Story Terrace

2.0

Aug 1, 2025

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

The satisfaction of producing a book that the client will value, and of building a close working relationship via hours of interviews.

Cons

The pay. In terms of hourly reward, you'd be better off at a supermarket checkout, where you would at least have employee-rights. The ST model was never generous but at least before they ran into financial trouble in 2023/24, it was not actually derisory. After that, they changed the model to rely on A.I.-generated story outlines that were, incidentally, generic and souless, and used it as an excuse to halve writers' pay. Yes, halve. A "premium" writer with year of journalistic experience can expect £1,000 for conducting and transcribing ten hours of interviews and producing 20,000 words. God knows what they offer their more junior hacks. Free sweeties and a pat on the back? The churn. The ever-changing rosta of editors is disorientating and erodes confidence in the Company. It also makes it difficult to build professional relationships. The hassle. Inevitable when you are dealing with a cross-section of people but be aware that a percentage of those who want to tell their stories will be needy/vulnerable/ a bit odd/ extremely odd. You will be treated not just as a writer but as a confidante-cum-therapist. You will be offered tranches of supporting material that require days of extra work to digest. Some clients will change their minds half way through the process about what they want to reveal. Some will take to phoning you outside agreed interview times, in the belief they have bought an advocate in their ongoing divorce process. The product. Most writers take pride in what they produce and want to offer an accurate reflection of the client's voice. The A.I technology ST now uses as standard makes those things difficult. It expects often elderly people to recall events from decades ago in a purely linear fashion and then processes their memories in upbeat Americanese that often clashes with the subject matter.

Story Terrace Response

10mo

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We genuinely appreciate your honesty and the opportunity to understand your experience more deeply. We’re glad to hear you enjoy producing and collaborating on a book that clients will value. Many of our writers have shared that these elements are the most meaningful part of their work with us, and it’s wonderful to see that reflected in your experience. We also recognise your concerns regarding compensation and process structure in the writing workflow. We have different processes for different products. Writer expectations and compensation for each product are provided during the application process through our comprehensive writers handbook per writer seniority level and communicated once again at the start of each project. We are sorry to hear that the time you needed to complete the work didn’t align with the rate. Our editorial team is here to support you throughout the process and to advocate for you if extra work arises unexpectedly. Because this process is often deeply personal and vulnerable for our clients, we frequently hear that they develop a strong sense of connection with their writer - testament to the skill and empathy our writers bring. We understand this can blur boundaries at times. To provide additional support, we are hosting a webinar in September focused on navigating such situations, including mental health strategies for working with vulnerable people. You are warmly invited to attend. We remain deeply committed to our mission of helping people from all walks of life share life stories in beautifully crafted books. Your contributions are key to that mission, and we are dedicated to ensuring the experience remains rewarding, creative, and fair. Thank you again for your valuable feedback and for being an important part of our community.

slave wages - Premium Writer - Freelance Story Terrace Employee Review

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