Although not aiming to be too rigidly presciptive, what follows is a rough guide to the ways in which I would propose to interview a storyteller wishing to think about how they will structure their life’s story to tell it to future generations.
At whichever time you want to begin to document your life, I’d suggest you might consider breaking your story up by thinking of it according to the following loose time blocks.
Break your life's experiences into decades
Beginning with known ancestors, parents and siblings, what was subsequently significant about your family circumstances and the historical context:
- When you were born
- When you were a child
- When you were a teenager
- When you were in your twenties
- When you were in your thirties
- When you were in your forties
- When you were in your fifties
- When you were in your sixties
- When you were in your seventies, and beyond
What was happening to you?
For each of the above decades, you might consider also:
- What was happening in the world, and how might this have shaped or had an impact on your life?
- What what were your most significant life events or unique experiences in this decade?
- What were your specific personal challenges and triumphs?
- What relationships were either moving into, moving out of, or becoming most significant in your life, and how did these in turn shape you?
- What interests, passions and hobbies were either becoming part of or moving out of your life?
- What were your struggles and obstacles, setbacks, mistakes, failures and lessons learnt?
- Inner world: how were your thoughts, insights, beliefs, motivations, dreams, aspirations and fears evolving, and when did these realisations manifest, and to what effect?
Your personal big picture
In the bigger picture, for you to make sense to others of your time on earth:
- How would you explain the “why” of your life for future generations?
- For what achievements and milestones would you most wish to be remembered?
- What do you wish your overriding legacy and impact to be?
However, and in whichever order you most want to document your life, I hope this is helpful in providing some fuel to get you thinking about what matters most to you when telling your own story.