FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Why Should I have a Personal History?
Having your personal/life story to pass down to your descendants is one the greatest gifts you can give to your family. Think about your own family ancestors, how wonderful would it be to have a written history of those people. Being able to read the history of your mother and father is a treasure that you would read many times. Your children and grandchildren will feel that same way.
I can’t write my history, then how will my story get told?
Getting your story written is not as hard as it might seem. There is help available and as the expression, “How do you eat an elephant?” One bite at a time. Writing your story can be done, one paragraph at a time, one page at a time, one chapter. Before you know it, your history is written.
What can Voices and Images do to help me prepare my Story?
Voices and Images offers a number of services that are designed to help you get your history written. Workshops, Coaching, How to Videos, and we can even write it for you! We can even write your story for you. This is the easiest for you.
What do I need to write my Story?
Everything you need to get your history written is probably already in your home. Your memories, your photos and old videos can all be used to help you remember your life. Photos can bring these past events back to your mind. Voices and Images can provide you with questions or topics to help you organize your thoughts as you begin writing.
What can a Workshop do to help me write my Story?
Our three-day workshop is an intensive all-day immersion into what life history is and how to write it. Your will be exposed to methods, technologies, opportunities to practice what you are learning. The workshop will be followed up with 3 months of one-on-one telephone coaching to make sure you continue to stay motivated.
How can Coaching help me to prepare my History?
The first step in writing your personal history is to decide to do it!This is a big step and one that needs to supported. Voices and Images will follow up with you on a weekly basis. We will offer help and support, providing you with next steps and continued motivation.
Why are interviews a good way to capture my life memories?
We at Voices and Images believe that interviewing or recording your memories make the process easier to capture your stories. Software exists that can convert these audio files to an electronic document. Thus, eliminating the need to type them. We can show you how to record or have someone ask you a number of questions.
Should I put my photos in my story?
The easy answer is YES! By inserting photos into your story, it comes alive. Our number 1 comment we receive about the life histories we write or help our clients write is the number of photos we incorporate into the book. Photos make your story interesting to your descendants, if you want your children grandchildren and others to read your history, put lots of photos in!
If I want photos, how do I get them ready for publication?
Digitizing your prints and slides is not very difficult. Voices and Images will step you through the scanning process. The equipment is getting cheaper and cheaper so you can capture all your photos, and now share with the rest of your family. We can also take care of the scanning process for you. We have clients who have asked us to scan 1,000s of prints and slides for them. Having your photos and slides in a box in the closet is not a solution. Don’t leave your photos to your children when you pass, they won’t know who the people are and eventually these photos just get discarded.