The Client Base of Modern Memoirs Inc
An Interview with Memoir Publisher Kitty Axelson-Berry
Sep 1, 2008 Dulcinea Norton-Smith
Publisher Kitty Axelson-Berry has worked in publishing, journalism and editing. Skills which proved invaluable when setting up her business Modern Memoirs Inc to publish memoirs, manuscripts and family histories for private clients.
Kitty also founded the Association of Personal Historians, which brings professionals, academics and hobbyists together to share their knowledge and experiences.
Kitty took some time out to talk to Suite 101 about the unique services offered by Modern Memoirs Inc
Suite 101: Your company has been successfully helping people to create their memoirs since 1994. Who have been your most common type of client?
Many of my clients are adults who love their parents and realize that they don't know their parents' full stories and thoughts. They want to get to know their parents more deeply. They also want to pass along their parents' stories and thoughts to future generations. They don't want their parents to be forgotten.
Others are the parents themselves, who not only want to pass along their stories, but to acknowledge and appreciate their mentors, and re-story their lives so that they have a better sense of who they are.
Most of our clients have a sense of a connection between past, present, and future.
Suite 101: What have you found to be the most usual reason for clients to want to document their lives?
I think I answered that earlier. Basically: honor their forebears and mentors; review their lives and make some of the pieces fit together somewhat; pass along what they've learned and what they've figured out is important; provide a sense of continuity for future generations; make the world a better place by doing so!
Suite 101: In an unusual move in the business world you also set up a non-profit programme called The American Tribute which you also invested not only money but also a lot of your own time. Can you tell us a little about this programme? Did you feel that this was something you needed to do?
Yes. It was a way to give back to the world. I founded it with two former clients, one of whom lost a brother in 09/11. We researched, wrote, and privately published Tribute Books for bereaved families of 9/11, at no cost to the families, but then closed the organization when we ran out of funds.
Suite 101: You also offer workshops. What purpose do they serve and who do you think they are best suited to?
We still offer "First Person First Night," an opportunity on the first of every month for people to read their autobiographical works in progress to others, at our office. They can opt for feedback or no feedback. We aren't currently offering other workshops because we're too busy.
Suite 101: How many people have you written memoirs for? Do you feel that you have made a difference in their lives and that of their children?
I think we've done about 100 memoirs and other books (poetry, art books), some much shorter, some longer than others. They always make a huge, positive difference, I hope! We certainly try not to let a client get himself or herself into a family brouha because of something in their memoirs. It is an amazing gift, from generation to generation, l'dor v'dor in Hebrew.
Suite 101: In addition to writing memoirs for clients you also offer a full printing service including allocating ISBNs. Was this something which you did from the beginning ? Which came first the memoirs or the publishing?
It's silly to have one without the other. Why write a manuscript and neglect having an objective person edit it? The more professional a writer is (up to a point), the more likely s/he is to value a professional editor. Why write a manuscript and leave it as a file on a computer or in a box of papers? Every memory deserves to be treated in a sacred way. That is, polished and framed and preserved so that other people can succesfully access it. User-friendly. Unedited, unpublished works tend not to be readable. It's all about the intention: do you want it to be readable or do you just want to get something off your chest? Do you want to be helpful to others or do you just have a big ego and like to say you’re writing your memoirs?
Suite 101 also had a chat with Kitty Axelson-Berry about her company Modern Memoirs Inc and about her inspirations.
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