About

Editing for Life curates memoirs or life stories through comprehensive, in-person interviews with all parties who can chronicle the memories of an individual, family, or business. These interviews will be recorded, transcribed, and edited into the finished product: a professional-caliber hard-bound book with text, photos, and graphics.

We offer decades of professional editing and interviewing experience to document a lifetime of memories and create lasting legacies.

What do my children and grandchildren need to hear from me? What advice or milestones can I share about my marriage, friendships, and relationships? What childhood memories and life experiences do I want to document? What do I want to know about my parents and family? What do I want to share now about my life, work, and passions?  

Dr. Margaret Brady and Jim Davis founded Editing For Life to compile, organize and preserve the answers to those important questions. Margaret holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction for higher education, including a specialty in writing life stories, and Jim has mentored writers for more than forty years – spending thirty-five of them as a content editor and weekly columnist at the Daily Herald newspaper. Together, they’ll work to capture the lives, times, and tales of extraordinary humans and everyday heroes.  

Our Process

Interview
We will designate the proper time needed to conduct interviews (in person whenever possible) with the main storytellers, and any other relevant contributors. Further, we’ll create an electronic audio file of all interviews to be shared with the client.  

Transcribe
We will prepare a written and edited transcript of the interviews and provide an opportunity for the client to review the document online.

Draft
We will convert the transcript into a first- or third-person narrative, then send a digital copy to the client for review.  

Review
We will design and assemble a bound copy or hard-cover book for the client to review and give final approval.

Print
We will print as many copies as the client wishes to purchase, and ship them to the requested destination.