How to record your memories

  • Many of us can be put off sharing our memories because we don't think we're good enough writers. We worry too much about where to put commas and full stops and when to start a new paragraph - and either the result is a very stilted, formal account or we get too discouraged to start at all.
  • We may not be able to write our life story well but we can tell it well. A great way to get started on your life story is to record yourself and then transcribe that recording and edit it as a written story.
  • The advantage of this approach is that you can be more informal and relaxed, and also that your relatives will have a record of your voice telling your story, long after you have gone!
  • It's a bit awkward at first, just talking into a tape recorder without a live audience. The trick is to imagine that you are telling your story to someone sitting opposite you. It might be a husband or wife, a child, or grandchild. What would you like to tell them? What might they like to know?
  • You must not underestimate your memory. You have been an eyewitness to eras that younger people were not, you have perhaps been an active participant in one of the great events of history - a World War, perhaps - you've seen great changes in everything from fashion to working conditions. Your memories will be fascinating to your family and descendants, and will help them understand more about themselves and where they came from.
  • In order to get a good-quality recording for posterity, invest in a tie-clip microphone (about (£20) and clip it on your clothing about 6-9inches (15-25 centimetres) away from your mouth. Sit in a comfortable chair in a well-furnished room that is as quiet as possible.
  • Don't try and do too much at a time or rush through your life too quickly. Go through your life in stages and concentrate on a different topic for each session - your memories of your grandparents and parents, your life at home as a child, your schooling and so on. Between sessions, think about a topic for next time and jot down simple words or phrases that will act as memory-joggers. Take time to mull it over, almost rehearsing it before you actually sit down to record. When listening back afterwards you might remember extra things and they can be recorded at the beginning of the next session.
  • It's a good idea to use stimuli to get yourself talking - an old photograph, a school report, a ration book, even an evocative smell or taste.
  • Don't worry about sticking to the point, don't be afraid to go 'off the beaten track' of your planned topic. Remember that the strength of this approach is that is informal and relaxed.
  • Don't be afraid to be reflective - don't just record 'the facts'. Why was that experience such an important one in shaping your life? How did your experience compare with a similar experience today - was everything better in the good old days? What lessons have you learnt from life that you would like your imaginary audience to know about?
  • Once you've recorded your memories you'll need to get them transcribed. Unfortunately, voice-recognition software is not yet advanced enough to spare you, or a willing volunteer, the laborious task of converting speech into text (it's roughly five hours of transcription for every hour of speech).
  • When we speak, we repeat things. We don't talk in sentences, we don't always tell stories in a logical order. When you've got your transcription you'll need to edit it for publication as a document.