Preserve what matters.
Private biography, family history, memoir, and personal publishing—gathered with care, shaped into story, and refined into a lasting record.
I wanted my grandchildren to know they had strong roots. Donna had the writing skills and talent to ask the best questions, trigger memories and guide me to organize my history. I am grateful to Donna for the way my book turned out and the peace of mind it brought me on so many levels.
Veronica V., France
The Storyguide Way
The work begins with listening—beyond the facts, toward the moments, patterns, relationships, and turning points that reveal what truly matters. From there, memory, experience, and reflection are shaped into a compelling story, completed with care, refinement, and lasting form.
Services.
Organize & Plan.
I help you identify what matters, select the strongest material, and create an outline with clear next steps to complete the project. Work includes review of memorabilia, photographs, documents, research, stories, and timelines.
Interviews.
Simple, guided conversations, giving you space to remember, reflect, and share. Interviews may be conducted in person or by Zoom and can be recorded and transcribed. I guide the process with care, patience, and professional interviewing experience.
Writing.
Short-form essays, biographies, family stories, and personal history pieces shaped from in-depth interviews, document and records, and reflection. Book-length projects may be available depending on scope and availability.
Editing.
Professional review and editorial support for clients who are writing their own work. This may include structure, format, story development, and preparation for final form. Options include a one-time draft assessment or support through revisions.
Design Work
BY AVAILABILITYFor select projects requiring design, I collaborate with Andy Omel, an award-winning designer whose experience includes Condé Nast Traveler, Rolling Stone, and Random House. Together, we create sophisticated private publishing while maintaining the client’s voice, vision, and the integrity of the story. Projects may include book covers, interior layout, image correction, and print-ready files.