Record the story so someone else can understand it later.

1. Agree on the purpose

Tell the person why you want to record them, who may hear the interview, where it will be stored, and whether portions might appear in a family story or book. Let them set boundaries and change their mind.

2. Choose one theme

“Your whole life” is too large. Try childhood home, a grandparent, military service, a migration, a family business, courtship, holidays, or one difficult turning point. A theme creates depth and leaves room for another session.

3. Prepare the simplest reliable setup

• Use a phone or recorder with enough storage and power.
• Choose a quiet, soft-furnished room and silence notifications.
• Place the device between speakers; record a 30-second test.
• Say the date, place, interviewer, interviewee, and theme at the beginning.
• Keep notes of names, dates, photos, and follow-ups without interrupting every answer.

4. Ask for scenes

“Tell me about the day…” usually produces more than “When did…?” Ask what the person could see, hear, smell, fear, hope, or choose. Then ask who else was there and what happened next.

5. Preserve uncertainty

If a date sounds uncertain, say so in the notes. Ask what anchors it: a move, school year, election, birth, job, photograph, or weather event. Do not edit uncertainty out of the transcript.

6. Make two copies and a source note

Name the original file with an ISO date and people, for example 2026-08-17-grandma-jo-childhood-home.m4a. Keep the untouched original and a working copy. Add a text note with consent, participants, topic, place, known restrictions, and any supporting materials mentioned.

7. Return with better questions

After the interview, list missing names, unclear sequences, conflicts, and possible sources. The best second conversation is shaped by what the first one revealed.