun begins! I essentially build a frame around your words, accented with your favorite photos and graphic elements that capture the essence of who you are. Each 11stories book has a similar look, with a clean layout, crisp graphics, and plenty of …
In the weeks following an interview session, I work on taking your words from a taped conversation to a story that echoes the rhythm of your speech and follows a chronological narrative. The first step is to transcribe the interview. I listen carefully to our conversation using specialized transcription software that slows down our speech (and sounds quite funny!), so …