About

Background

Manuscript Studio (formerly, Bayside Transcriptions) is owned and operated by Stephanie Smith, based on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and available to serve customers locally and online as a remote service. My work and volunteer experiences over the past decade have included various administrative positions in a state archives, public and church libraries, and an independent bookshop. In addition to secretarial skills, I’ve gained several years’ experience working hands-on with genealogical, government, and special collections records. The vision for this business grew out of my love for the handwritten word and recognizing the need to preserve our past by making historical records accessible in the digital world.

A portion of the proceeds from every project goes to support ministries such as Voice of the Martyrs and Samaritan’s Purse, helping provide for the practical and spiritual needs of people in the United States and around the world in the name of Christ.

In 2023, I expanded the business to include a family-run retail stationery shop located in the Historic Onancock School in Onancock, VA. The focus of the shop is to provide the local community with fine writing supplies to encourage personal connections through the handwritten letter.

As of December 2025, Bayside Transcriptions was rebranded to become Manuscript Studio. We updated the business name to better reflect what we do and who we are. It’s all about the handwritten word – from transcription of handwritten documents and researching historical records, to promoting letter writing and crafting handbound notebooks.

Manuscript Studio is here to help preserve handwritten records of the past and keep the letter-writing tradition alive.

About Me

After 30 years in Maryland, I relocated to the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 2015. I hold a deep appreciation for the rich history and stunning natural beauty of both these states, and spend much of my time when not transcribing or bookbinding, exploring back roads, tracing my family genealogy, or birding in a nearby refuge.