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My life has been so
boring why would anyone want to read about it?
You
aren't giving yourself credit! You have lived
through turbulent times, you have earned a living
and raised a family, you have loved and been loved.
You have made hard decisions and dealt with
challenges and sorrows. Over time, you have
developed a set of values that reflect who you are
and what you believe in. Fifty or 100 years
from today, your descendants will be fascinated with
the details of your life story and what made you
tick.
Who
typically is interested in writing a personal,
family or business history?
For some of
us, making the decision to tell the story of our
lives and the lessons we have learned is a way to
reflect on who we are and what we value. We want to
pass down that record for our descendents.
Sometimes personal or family histories are a natural
progression from genealogical pursuits. As we trace
our ancestors, we are grateful for every single
crumb of information because knowing our forebears
helps us to better know ourselves. In other cases,
people remember their parents and grandparents with
great fondness and want to pass along what they
recall about their loved ones so those life stories
are not lost for future generations. Sometimes,
reaching a milestone such as retirement or a
significant birthday may give others a nudge to
begin thinking about sharing the stories of their
lives. Many times, families give the preparation of
a personal history as a gift to their parents or
grandparents.
What
goes into a personal, family or business
history?
Interviews, stories, anecdotes, facts, memorabilia,
newspaper clippings, photo albums, autograph books,
recipe books, documents, memories - and more - can
help to tell your story. Only you can
decide what's most important to include.
If
you've started a history and need some help to
finish it or have inherited one that needs to be
updated, I can assist with that too.
Set
up a no-obligation telephone call or personal visit
with me to discuss what kind of a legacy you would
like to leave future generations, how you want
to be remembered and what your budget
would be for the project.
How
much does a personal, family or business history
typically cost?
Because every history project I've done is unique, I
can't give you an off-the-shelf price. In order to
design a personal, family or business history that
truly reflects your objectives, I need to know how
much time you want to devote to the interview
process; what aspects of your story that you want to
emphasize; what photos, documents and memorabilia
you have and whether they have been copied or need
restoration; in what form you would like to present
your personal history; a timeline for getting the
work done and what your budget is.
How
long would it take to create my story or my family's
history?
Smaller projects typically take only a matter of
weeks to complete. In the case of memorial
histories, they can be pulled together quickly.
The more complex a personal or family history
project is, the longer it will take to complete.
When we start working together, we'll make a schedule so you will know what to
expect.
Why
should I hire a professional to help me?
You'll be teaming up with a seasoned writer
who has completed numerous projects from start to
finish - some probably very much like yours. I
love family history and try always to be very
respectful and considerate. My goal is to pave
the way for you to accomplish your goal. That
said, you'll be involved every step of the way but I
will ensure the process is manageable and doable.
What's that old adage? "If it's worth doing, it's
worth doing well." I will help you save your memories and
prevent you
from falling into the trap of "getting around to it
someday." Working together we can get
your story recorded.
What
if things occurred in my life or to members of my family
that I don't want to talk about?
Keep
in mind, this is your story and you are in control
of the content. If you want to focus on
certain aspects of your life and leave out others,
you can do so. It's as simple as that.
Can I
compile my family history myself?
You
certainly can. Here are 20 questions to help
you get started!
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When and where were you born and at what time of
day?
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Did any significant world events take place that
day or on your birthday since?
-
Who were your parents and where were they from?
-
Did you have brothers and sisters? If so,
when were they born?
-
Where did you live growing up?
-
What did your father do for a living?
-
Did your mother work outside the home? If
so, what did she do?
-
What smells remind you of your childhood?
-
What was your home like?
-
Were your grandparents a part of your life?
-
Where were your grandparents from and where did
they live?
-
Can you describe some special celebrations from when
you were a child?
-
Where did you go to school and how did you like
it? Why?
-
How did you spend your time as a child?
Was TV a big part of your life as a child? Why
or Why not?
-
Did your family say grace at the table? If
so, what was it?
-
Did you go to church? If so, what special
memories of attending do you have?
-
Did your parents have any strict rules about
what you could and couldn't do? If so,
what happened if you broke the rules?
-
Were you full of mischief? If so, what
kinds of trouble did you and your friends or
brothers and sisters get into?
-
What kind of people were the members of your
family and what was important to them?
-
What lessons did you learn as a child that you
have never forgotten?
Can you talk to my club/organization about
personal history?
I'd be pleased to speak
to your non-profit club or organization in the
Fayette County area about my zeal for sharing the
wealth of your personal history and get your
group excited about the possibilities too. There's
more to passing on wealth than leaving your money or
possessions; make part of your legacy to future
generations a piece of yourself -- your personal
history.
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