Memoir writing
Work with a memoir ghostwriter to turn lived experience into a compelling first-person narrative, with your voice and perspective at its center.
LIFE STORY WRITINGPERSONAL HISTORIES, BEAUTIFULLY TOLD EST. IN LISTENING
Memoir writing & family documentary films, made with care.
The stories worth keeping rarely tell themselves. We turn memories, interviews and treasured archives into writing and films your family can return to.
WITH SHANNON JOY MEKEELAUTHOR · LEGACY PRODUCER & BIOGRAPHER
EVERY LIFE HOLDS A STORY WORTH SAVING.
01 / THE PURPOSE
Keep the voice.
Carry the story.
A life is more than a list of dates. It lives in the details: the kitchen-table stories, the turning points, the way someone says your name.
Whether you want to hire a memoir writer, commission a family biography, or preserve a loved one’s voice on film, the work begins the same way: by listening well.
See how we can help02 / WHAT WE MAKESTORIES IN THE FORM THAT FITS
A way to remember,
made for you.
From a single person’s story to a century of family history, each project is shaped by the voices and materials you bring.
Personal biography
A personal or family biographer gathers interviews, memories and source material to tell a life story with context, clarity and care.
FAMILY HISTORY & BIOGRAPHYLife story interviews
Thoughtful recorded conversations help capture the details and the sound of someone’s voice before those everyday stories slip away.
ORAL HISTORYFamily documentary films
Bring interviews, archival photos and moving images together in a family documentary or video biography that can be shared across generations.
FAMILY LEGACY VIDEO“The most meaningful inheritance is often a story someone took the time to ask for.”
THE REASON BEHIND THE WORK
03 / A STORY IN PROGRESSDOCUMENTARY PROOF OF CONCEPT
A FAMILY HISTORY PROJECT
Hurry Back.
What begins with one memory can open a whole century. Hurry Back is Shannon’s family history documentary project, drawing on photographs, oral histories, research and recorded footage to explore the lives behind the archive.
100
YEARS OF FAMILY HISTORY
IN THE MATERIALS BEHIND THE PROJECT
A FIRST LOOKFrom archive
From archive
to moving image.
A brief, silent concept teaser assembled from materials in the Hurry Back collection. It is an introduction to the project, not a finished documentary trailer.
HURRY BACK / CONCEPT TEASER
04 / THE STORYTELLER
AUTHOR · LEGACY PRODUCER & BIOGRAPHER
Meet Shannon
Joy Mekeel.
Shannon is an author and storyteller drawn to the stories that connect people across time.
A U.S. Air Force veteran and seasoned marketing professional, she has built her work around listening, narrative and empathy. Her book You Have Arrived reflects a personal journey and a larger invitation to see one another more fully. With Hurry Back, she brings that same attention to her own family’s history.
Published work is presented as author proof; the book and family documentary are distinct projects.
05 / HOW IT BEGINSA THOUGHTFUL COLLABORATION
Your story, at your pace.
No two lives fit the same template. We’ll talk through the format, scope and materials together before a project takes shape.
Start with a conversation- 01
Discover
Talk about the person, the purpose and what you hope to preserve.
- 02
Listen & gather
Collect interviews and the photographs, documents or footage available to the story.
- 03
Shape the narrative
Develop a writing or film direction from the voices and source material.
- 04
Review together
Make space for feedback and thoughtful refinement.
- 05
Share & keep
Agree on the final format and delivery as part of the project scope.
06 / THE NEXT CHAPTERSomeone’s story
Someone’s story
is waiting to be told.
Have a person or a project in mind? Tell Shannon a little about it. A conversation is the place to begin.
Email Shannon about your story info@sjmconsultingservices.co