How to Preserve Family History with a Ghostwritten Memoir
When I first spoke with Fillah, he told me his grandmother Parviz had an array of amazing stories that delighted him as he was growing up. He was looking for a ghostwriter to preserve those memories for future generations as well. Like many families, they wanted a way to capture her life in a family legacy book that could be passed down.
Over the course of ten interviews, Parviz related dozens of stories about her childhood in Kenya in the 1940s (including a description of the houses she lived in, her neighbourhood, her school, and her loving parents). She spoke about moving to Uganda after she was married and about immigrating to Canada in the seventies. She reminisced about her family’s transition to the west coast of British Columbia—a transformative time in their history—and how they helped build a community and raised their kids in Canada.
These were stories worth preserving, not just as memories but as part of the family’s personal history.
Based on those interviews, I sketched an outline for the memoir that the family approved. I then wrote a rough draft of about 25,000 words that included the precious stories Parviz shared.
After reading the first draft, Fillah wrote in an email: “We are super happy with what you’ve done! The way you’ve managed to capture her voice while also telling an engaging and entertaining story is amazing.”
Over the course of half a dozen more drafts, we refined the voice and tone to match Parviz’s, tweaked the stories for accuracy, added loads of texture, and curated family photos to fit the memoir. We then had a designer create a simple but elegant layout for the book and cover.
The result is Always Tell the Truth: Stories of My Happy Life, which was recently printed and shipped.
Shortly after receiving the shipment, Fillah wrote: “Just opened the box. Very exciting to actually have the book in my hand! It has definitely been a journey getting to this point. Thank you for your patience and consistency to get us here.”
Do your parents or grandparents come alive when they tell stories of times long gone? Who will preserve those memories for the family archives? Maybe it’s you.
Based in Victoria, BC, Aldridge Street Print & Media can assist with memoir ghostwriting, family biography writing, manuscript coaching, editing, book design, and good old-fashioned advice. I’ve been helping families tell their stories for almost twenty years, and I’d be happy to chat with you about creating a family legacy book or heirloom memoir that will preserve your history for generations to come.
