How to write your loved one's life story?

Writing a life story of a loved one can be a complex process, but it gives you the opportunity to explore their life, understand their choices, and learn from their experiences. We've put together a 4-step process that can help you on this journey.

1. Create an outline and questions

When making an outline, make sure to cover all important life stages. Think through topics that include education, career, family, hobbies, and major life events. Arrange the questions in chronological order. Start with your loved one's childhood and end with their old age. Most of the questions should be open-ended as these provide your loved one with the opportunity to better share their thoughts and feelings.

2. Record the conversation

We do not recommend taking notes with pen and paper while talking to your loved one. This can be time-consuming and may not be accurate. Record the conversation with a digital voice recorder or a smartphone app. This allows you to focus on the conversation and ensures you do not miss any important details.

3. Transcribe the recording into text

The more thoroughly you transcribe the recording into text, the better. This step requires time and commitment, but it is very important as the smallest details can often provide a deeper insight into a person's personality, feelings, and thoughts.

4. Turn the transcript into a beautiful life story

The final step involves arranging the text sections in chronological order, cleaning the text, and writing the final life story. This gives you the opportunity to highlight your loved one's personality, joy of life, and wisdom.

Writing a life story is a great way to honour your loved one, better understand their life, and share their memories. It can be a time-consuming process, but the result is always of invaluable worth. With a full-time job and a busy family life, a thorough life story can take up to a month to complete. If you don't have the time for it, we are here to help. For more information, visit our product page here.