Story Teller Guide

Congratulations, you are about to embark on a very special journey.

Here you will find guidance and tips, to help prepare you for your interview. Let’s get started….

Your 60-minute interview will take place via Google Meet
Please make sure that you will be uninterrupted during our call.
The call will be recorded, so that we can refer back to the content whilst writing your entry.
Ahead of our call, take some time to jot down key thoughts and memories so that we can make the most of your interview.
Read through the guide questions below and see what memories might be rekindled.
It might be helpful to look at photos and videos.
This is your time to remember the best things about them.
We want to capture the essence of who they were and what they meant to you.
This is not a place to linger on the loss. This gift of storytelling is where you keep their memory alive.

Take some time before our call to consider these questions.
Do they provoke a memory or story for you?

Click the + sign to read more…

Where/how did you meet?
What was their music taste, did it change?
What were they proud of?
What was the funniest/naughtiest thing they did?
What would make them laugh?
What irritated them?
Did they have a role model/hero?
Did they have any particular mannerisms or special sayings?
What was their general take on life?
Did they have a nickname?
What was the best/worst decision they ever made?
What was their favourite book, film, TV show, holiday, car, food, drink, sport-person?
Did they have any traditions e.g. at Christmas, on holiday?
Do you see any of their traits in their children?
Did they have any unrealised burning ambitions or a bucket list?
What was their most prized possession?
Is there a song/place that reminds you of them?
Where were they happiest?
Did they have a favourite lyric or poem?
What did they want for their children?
What would they have said their greatest strength was?
What would you say their greatest strength was?
Did they share any physical characteristics with their children/parents/siblings?
What were they like as a child?
Did they have any hobbies?
What were their favourite/least favourite subjects at school or university?
Did they ever have their ’15 minutes of fame’?
What was their first car?
How did they choose their children’s names?
Pizza at home or 5 star restaurant?
Dressed to kill or keep it comfy?
‘Winning is everything’ or ‘It’s the taking part that counts?’
Realist or idealist?
Head or heart?
City or countryside?
Summer or winter?
Mountains or beach?
Live to work or work to live?
Keep to the rules or rules are there to be broken?
Life and soul of the party or happy in the background?
Adventurous Affectionate Ambitious Artistic Brave Broadminded Calm Charming Cheerful Compassionate Confident Content Courageous Creative Determined Dependable Diplomatic Dynamic Easy-going Emotional Energetic Extroverted Fair-minded Forgiving Frank Friendly Generous Gentle Happy Hard-working Helpful Honest Humble Imaginative Impatient Independent Intelligent Introverted Joyful Kind Laid-back Loyal Meticulous Modest Optimistic Organised Passionate Patient Powerful Practical Pro-active Quiet Quick-witted Rational Reliable Reserved Resourceful Romantic Sensible Sensitive Shy Sincere Sociable Spontaneous Talented Thoughtful Tolerant Tough Trendy Trustworthy Unique Versatile Wise Witty

You will be asked to provide 5 key words that best describe them. These will be used to create a bespoke word cloud, that will appear at the beginning of the book.