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Mini-Projects
Collect Your First Story

Collect Your First Story

Your Challenge

Record one story from someone who matters to you—before it’s lost forever.

Call a family member, text an old friend, or sit down with someone nearby. Ask them about one specific moment from their past. Just one story. That’s it.

What You’ll Experience

In just 30 minutes, you’ll:

  • Learn how to make people comfortable sharing memories
  • Use AI to craft better interview questions
  • Discover stories you never knew existed
  • Preserve something that would otherwise disappear

This gives you a taste of story collection. The full project includes preparation and multiple interviews.

The Simple Process

Step 1: Choose Your Storyteller (3 minutes)

Think about who’s available right now:

  • Parent or grandparent
  • Older sibling or cousin
  • Family friend or mentor
  • Neighbor who’s seen things change
  • Anyone with stories to tell

Pick someone you can reach today.

Step 2: Pick Your Question (5 minutes)

Ask ChatGPT:

I want to interview [relationship and approximate age] about their past.
I have 20 minutes to get one good story.

Give me:
1. Five specific questions that spark memories (not generic)
2. Good follow-up questions to get more details
3. How to make them comfortable sharing
4. What details I should listen for

Choose ONE question that feels right for this person.

Step 3: Make the Call or Visit (15 minutes)

Start simple:

  • “I’m collecting family stories. Can you tell me about…”
  • Ask your one specific question
  • When they answer, say: “Tell me more about that part”
  • Ask: “What did it smell/sound/look like?”
  • Let silences happen—that’s when memories surface

Record it if you can (phone works fine), or take notes.

Step 4: Find the Heart (5 minutes)

Right after the conversation:

  • Write down the story’s main points
  • Note one detail that surprised you
  • Capture any exact phrases they used

Ask AI: “Here’s the story I collected: [summary]. What makes this story powerful? What universal human experience does it capture?”

Step 5: Preserve It (2 minutes)

  • Save the recording somewhere safe
  • Write a quick thank you text
  • Share one thing you learned with another family member
  • Promise yourself: This is just the first story

Your Story Collection Checklist

✓ Did you learn something new about someone you know?
✓ Did you capture specific details, not just general memories?
✓ Did you make them comfortable enough to really share?
✓ Did you preserve it somehow (recording, notes, or both)?

Congratulations! You just saved a piece of history that only exists in someone’s memory.

Want to Preserve Your Family’s Complete Story?

You just experienced the magic of story collection. The full project creates a complete family archive.

In the complete 3-week project, you’ll:

  • Collect 5-10 stories from different family members
  • Learn professional interview techniques that unlock memories
  • Use AI to research historical context and organize narratives
  • Create a beautiful presentation (book, video, or website)
  • Build a system to keep collecting stories forever
  • Give your family a gift they’ll treasure for generations

Members get interview guides, AI prompt libraries, preservation templates, and production tools.

Preserve Your Family’s Stories →

Why This Mini-Project Matters

For Young Learners: Your grandparents won’t be here forever. The stories they carry will disappear unless you capture them now. This is both a gift to your family and powerful portfolio material.

For Adults: Whether preserving family heritage, documenting community history, or just connecting across generations—you just proved that everyone has stories worth saving.

This mini-project takes 30 minutes. The full project transforms you into your family’s historian over 3 weeks.