More often than not, when I’m asked what I do for work, I am initially greeted with a mix of curiosity and confusion. What exactly does it mean to “record life stories?” What does that look like? As soon as I begin to explain my work and the process behind it, the reactions shift to a genuine enthusiasm and a desire to learn more about the process.
I’m often asked what I do to prepare for an interview, what questions I ask, and how the interview moves from transcript to book. This post is first in a series that will walk you through that process, in an effort to give you all a better sense of just what it is that I do.
My preparation is grounded in each client – where are they are in their life? what milestone are they celebrating? and what are their goals for doing a book? Contrary to what many folks assume, I don’t do much background research on my clients. I want to go in to the interview with a genuine curiosity about their life and their experiences. I want to hear their story for the first time in that interview.
That being said, I do not come to an interview unprepared. I design a series of questions that will guide our conversation, and I bring over a decade of experience in facilitating open-ended interviews. It is my job to make clients feel comfortable and open, to lead them through the narrative of their life experiences, and to ensure that they have every opportunity to share their perspective.
Just as I know my clients are excited about the interview, I am too! I anticipate our meeting like a kid on Christmas morning. And when that day comes, there is nothing I love more than to settle in and listen as their story unfolds…