Q. What is a Personal History?
A. A Personal History is a compilation of memories and reflections about one’s life preserved for the benefit of future generations.

Q. Why should I consider a Personal History?
A. Think about how life growing up differs from your children’s, grandchildren’s or great-grandchildren’s lives. Young people in your family yearn to hear the stories of days-gone-bye especially as these stories relate to them. Once you are gone, so too will your stories disappear – unless you preserve them!

Q. If I proceed with a Personal History, what is the process?
A. Once you decide which preservation form is right for you – CD, video preserved on DVD, or book – we’ll schedule a series of interviews with one of our personal historians. Once the interviews are completed and transcribed, we’ll meet with you to discuss how to shape your story. You’ll also want to decide if you want to include historical photos and other documents with your story.

Q. How long does interviewing take?
A. Each interview lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. The depth of the history will help us determine how many interviews might be necessary.

Q. What’s the best time to create a Personal History?
A. Right now! If you or other family members are in good health and have sharp memories, now is the time to get these stories preserved. People often say, “I need to write these stories down!” But they don’t and then suddenly it’s too late. Don’t let this happen to your family.

Q. Are Personal Histories only for the elderly?
A. Absolutely not. Anyone who has something to say can create a Personal History. Often, people facing life-threatening illness will choose to preserve what we call an “Ethical Will.” This is not a legal document but a recorded statement of a person’s hopes and dreams passed along to children and others. An Ethical Will is a powerful way to continue being heard on topics that you deem important – long after your voice falls silent.

Q. How do people react when they receive a Personal History?
A. As you might expect, the younger generations of a family are especially grateful to receive a keepsake that chronicles their ancestors’ experiences. What might surprise you, though, is the value each story-teller derives from telling his or her story. The interviewing process can be therapeutic; themes often emerge when stories are fit into a narrative and the story-teller may become overwhelmed by the power of experiences they may have once felt were insignificant.

Q. How does a Personal History differ from a biography?
A. Personal Histories are driven by memory; the stories are colloquial, and at times, unverifiable. The audience for a Personal History is small and includes family members and close friends.

    Biographies are more structured than Personal Histories. The biographical form is better suited to a person who has achieved significant business or community success or notoriety. The process of documenting such accomplishments is complex, often requiring extensive research and interviews with several individuals.

Q. How much does a Personal History cost?
A.There are many variables at play when planning a Personal History project. The most important consideration is which preservation format is selected. If considering a history book, please contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will be happy to explain our services in detail. If you are interested in a history preserved on DVD, click here to review our Video Packages.

Q. What about getting help with a manuscript?
A. All of our publishing expertise can be tapped into at an hourly consultation rate. If you desire comprehensive self-publishing services, we’ll propose a comprehensive project fee designed to help you reach your goals affordably.

Q. How do I reach you?
A. Call Histories in the Making at (612) 743-6745 or send us an email at info@historiesinthemaking.com.