Preserve Your Story
Whether you are just beginning your legacy journey, eager to capture precious memories before they fade, ready to create a complete family narrative, or interested in tracing your roots through genealogical research, The Story Archivist offers a path tailored to your needs. Each service is designed to preserve what matters most — from intimate stories and lived experiences to the documented milestones that shaped your family’s history — ensuring your heritage is honored and remembered for generations to come.
Story Capture
When time is precious and memories are beginning to fade
Sometimes preserving family stories is urgent: an aging grandparent holds irreplaceable memories, busy schedules make extensive projects impossible, or there’s a family celebration or holiday approaching. I focus on what's most important: professionally recording and preserving these stories before they're lost.
What's Included:
Comprehensive virtual or in-person interview sessions
Professional transcription and story organization
Beautifully formatted story summary
Complete audio and/ or video recordings
Digital delivery ready for sharing
Perfect For: Families needing to preserve key stories quickly, elderly relatives with limited time or energy, meaningful gifts for special occasions, or anyone who wants to start their family legacy journey with the most essential stories.
Investment: $1,500 for up to three one-hour sessions
Genealogy & Research
When you want the facts, records, and family tree that shows where it all began
Every story has a foundation. Through meticulous genealogical research and archival discovery, I uncover the documents, dates, and connections that shape your family's lineage. The result is a verified, beautifully organized family tree and archival research that becomes the groundwork for deeper storytelling or a meaningful keepsake on its own.
What's Included:
Every research project is customized based on your family's needs and may include:
In-depth genealogical research using archives, databases, and historical records
Creation of a detailed, visually organized family tree
Copies of all available archival documents
Summary report of findings with key discoveries highlighted
Digital delivery ready for sharing, printing, or future expansion
Perfect For: Families who want to see their history mapped out, those curious about their ancestry before diving into full storytelling projects, or anyone who values the clarity of a well-documented family tree as a legacy gift.
Investment: Research is billed at $150-$250/hour depending on complexity. Sliding scale available.
Family Narrative
A masterwork that becomes your family's treasured possession
More than capturing individual memories or documenting genealogy, a Family Narrative weaves together stories, historical context, and research into a comprehensive written chronicle. This could be one person's life story, a couple's journey, or a multi-generational family history — the scope depends on what you want to preserve and pass down.
What's Included:
Every narrative project is customized based on your family's needs and may include:
Interview sessions with you and/or family members
Genealogical research and fact verification
Organization and synthesis of existing materials (archival interviews, letters, documents)
Long-form narrative writing that honors both facts and meaning
Professional editing and proofing
Integrated family photos, timeline, and historical context
What Shapes the Scope (and Investment):
The investment and timeline depend on several factors:
Whose story? One person's life, a couple's shared journey, or multiple generations?
What sources exist? Are we starting from scratch, or do you have archival interviews, letters, or documents that need to be woven into the narrative?
What research is needed? Does the story call for genealogical discovery, historical context, or verification of facts?
How much writing? A focused narrative or a comprehensive multi-generational chronicle?
Perfect For: Families who want a lasting written legacy — not just records or transcripts, but a narrative that brings it all together into something someone can sit down with, read, and truly understand. It captures not just what happened, but what it all means to your family's identity and the legacy you want to impart.
Investment: A focused single-person narrative may be $5,000, while a multi-generational family history with extensive archival research can be $20,000 or more.
Let’s talk.
Ready to take the first step in preserving your family’s legacy? Fill out the form, and I’ll connect with you shortly to discuss the best path forward.