How to record a parent's life story

Almost everyone says they have no stories worth telling. Almost everyone is wrong. The trick is to ask smaller questions, and ask them often.

Start small and start soon

You do not need a project plan. You need one question and ten minutes. Waiting for the perfect moment is the most common reason these stories are never recorded.

Ask about things, not about "your life"

"What did your mother's kitchen smell like?" works better than "tell me about your childhood." Objects, places, foods, songs and people open memories that big questions cannot.

One question a week beats one long afternoon

A long session tires people, and the memories come out thin. A single question, with a week to think about it, brings back details they would never produce on the spot. They often start telling you the answer before you have asked.

Record the voice, not just the words

Years from now, the laugh, the pause and the way they say a name will matter as much as what they said. A phone recording is enough. You do not need equipment.

Let them skip a question

Some memories are painful. Say plainly that any question can be passed over. People tell more when they know they are in charge.

Write it down while it is fresh

A recording nobody listens to is a recording nobody keeps. Turning each answer into a short written story, in their own words, makes it something the family can actually read, share and print.