Nina Fromhold, audio biographer and founder of Memory Lane Life Stories, knows everyone has a story to tell, but all too often these stories stay at the family dinner table. Recording life stories is a collaborative way to preserve those important life moments beyond the dinner table, for family and community.
Nina has an extensive background in complex community engagement, and her experience shaping people’s stories now motivates her to help people record their stories. Nina also has the podcastWhen I Was Young which focuses on the stories of people living in Melbourne who quietly make the world a better place. Nina’s upcoming Writer’s Victoria workshop Capturing Your Family Stories will show participants how to bring out the best possible stories.
Nina recently spoke to Writers Victoria’s Amelia Hughes about the process and the stories she’s captured along her journey.
What I love about working with audio is the amount of information available in the voice of the storyteller and in the story when we listen. Our tone, our pauses and emphasis on particular words add another layer of understanding about the story being told. Then, there is the personal connection to voice. Every person’s voice is unique, as is our turn of phrase and the way we elocute. The way we speak tells the story of how we became the person we are today, and if you’re talking to someone you love, their voice is also a point of connection for you.
Can you share an especially memorable interview from your career?
On my podcast When I Was Young, I interview people that are happy to tell their stories publicly. In this series, one of my most delightful interviews was with Christine Nixon. When I was a younger professional, I looked for excellent examples of women leaders to aspire to, and Christine Nixon was one of them. What unfolded in the interview was a delightful journey of her resilience and persistence, with so many things I hadn’t known before, including her wonderful sense of humour and humility.
The way we speak tells the story of how we became the person we are today – Nina Fromhold
What is your favourite question to ask interviewees?
This is a hard question because I have many favourites. I especially love the questions that go a little deeper and encourage self-reflection. Things like:
- Did you raise your children the way you were raised, or were there some things you intentionally did differently?
- If you could change anything from your life, would you, and what would it be?
- Tell me about the last time you experienced a feeling of awe?
What does the process of finding an interviewee and building a relationship look like to you?
Most of the time my interviewees find me, either through the workshops I run or through online research their adult children have done.
The first thing I do is call my potential interviewee and talk them through the process, ensuring they are comfortable to be interviewed and that they know their recording will be kept private for themselves and their loved ones.
Then I ask them questions about their lives for a good hour, to understand their journey and to get some hints about the pivotal moments, their values and the things they want to focus on. The other key aspect of this pre-recording conversation is to understand where the edges are of the story they do or don’t want to tell.
Can you share an interview with us that demonstrates the collaborative nature of audio stories?
My interview with Patrick Bonello. Patrick was brave in sharing his story of the harm he had endured as a young gay man in the 1980s and 90s, and growing up in a working-class area and trying to find his way. It is much easier for my guests to talk about the good days, and it takes trust and kindness to move into the more challenging spaces that shape us.
What challenges of interviewing people will participants in your workshop learn to overcome?
We will explore building rapport and trust with storytellers, environment, technology, interviewing including:
- Question creation
- Creating unique interviews
- Structuring interviews
- Boundaries and scope
Have family stories you’d like to capture for generations to come? Whether it’s simply for your family to remember or part of a wider writing project, join Nina in her upcoming workshop: Capturing Your Family Stories.