Personal or Family Memoir
Interview transcription, chapter organization, fact-checking, photo layout, and print-ready files, suitable for systematically preserving a complete life story.
ZongMai Family Memory Center
Family Memoir Production and Life Story Organization
Through interviews centered on elders’ lived experiences, family migration, work and daily life, family traditions, and important moments, we organize recordings, old photos, family letters, and video materials into written commemorative books and life story videos confirmed by the individual or family members.
Recording Methods
Choose the Final Format Based on the Person’s Condition and Available Materials
We first preserve the original oral accounts and materials, then decide whether to create text, images, or video, avoiding interrupting elders’ natural storytelling for the sake of format.
Old Photos and Family Archive
Scan and archive by person, era, location, and event, add photo captions, and preserve the connections among family letters, documents, and manuscripts.
Life Story Video Memoir
Centered on real interviews, family videos, and photos, with scriptwriting, narration, editing, and subtitles completed, while preserving the full original interview footage.
Production Process
Important Facts Are Confirmed by the Individual or Family Members
Materials Review
Confirm the subject of the record, health condition, available interview times, and the quantity of photos, recordings, family letters, and videos.
Interview Design
Develop a thematic outline based on the person’s experiences, with focused follow-up questions on event details, relationships, and historical context.
Collection and Backup
Complete audio recording or filming while establishing original file numbering, backups, and the scope of authorization.
Draft Organization
Transcribe oral accounts, arrange chapters, verify names and dates, and distinguish facts, personal memories, and additions from later generations.
Family Review
Confirm sensitive content, photo captions, and wording by chapter, while retaining revision records.
Book or Film Completion
Complete design, subtitles, final proofreading, and delivery in the agreed format; original materials are returned or archived according to the checklist.
You Can Start on Your Own
Free Outline and Materials Organization Guide
Writing Methods
A Four-Act Method for Writing Memoirs of Ordinary People
From childhood scenes and the main thread of life to key turning points and reflections from today, with a question checklist and word-count plan.
Read the Writing GuideInterview Outline for Elder Memoirs
Ask questions by themes such as childhood, family, education, work, marriage and children, migration, historical experiences, and family traditions.
View and Print the OutlineHow to Archive Old Photos
Establish a basic process for file naming, scanning specifications, person descriptions, date estimation, and backups in multiple locations.
View the Organization MethodOral History Interview Methods
Learn the principles of open-ended questions, detailed follow-up, handling differences in memory, and preserving original recordings.
Read the Interview GuideDelivery Examples and Case Principles
View the delivery structure for written booklets, photo archives, and life story videos, as well as privacy and authorization boundaries.
View ExamplesService Notes
Timeline and Cost Depend on the Amount of Material and Depth of Documentation
Written memoirs are mainly affected by interview length, final word count, number of photos, and rounds of review; video projects are also affected by filming locations, finished video length, material restoration, and post-production specifications. Before formal cooperation, we provide an itemized delivery checklist and phased timeline, and do not use fixed low prices that cannot be fulfilled to attract inquiries.
If the person is not good at writing, can a memoir still be produced?
Yes. The interviewer helps develop the outline and follows up on details; the organizing team creates an initial draft based on the recordings; the final facts and wording are confirmed by the individual or family members.
What if there are only old photos and no complete written materials?
First number the photos and record known people, locations, and dates, then use the photos as interview clues. Uncertain information is clearly marked and not invented.
Must sensitive family experiences be included in the book?
No. At project initiation, three levels are defined: public, family-only, and excluded. During review, content can still be deleted or changed into sealed attachments.
First, tell us whom you want to record and how much material you currently have
The initial consultation only determines the most suitable way to document the story. Consultation details, contact information, and family materials will not be displayed in the public comments area.
- Personal memoirs for seniors or parents
- Family oral history and migration stories
- Old photo archives and life imagery