How it works

How To Start

Obituaries

For an obituary, contact me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I check my emails often during the day.

A traditional newspaper obituary is typically 500 words and I can get you a first draft within 48 hours of our initial interview, with edits and revisions delivered 24-hours after that. Online obituaries can be as long as you like, depending on your budget.

Once you've decided on the length of the obituary, I'll invoice you and will start writing on receipt of payment.

For all services, take a look at YEW's examples (Your Story: a Living Legacy, obituaries, O-Bitch-uaries, pet memorials).

For your living legacy/obituary, I'll send you a questionnaire meant to act as a blueprint, from which I'll build your story.

In my experience, these questions can often act as a trigger to help unlock memories of events and moments you likely haven’t thought about for years.

The questions were created to allow you to reflect on your life and, perhaps, to consider a family member or close friend you'd like me to interview and include.

With all the biographical and historical information you (and perhaps others) provide, I can draft a story where you are the main character joined by important and significant loved ones. I can also set the stage for a traditional, chronological story of a life well lived.

The Next Steps

Living legacy/obituary

Once you have decided on the length and style of your (or loved one's) story, I'll invoice you. Once I've received payment, you'll receive a questionnaire by email.

After you've filled out the questionnaire, I'll follow up by phone and/or via email until I have enough information to write your story.

  1. For traditional obituaries, I can get you the first draft within 48 hours.
  2. For a memoir, I'll send you a first draft within a week to ten days.
  3. Once you've received that first draft, you can request any changes — my standard pricing allows two rounds of edits and additions.
  4. Once you give final approval, I'll email you the final draft and post it on my website with your permission.
  5. Depending on amendments and edits, you should receive the final copy of the obituary within 72 hours (or faster if necessary).
  6. Completed memoirs will be delivered within a week of your final edits.

I can also come to you

My experience has shown that sometimes it's easier for loved ones to open up in the comfort of their own home rather than over the phone, so I can travel to them within the Metro Vancouver area.

I can also interview them via Facetime or Zoom if that works. Post-Covid, I think a lot of us gained experience with chatting online.

I'm also available to host memoir-writing workshops at seniors homes or at community centres. Please get in touch for more information at writersblock5@hotmail.com.