“Write Your Life” delivers weekly memory & writing prompts via email

Learn about our Write Your Life course, providing memory prompts, writing guidance and a dose of inspiration to anyone who wants to preserve their stories now.

family history, memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeNovember 25, 2024writing courses, life story writing prompts, memoir writing courseComment

Thanksgiving story sharing, made easy

A roundup of the most popular (and helpful!) posts from Modern Heirloom Books to help you prompt and preserve family stories this Thanksgiving season.

family historyDawn M. RoodeNovember 10, 2024Thanksgiving memory-keeping ideas, family stories around the Thanksgiving table, how to do family history at Thanksgiving holidayComment

How to ask good follow-up questions in a family history interview

Five easy ways to get the best stories from your family member just by responding thoughtfully to their answers (hint: it starts with really listening!).

family history, the art of listeningDawn M. RoodeOctober 28, 2024what is an open-ended question, how to ask good follow up questions in a family history interview, what types of questions get the best family stories, tips for family history interview questionsComment

The power of a follow-up question

Whether you’re interviewing your parents about their childhood or gathering family history info from your grandparents, good follow-up questions are key.

family history, the art of listeningDawn M. RoodeOctober 9, 2024why follow-up questions are good, family history interview techniques, is there such a thing as a bad family history interview questionComment

Friendly reminder: Your personal story is part of a broader family history

While your memoir is telling your stories in your words, a family tree chart outlining your relationships has a real place in that book—here’s why.

family history, memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeSeptember 9, 2024should i inlude a family tree in my personal history book, when to include a family tree in a memoir, how to make my memoir more relevant to my familyComment

In conversation about “the gift of family stories”

Podcast host Melissa Ceria and personal historian Dawn Roode discuss the importance of family history preservation and finding solace in stories after loss.