Life story recording at home in Bloomfield, NJ

Stories rooted in Bloomfield

Bloomfield has a long memory. The Green in the middle of town was set aside because the local militia drilled there, and the Oakes woolen mill once supplied cloth to the Union Army. If your parent grew up here, they probably have their own version of the town: which store was where on Broad Street, who worked at the factories, what the Harvest Festival or the Fourth used to look like.

The Historical Society of Bloomfield keeps a museum in the library building at 90 Broad Street. A storyteller might suggest a visit before a session, since an old postcard or map can bring back a whole afternoon of memories.

Even people who moved to Bloomfield later in life have stories about getting here: the first apartment, the job that brought them, the neighbor who showed them around. Those are worth keeping too.

How a session goes

It feels like a conversation, not an interview. The storyteller usually starts with easy questions, where you were born, your parents' names, the first house you remember, and follows wherever the answers go. Many people are surprised how much comes out once someone is really listening.

Most families do several sessions. One might cover childhood, another work and marriage, another the grandkids. Sessions of 1.5 hours give enough time to warm up without wearing anyone out.

Old photos help. Pull a shoebox of prints out before the session and let your parent pick one or two to talk about. A picture of a first car or a wedding party can fill half an hour without a single question from the storyteller.

Audio, film or a book

Pros work differently, and their profiles say what they offer. Some record audio only, which is easy and unobtrusive. Some bring a video camera and lights and help make a short film. Others help turn the recordings into a printed book with photos from the family albums.

Message a couple of storytellers before booking to ask what the finished piece looks like. Contact details stay private in messages until you're ready.

Booking for a parent

Storytellers set an hourly rate between $50 and $150. You can book one session or four weeks at the same time, which suits a project with a clear end. If you're arranging this from out of state, you'll get the storyteller's note after each visit, so you'll know which chapters are done before you ever hear the recording.

Book the time of day your parent is at their best. For many people that's late morning. A rested storyteller and a rested subject make a better recording, and the sessions feel less like work.