Once a luxury of the rich and famous, the technology has made it the first time in history the opportunity for anyone to capture share and preserve their stories of life more precious. With the advent of computers, internet, digital photography, video and audio, anyone can capture the richness and quality of their life stories. These personal stories will be appreciated by family, friends and future generations.
Today you can easily mix the art of traditional> Biography and autobiography with powerful new technologies in a new form of narrative of individual life: the history of personal life. satisfactory personal life stories are created. And as the interactive capabilities of multimedia computers and Internet, craft a personal story of life and can not in all-round and rich biography in a way that memories or impossible to achieve in plain text. But most important, vital to preserve personal storiesindividual and family stories. And if done properly, will last for generations.
In this article discover how to use time-honored life story writing techniques, including the latest technologies to create a story, only "you".
The art of life the traditional story format
For those interested in creating their own story in his autobiography, memoirs or personal life, it is important to understand that the differences between these formstells his life story. Over-generalize for a moment, an autobiography is more fact-based, while the card is based on emotions.
Autobiographies written by the subject, sometimes in collaboration with another writer. autobiographical works take many forms, ranging from intimate writings made during this life, not necessarily) necessary for the '(including public letters, diaries, journals, memoirs and memories, the formal autobiography. interesting autobiography format is not necessarily true. It can also be a history of literary fiction.
Memoirs are a form of personal memory that has grown in popularity in recent times. Memoirs often focus on emotions rather subjective memories as memories and feelings and are usually written in first person view. Memories are often times focused on the acquisition of a few lights or significant.
In his> Memory, schedule, Gore Vidal writes that "it is a memoir recalls how a life of its own, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-checked."
I remember in general) are concentrated over a short period of time or series of related events (autobiography covers a longer period of time. In a statement, the writer is a retrospective and contemplate past events. Memoirs can be set for take the techniques of narrative, asPlot, conflict, character development, anticipating, flashback, irony and symbolism. And, finally, writing a memoir often has a therapeutic effect for the writer.
Oral History Recordings
An oral history is a verbatim transcript of an interview, left on the narrator's exact words. These are usually left in a question-answer style and are an economical way to preserve family stories. A recording of a high quality microphone and a quiet placefree from interruptions are all that is really necessary to capture an oral history. It helps to prepare questions in advance of the interview.
Oral history is usually recorded with analog tape or digital recording, but you can also record directly into a personal computer. oral histories are often transcribed (typed or word processed) in a document format. The style is known for its beautiful relaxed ease.
Precautions: Recording Formatsand standards are evolving and may be difficult or even impossible to play when the obsolete equipment. Taped recordings for a period of time.
History Video Recordings
Do-it-yourself: a basic level, it is easy and fun to create a basic story of the video. Cameras are relatively cheap, and many computers now come with basic editing software. Capture video of a good story divides all the same conditions of an audio recording: a quietPlace, with questions prepared in advance. In addition, you want a light background, flattering lighting and casual wear in order to improve the quality of the final product. white shirts, pants and dresses not, for example, show up well on video. It has also allowed to distract the models employed. Images of solid light, neutral or pastel are generally safe.
Professional videographer: A large number of companies specialized in producing professional video productions history of life. Productions canRange from 10 to 15 minutes to an hour or more short mini-movie, complete with titles, music and other effects in Hollywood. Of course, there will be more money for a professional production as an effort at home.
When you select a professional all the major consumers smart tips. Ask for references. Ask to see samples of previous work. Get all costs, production times and commitments in writing. It is wonderful films are a single person or family. At best, they are often executedhave entertainment value and are ideal for special occasions.
How can change in the sound recordings over the degradation time formats and media, even with proper storage methods: a preliminary
The integration of art and technology: Web-Based Personal life stories
Only in recent years the web has emerged as a powerful new way to create and share life stories. On the web is not only possible, it is nice and easy to create a multimedia storyText, photos, audio and video. This is the new format of the history of personal life.
Web-based personal stories of life to enjoy some advantages over the publication on paper, audio, video, CD or life stories. In particular, the publication on the web is updated, new information is possible at any time. E 'can be easily shared with friends or family. The sites offer opportunities for the most advanced privacy and security. The web is multimedia, so you can text, photos, audio,and video. Photos, go audio, video never lost damaged, destroyed. Finally, many websites offer on-demand printing, so you can instantly create books. Books can be printed on your home printer or sent to small publishers. If you choose the small-run, be sure to give the paper of archival quality.
One of the biggest advantages of web publishing is the ability of communities around similar interests, professions, countries and events in life to build. For example, a veteran of World War IIPilot, who places his story to the web and making it available to the public long lost friends, other veterans, students, historians, museum staff, or others in this crucial chapter in American history can be contacted by interested parties.
Why create your own personal life story?
Mark Twain once said: "There has never been a very interesting life, something inside of them all is impossible, it is a drama, a comedy, a tragedy ..."
A history of personal life can be sofew pages long or more volumes. Whatever the length or medium, requires some thought and, sometimes, make a lot of work. But it's worth the work because it is the ability to influence generations to come. Your personal history can leave an inheritance for your children and grandchildren. As for memories, personal history, can examine and reflect on your life so far. This allows you to add your story to the largesthistorical records of your family, town and country. And finally, if not, then who?
It begins with a chronology of the life chapters
How to start the story of a life, 60, may comprise 70 to say 80 years or more? It is often useful to create a chronological timeline of important events in your life. It helps to jot down some notes for milestones in your life. In fact, you could just think about your life as a book, with separate, distinct sections builtwith important consequences in life.
Of course, life does not follow a chronological order all the same, but here are some ideas for the titles of the chapters of your book or story. GreatLifeStories.com uses the following "chapters" to organize life stories:
Its beginnings or
In your neighborhood or
O School Days
or work
O romance and marriage
or War and Peace
O triumphs and tragedies
Words of Wisdom or
O Humor
or wordsGratitude
The chapter is very flexible. For example, it is not necessary to start your life story with the day of your birth and youth. Perhaps you've had a fascinating experience during the war. As a movie, you could keep your life story, this opening "scene" to tell, then the story of how you got there.
Having got an idea for the "flow" of history, some more specific guidelines to help the color, texture and authenticity to bring here:
Only the starting point!Having a mind dump. Get it out of my head and on paper, computer, recorder, you name it. Do not worry about how it sounds. Just write. Resist the temptation to self-edit, it's time to change it.
Be yourself. Do not worry if your grammar or spelling is not perfect. Leave as it seems.
Honesty is everything. The writing says more about how it happened.
Include humor. 'S jokes, stories,Anecdotes
Details, details, details. What kind of floor has a kitchen have? What color was wearing a veil when he first met?
Go to a leisurely pace. Do not try to capture in writing to a life of extravagance in a single session. Write to allow time to reflect and go back to writing.
Consult with others. Relatives and friends can be valuable interpretation of the facts and sources.
Use photos for your memory a boost.Tip: Share photos in a timeline of your life, based on the last day, and moved by the turbulence. Write or record your visual storyboard
Look for topics in your life. The themes are broad ideas that life is a central role in yours. You wanted to be a racing driver of all time? A preacher? Owner of a restaurant? Be a farmer? It tells the story of how you reached your goal, or how this objective will be changed to something else entirely unexpected.
Here are just a couple of other issues of life historyOptions: a. The spiritual quest b. C. Confession The trip d. The portrait e. The Board of humor fg Family history of The Road to Recovery hij War Romance Story
Another option: hire a professional
Most of these articles on the creation story of Do-it-yourself personal life focused. There are, of course, the possibility of working with a professional. The right professional writer or videographer is a highly skilled interviewer and the 'tools and equipment is suitable. And, believe it or not, sometimes it's easier to open up someone in front of a stranger, rather than before a family member.
There are many ways to work with writers and cameramen. However, there are several similarities in common. The writer / cameraman often:
1) meets with you to determine the extent and cost of the project.
2) The rule is intended recorded interview sessions. Depending on your goals, may be an hour ortwo or 10, 20 hours or more.
3) The recording will be transcribed and edited with your input and advice
4) Once a final script / film is in agreement, can be sent for printing or copying.
5) For books, experts recommend mandatory personal archives of the history and acid-free paper for longevity
6) You get the number of books / movies agreed in the contract.
7) Be sure to discuss services, fees and final products in advance, and get all agreements inScripture.
Thanks to high technology, is the art of collecting and preserving stories of their lives and people now easier to open than ever before. A new kind of personal stories that he created is based on the literary traditions of autobiography and memoirs, with the addition of audio, video and web technology to create life stories. On the web, these personal stories personal multimedia stories, collaboration, shared, and immediatelyupdatable.
Enjoy capturing your life story!
References and Further Reading
Web sites:
http://www.greatlifestories.com
Associations:
The Association of Personal Historians has 600 + member organization of professional historians, tales of personal life to create in all formats: text, audio, video. http://www.personalhistorians.org
As for books:
There are many good books full ofdifferent approaches and tips for writing a personal story. Here are just a few:
Daniel, Lios, how to write your life story
Rainer, Tristin, your life as the history books
Roorbach, Bill, Writing Life Stories
