Home
>
Writing
>
Getting the Story Down

Getting the Story Down

Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and others.

Index of Questions

1. Why is it important to record life stories?

2. What if your life seems boring and ordinary? Who will want to read it?

3. What is the best way to capture the story? Video, oral tapes, written narrative etc.

4. What is a story? Definitions of different types of life experiences and how they are captured.

5. Who's who in the capture of a life event: Story teller, listener, interviewer, historian, audience, transciptionist, archivist etc.

6. What is the role of a listener? How should the questions be phrased so that bias or personality is subdued and the storyteller is in charge?

7. Is the role different if the storyteller is facing a life threatening disease?

8. How do you handle it if in telling of the story emotions and repressed feelings surface?

9. How do you get enough information? When do you turn to family members or public records?

10. How much time does it take to complete a story? Everyone is so busy and life goes by so quickly, how can I ever squeeze this in?

11. What is truth? Why would two different people present at the same event see it entirely different and which version do you believe and record?

12. How should you convey the story? First person, third person, lots of photos with captions, small easily read sections or one long letter?

13. What are the main types of personal anecdotes, life events, experiences, tragedies and triumphs that make a good memoir?

14. How do you narrow it down to the "real" story? What is hidden beneath the iceberg?

15. What are some questions to jog memories?

16. What about editing, spelling, composition etc? What if others judge your work and find it less than perfect?

17. How do you structure the narrative so that it is interesting, believable and leaves the message the story teller wanted to convey?

18. What do you do with the narrative when you have finished writing it?

19. Who does the finished work belong to?

20. Where can you find additional assistance on personal historians or story telling issues?

21. Where is the paper and pen?

If you are interested in getting the answers to these and other questions about life story writing, please contact us at judywright@artichokepress.com and sign up for a tele-class and our FREE e-zine: "The Artichoke" - finding the heart of the story in the journey of life..

?Judy H. Wright, Personal and Oral Historian - www.artichokepress.com

Twin Lakes rental limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

The White House launched a new cybersecurity safety label, the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, intended to help consumers make informed decisions on smart device safety.

Today's tech can help make life so much easier — if you know how to use it. Here are a few tips on the quickest and best ways to make your phone, laptop and other devices work for you.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers Windows 11 restart fixes: Update drivers, run system scans and check hardware.

Sony and Honda's Afeela 1 EV launches with advanced tech and entertainment for $89,900. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives his takeaways.

With limited hard drive space, tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers these tips for storing large video files and photos.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the $236,000 Yangwang U9 electric hypercar boasts 1,287 horsepower and can jump obstacles.

Flip phones are harder to block spam calls from, but it's not impossible. Kurt the "CyberGuy" explains how to stop incoming robocalls on your flip phone.

With so many notifications buzzing our phones these days, it's tough to distinguish between legitimate messages and possible scams. Kurt the CyberGuy helps unravel the mystery.

Scammers have a new trick where they pretend to be job recruiters to plant malicious apps on your devices. It all starts with a deceptive email.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt the CyberGuy breaks down why those emails that warn that "Your Apple ID has been disabled" is most likely a scam. Here's how to protect yourself.

Even small mistakes can negatively impact your credit score; here are some of the most common credit report errors and how you can fix them.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores the many different ways you can repurpose that old iPhone of yours rather than trashing it.

A pioneering artificial intelligence and robotics company from China has developed a repository of over 1 million robotic movements to provide robotic training.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals the warning signs and steps to take if you suspect that your personal computer is infected with a virus.

Researchers found in a study that users of a robotic prosthetic hand could successfully grasp and move two objects at once without dropping them.

The James Webb Space Telescope captured photos of one of the earliest supernovas ever seen using infrared technology, and creating a time lapse of the phenomena.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

New Mac malware variant targets browser credentials and personal data, researchers find. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to safeguard your Mac from the latest malware threats.

The Jetson One eVTOL showcases air racing potential, ushering in a new aviation era. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the race for eVTOL supremacy is just beginning.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals that hackers stole data from Gravy Analytics, a major seller of smartphone location data to the U.S.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: If you just bought a new iPhone, here’s what to do first when you fire it up.

AC Future and Pininfarina unveil AI Transformer homes, merging sustainability and innovation. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this could change the way we think about home.

Technology expert Kim Komando shares her easy tips on how to declutter your phones, computers and devices from the files you no longer need.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson has the details on a Volkswagen data leak that exposed the personal data of around 800,000 EV owners.

Getting the Story Down

Writing