Читать книгу Start & Run a Personal History Business - Jennifer Campbell - Страница 10

No one will deny the immeasurable satisfaction of writing your memoirs, but it can be a daunting task, and not everyone has the skill, time, or physical and mental ability. Most people want to document their lives somehow but never get around to it, simply because it is so overwhelming. A personal historian can ensure everyone has the opportunity to save their stories, because almost everyone can talk. Telling, as opposed to writing, is a natural, easy-flowing way to express oneself; it’s faster; and the storyteller doesn’t have to worry about grammar, punctuation, paragraph breaks, and all those writerly concerns, as the storyteller can just talk as the personal historian records what he or she says and can write it down later.

Most important, there is an interested audience. One-on-one, the narrator talks about his or her life while the personal historian assumes the most important of tasks: listening. As the listener — the keeper of the stories — you hold a position of great honor and trust. Your client is counting on you to understand and interpret his or her stories, some of which he or she may never have breathed a word about before sitting down with you. This creates a real bond between you and the narrator. At the best of times, it’s nothing less than a spiritual experience, as you share the drama, depth, and humanity of the moments. Emotions often run high, on both sides.

This special relationship is among the many rewards of being a personal historian. Most of your clients will agree that it’s far more appealing than sitting alone at a computer staring at a blank screen.