Frequently asked questions
A few things you may be wondering.
These answers explain our current approach.
- Who is an Anecdotes NYC story for?
- A story may center on a parent, grandparent, partner, friend, or another person whose memories and voice you want to hold onto. You can also inquire about telling your own story.
- What do you mean by creative nonfiction?
- We begin with real memories and preserve their emotional core. The writer may invent or reconstruct setting, dialogue, sensory detail, chronology, and other elements to create a compelling literary story. It is not intended as a transcript, biography, or literal historical record.
- How do the interviews work?
- Interviews are warm, conversational, and gently guided. You do not need to prepare a polished account or remember events in exact order. Specific arrangements will be discussed before a project begins.
- Do you work outside New York?
- Yes. Anecdotes NYC is available in New York and beyond, and virtual conversations make it possible to work together from many locations.
- Can the person at the center of the story review it?
- Collaborative review is part of our approach. The exact review process will be confirmed with each project once our service terms are finalized.
- Is original illustration required?
- No. The short story is the primary offering. Original illustration is central to our creative vision and available to clients who want a visual interpretation, but a story may be commissioned without it.
- How do you handle private memories?
- We begin by collecting only what is necessary to discuss a possible project. Please do not send highly sensitive personal, health, financial, or identifying information in an initial email. Detailed privacy and project terms will be agreed before work begins.