What's The Process?

Be assured that our interviews will be low-key, friendly conversations. You can take your time with your thoughts and let the memories flow. Through these taped conversations, a transcript is generated. I polish the transcript into a well-written, cohesive narrative that retains your natural voice. We'll go through an editing process and once the text is finalized, photographs, letters and memorabilia will be added. The final product will be completely approved by you - it's your life and your book. Various printing and binding options allow you to have a finished product you'll cherish and be proud to present to your family.

Client Background Info Sheet:  Word Doc  |  PDF

What Will We Talk About?

One effective way to think about what you want to include in your life stories is to make a list of 10 defining moments/events in your life. As you look back and decide what these important milestones were, the topics you want to include in your memoir should be quite evident.

Here's also a list of topics to jump start your memories. Take some time before our first formal conversation to think about which areas excite you the most. Do they bring back strong emotions? You'll have fun remembering the details and be amazed at how much you remember once you begin thinking and talking about certain parts of you life. Pull out photographs from that time to further enhance your memories.

General Areas:
Family background Childhood memories
High School/College Military
Early years of marriage/raising children Job/career
Community Service Hobbies
Church involvement Travel/trips
Special friends Family celebrations
Grandchildren Retirement
Or we could use some of these questions to spark memories and stories:
  • What do you remember most about your mother/father?
  • What was pop culture like when you attended school? Tell me about the movies, music, clothes and fads of your time.
  • Was there an experience that changed your life?
  • What remains your warmest and richest family memory?
  • What do you want future generations to know about your generation?
  • What is your favorite quotation, prayer, or song and what does it mean to you?
  • What would you like people to most remember about you?
  • What were the "best years of your life" and why were they your "best years?"

The topics are endless! Feel free to suggest anything that appeals to you. As an option we can include family tree charts that list your parents, grandparents, etc. These give readers formal names and actual dates without having to interrupt the flow of your narrative with with too many facts and figures.

Reflection Questions

Reflection questions give you a chance to share the wisdom you've learned that you want to pass on to your children and grandchildren. Here are just a few of the many areas you could address:

  • What is your overall guide for living?
  • What advice would you like to give to your children and grandchildren?
  • What do you hope your children and grandchildren will remember about you?
  • When you look back on your life, what are you most proud of? What do you most regret?
  • What have you discovered about life?
  • What in life has been the most healing to you?
  • What questions do you ask yourself these days?
  • If you had a chance to live your life over again, what would you change?
  • List your blessings.
  • How has life's journey changed you?
  • Do you have any unfinished business you'd like to resolve?