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Preserve Your Family History by Writing Family Stories

Preserve Your Family History by Writing Family Stories

“Everyone has a story to tell.” It seems like a cliché, but it’s true! November is Family Stories Month, a perfect time to gather your family together and transcribe those stories to preserve them for perpetuity.

Here are some tips for writing your family stories:

• Decide which person you want to interview first (Grandma or Grandpa, Mom or Dad, Aunt or Uncle), and then tell that person about your plan to write a collection of family stories.
• Set a formal date and time for the interview.
• Provide a list of questions before the interview. This will give your interviewee an opportunity to prepare and remember various stories that he or she would like to talk about.
• Make sure to use a tape recorder to record the interview. Taping the interview will help you gather details that you might miss if you are only taking notes.

In addition to recording these stories, see if you can correct any old photographs that support an account, or a time period. These mementos will help bring life to the accounts of those special times. Once you have compiled your stories, you can create small book! These stories will make wonderful gifts that you can share with your family members as keepsakes.