Some Questions To Ask

Most people can talk forever about themselves, which makes holding them to three hours to be a major challenge.

For us new interviewers, however, one of our biggest fears is running out of questions with 30 minutes of blank tape staring us in the face. I suppose it's the oral historian's version of writer's block.

Well, I found a website, called StoryCorps. net, that offers a number of helpful hints for interviewers. On that site I discovered a list of questions that would come in handy after the narrator has been led through his/her entire life history. Perhaps they will be useful to you.

Here they are (slightly edited):

What was the happiest moment of your life? The saddest?
Who was the most important person in your life? Can you tell me about him or her?
What are the most important lessons you've learned in life?
What words of wisdom would you like to pass along to your family and friends?
What are you proudest of in your life?
How has your life been different than what you'd imagined?
How would you like to be remembered?
What do you most regret?
What invention...or new product...has had the biggest impact on your life?
What is there that you've not told me but want to tell me now?

Can you add to this list? Remember, you are encouraged to submit posts to this blog; just email them to Chuck Bartling.