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Got Stories?
"Saving Lives One Story at a Time!"
Frequently Asked Questions!
What is a Personal History?
A Personal History is more than genealogy, more than the names, dates
and places listed on a family tree. A Personal History tells the stories
behind those facts and brings a family tree to life. By telling our stories
now, we allow future generations to discover their ancestors’
personalities, experiences and wisdom.
Why Create a Personal History?
Personal History allows people to share their unique life journeys,
including their challenges, joys, talents, life decisions and philosophies.
No matter how “ordinary” a life may seem, descendants and others will
be inspired by the “extraordinary” stories told.
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What are Personal History Options?
Personal History options are as diverse as the individuals involved. They
may be presented in a variety of formats.
stories of your life, professional Personal Historian can shape your vision
into reality.
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How Can a Personal Historian Help?
Getting started is one of the hardest parts of creating a Personal
History. A Personal Historian will help you determine the goals and the
scope of your legacy project. A Personal Historian is a neutral listener,
a non-family member trained to elicit comprehensive stories and
preserve them. Members of the Association of Personal Historians, Inc.
(APH) come from a wide range of professions, including journalism,
education, broadcasting, video, film, psychology, social work and
medicine.
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What Much Does It Cost?
Fees vary widely and depend on the scope of the project. Personal
History services are labor-intensive, requiring many hours of planning,
interviewing, editing, etc. The final cost may be as small as the price of
attending a do-it-yourself workshop or as high as the fees required for a
professional working several years to compile a detailed, biographical
study or the history of a large organization. Life story projects
produced by a Personal Historian generally range in price from a few
hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
A Personal History project can be crafted to fit your budget. Often,
several family members contribute, making it affordable for all to enjoy.
Remember, investing in a legacy will benefit many generations to come.
How Long Does It Take?
The scope of the project is the key. Audio interviews can be completed
in a matter of weeks, while a video or book may require six months or
more.
Satisfactions inherent in completing a Personal History project far
outweigh the costs in terms of dollars and time. It is an investment of a
lifetime.
When Is the Best Time to Start?
Today. Procrastination can result in stories lost forever. When people
die, they take their memories with them.
Milestone events such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and
retirements are great times to celebrate the completion of a Personal
History project. A Personal History offers a priceless legacy for current
and future generations.
Back to top
A Personal History is more than genealogy, more than the names, dates
and places listed on a family tree. A Personal History tells the stories
behind those facts and brings a family tree to life. By telling our stories
now, we allow future generations to discover their ancestors’
personalities, experiences and wisdom.
- A Personal History records the stories of life in words or images. It
creates a vivid portrait in sharp detail as:
A spectrum of an individual’s life or a memoir focusing on a
particular event or period of time
A family history bringing ancestors to life through the stories
behind the statistics on a family tree
A history of a community, organization or group as told through
the stories of the people involved
Why Create a Personal History?
Personal History allows people to share their unique life journeys,
including their challenges, joys, talents, life decisions and philosophies.
No matter how “ordinary” a life may seem, descendants and others will
be inspired by the “extraordinary” stories told.
- The benefits of a Personal History are substantial.
It is a priceless legacy for current and future generations.
It is an historical record of an era offering insight into its social and
cultural customs, as well as political events and their effects on a
person’s life.
Life reminiscence has a therapeutic value for the storyteller.
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What are Personal History Options?
Personal History options are as diverse as the individuals involved. They
may be presented in a variety of formats.
- Oral Histories – the recording of stories via audio tape
Printed Works – may include a verbatim transcript of an interview,
a manuscript that shapes interviews into a narrative story,
publishing self-written projects, or creating an elegant book
complete with cherished photos and family documents
Video Histories – filmed accounts of interviews that may include the
stories behind treasured heirlooms, explanations of old family
photographs, etc.
Multimedia Histories – the preservation of stories in digital format
via CD or DVD, including audio, video still photographs, documents,
etc.
Ethical Wills – a legacy document presenting one’s philosophies,
values, and advice
Memorials – a final tribute to the life of a loved one
Artwork – a montage of photos, stories, and memorabilia in
scrapbook format or woven into a designer quilt
stories of your life, professional Personal Historian can shape your vision
into reality.
Back to top
How Can a Personal Historian Help?
Getting started is one of the hardest parts of creating a Personal
History. A Personal Historian will help you determine the goals and the
scope of your legacy project. A Personal Historian is a neutral listener,
a non-family member trained to elicit comprehensive stories and
preserve them. Members of the Association of Personal Historians, Inc.
(APH) come from a wide range of professions, including journalism,
education, broadcasting, video, film, psychology, social work and
medicine.
- A professional Personal Historian may guide the process in several
ways including:
Managing a life-history project from beginning to end
Acting as a consultant on the project
Leading workshops to help others create their own Personal
History project
Back to top
What Much Does It Cost?
Fees vary widely and depend on the scope of the project. Personal
History services are labor-intensive, requiring many hours of planning,
interviewing, editing, etc. The final cost may be as small as the price of
attending a do-it-yourself workshop or as high as the fees required for a
professional working several years to compile a detailed, biographical
study or the history of a large organization. Life story projects
produced by a Personal Historian generally range in price from a few
hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
A Personal History project can be crafted to fit your budget. Often,
several family members contribute, making it affordable for all to enjoy.
Remember, investing in a legacy will benefit many generations to come.
How Long Does It Take?
The scope of the project is the key. Audio interviews can be completed
in a matter of weeks, while a video or book may require six months or
more.
Satisfactions inherent in completing a Personal History project far
outweigh the costs in terms of dollars and time. It is an investment of a
lifetime.
When Is the Best Time to Start?
Today. Procrastination can result in stories lost forever. When people
die, they take their memories with them.
Milestone events such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and
retirements are great times to celebrate the completion of a Personal
History project. A Personal History offers a priceless legacy for current
and future generations.
Back to top
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