Life story recording at home in Montclair, NJ

A guided conversation, not an interview

The best sessions feel like talking with a curious guest. The pro comes with questions but follows the story where it goes. Where did you grow up? What was your first job? How did you meet Mom? What did this town look like when you moved here?

A few prompts help. Old photos, a yearbook, a box of letters. People who swear they have nothing to say often talk for an hour once they see a picture from 1968.

Sessions usually run an hour or so, since telling stories can be tiring. Some families book a series of weekly sessions over a couple of months, covering one chapter of life at a time. Childhood, work, marriage, raising a family, and the years since.

Film, audio or a book

Pros work in different ways, and each profile says which. Some bring a video camera and lights and help make a short film, often with old photos cut in. Others record audio, which is simpler and feels less formal. Some help turn the recordings into a printed book with photos for each grandchild.

Message a couple of pros to see samples of their past work and ask how many sessions they usually need. Most life stories take several visits.

Montclair memories

Long-time residents remember Montclair very differently from how it looks now. Ask about the trains on what is now the Montclair-Boonton Line, about shopping in Upper Montclair before the current stores, about Bloomfield Avenue on a Saturday night years ago. The Montclair Art Museum and Montclair Public Library are anchors in a lot of people's stories.

Those specific places spark specific memories, so mention them to the pro before the first session.

If your parent grew up elsewhere, the move to Montclair is often a story in itself. Why this town, which house first, who the neighbors were. Those details are exactly what grandchildren tend to ask about later.

Booking from near or far

Pros set an hourly rate between $50 and $150, with visits of 1, 1.5 or 2 hours. Payment at checkout includes a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee. Many adult children book from out of state, often as a gift for a sibling or as a project the whole family shares. Gift cards are available for any amount from $50.

After each visit the pro writes a short note on what was covered, so you know which stories are recorded and which to ask about next.