Life story recording at home in South Orange, NJ

Where the stories come from

A good storyteller knows that the big events, like weddings and jobs and moves, are only half of it. The other half is small: the corner store, the walk to school, the first apartment. In South Orange that might mean the gas lamps in the village, the train into the city, or sledding on Flood's Hill, which has been a favorite spot in Essex County for generations.

The Old Stone House, just west of Grove Park, is another good prompt, and a photo of it can start a long conversation about what the village used to look like.

South Orange's train station, with SOPAC beside it since 2006, has changed a lot over the decades too. Someone who commuted from there for years will have a lot to say about it.

Sessions and pacing

Most sessions last an hour. That's enough time to go deep on one part of a life without wearing anyone out. Over four to six weeks, a storyteller can cover a lot of ground, often in rough order from childhood on.

Families can send questions ahead. The storyteller will work them in naturally, so it feels like a conversation, not a quiz.

Some subjects are hard: losses, illness, a difficult childhood. A good storyteller will let the person decide what to talk about and what to skip. Nothing has to go in the final recording that the person isn't comfortable sharing, and families should respect that too. Usually, the hard stories come out later, once there's trust.

The finished product

Storytellers work in different formats. Some record audio. Some bring a video camera and lights and help make a short film. Others help turn the recordings into a printed book with family photos. Read profiles and ask what the final result looks like.

Think about who'll use it. A short film plays well at a family gathering. A book stays on the shelf for the next generation.

Many families copy the finished recording for each branch of the family, so that cousins in different states each have their own.

Cost and booking

Storytellers set an hourly rate between $50 and $150, with 1, 1.5 or 2 hour sessions, plus a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee. Booking four weeks at the same time is a good way to start. Cancel free up to 3 days before.

After each session the storyteller writes a short note for the family.