On the surface, interviewing might seem like a simple job. Seriously, how hard could it be? You ease into a comfortable armchair, ask a few questions, listen to a few answers, and then call it a day. Well, as any LifeBook Memoirs interviewer will tell you, it’s not quite that simple.
As a matter of fact, simply becoming a LifeBook Memoirs interviewer is more challenging than you might expect. We are extremely selective of who we hire to fill these important roles, and each candidate is thoroughly assessed. This, of course, takes place before the actual task of interviewing begins… Sitting down at that point to start drawing out the personal and defining moments from an interviewee’s life is an entirely different kind of challenge.
Keep reading for more details about these uniquely skilled professionals and the meaningful work they do. We are so grateful to have each and every one of them in our team. Without them, many precious, inspiring, and incredible life stories would likely never see the light of day.
Making the cut
Every potential new interviewer who reaches out to us goes through a thorough vetting process, starting with extensive background checks. These individuals, after all, become the face of LifeBook Memoirs, and we expect them to uphold the high standards of professionalism and integrity that we hold dear.
When we’ve checked their backgrounds, we look for personality traits. Personality is such an important part of being an effective interviewer. The ability to connect with others and to make them feel comfortable enough to share cherished memories, innermost thoughts, and personal feelings is invaluable.
Some of the key characteristics we look for in an interviewer include:
Empathy
LifeBook Memoirs interviewers need to be able to put themselves in their authors’ shoes. They must feel what the author is feeling while resisting any urge to judge. This ability becomes particularly important when authors choose to share stories that are hard to relive and which give rise to strong emotions.
Authors who feel that their interviewers truly understand what they are saying and where they are coming from grow more willing to open up and share details about their lives. Oftentimes, these personal details are among the most valuable and treasured by friends and family.
Engagement
Equally, the interviewer must be able to join in with the laughter and excitement whenever happy, humorous, or joyful experiences are related. This helps to build trust and lets the author know they have permission to share their authentic experiences without fear of embarrassment or indifference.
Interviewers who connect in this way with authors make a huge difference. It is so important for the author to see that the interviewer is taking an active interest in them and their lives and not just “punching the clock.”
Communication skills
Good interviewers don’t just know how to ask questions; they know how to ask them in the right sequence. They intuitively sense when a story needs more detail or when facts are inconsistent. In a friendly, approachable way, they ask their authors to clarify or go deeper.
By asking thoughtful, open-ended questions, an interviewer can open up spaces in which authors start to explore their life stories in ways they maybe hadn’t explored before. They cover new territory and, in many cases, come away delighted and surprised by the new insights and perspectives they gained.
Active listening
To really build rapport with an author, an interviewer must have strong active-listening skills. Maintaining eye contact, nodding, and emoting via facial expressions enable the interviewer to convey that he or she genuinely cares about what the author is telling them—and, by extension, cares about the author.
Active listening helps the interviewer gain a deeper understanding of the author and can prompt follow-up questions that wouldn’t otherwise be asked. In this way, the interviewer can mine the most valuable and formative experiences of an author’s life and start the process of preserving them for generations.
Preparation
To be a great interviewer, preparation is key. They must go into each conversation with a plan already in place, with questions prepared and follow-ups ready for when more details need to be extracted. They think through how each session can build upon the last, lead to the next, and contribute to the overall life story.
Great interviewers also think through the many possible directions that each coming conversation might take. This kind of preparation for different potential outcomes means that they don’t become rigid or flustered. Instead, they are flexible and at ease, no matter how the conversation unfolds.
Discipline
As anyone who has ever had a lengthy conversation knows, it’s very easy to go down rabbit holes and head off on tangents that aren’t necessarily relevant. A great interviewer, however, will know how to keep the conversation flowing, on topic, and on track.
Many of our authors have limited time or energy, so our interviewers also practice good time management and ensure that the right amount of material is covered within the time allotted for each conversation.
Finding the right match
Along with these traits, we work hard to ensure that our interviewers are a good match for the authors they’re assigned to. For example, if an author is interested in baseball, we will try to find an interviewer who shares the same passion for this great American pastime.
The same goes for the author’s background. If, for example, the author grew up in Europe, we will make it our aim to find an interviewer who was also raised on the continent or who, at least, has spent a significant amount of time there for school, work, or some other reason.
Such connections lead to richer conversations. Interviewers who have a deep knowledge of the author’s passions or background are able to show greater empathy, ask better questions, and actively listen with genuine interest and appreciation for the author’s life story.
Personality also plays a part. If, for example, an author is reserved and shy, we will try to find an interviewer with a similar quiet temperament. On the flip side, if an author is talkative and bubbly, we will try to find a more energetic interviewer who we think would be a great fit.
Friendships are forged
We have found that our approach to selecting and training interviewers often leads to close and lasting relationships. In reliving a person’s most consequential life experiences, the interviewer and author bond in a meaningful way, and deep friendships between author and interviewer often form. This is a bonus of the tried-and-tested LifeBook Memoirs interviewing process, and it really is amazing to see how two strangers can become dear friends in a short amount of time because of it.
The role of the ghostwriter
Once the interviews wrap up, it’s time for our LifeBook Memoirs ghostwriters to play their part. The ghostwriter’s job is to take the interviewer’s recordings and formulate them into a cohesive narrative for friends, family, and future generations to enjoy. They write on behalf of the author, without receiving public credit, invisible to everyone other than the project team—hence the name.
Our ghostwriters are so adept at writing in the individual, unique voices of authors that few readers tell the difference. This quality is incredibly valuable for the author. It is what makes it possible for them to have a personal autobiography, written in their authentic voice, without having to go through the arduous process of actually writing it.
Writing an engaging, interesting autobiography, however, is no walk in the park. For many, the idea feels daunting and unachievable, especially when people already have numerous demands on their time and energy. Having the services of a talented ghostwriter on hand can be a huge and welcome relief for those who want to record their life story.
As with our interviewers, we go to great lengths to hire top-quality ghostwriters to pen the autobiographies of our authors. Here are a few of the qualities we look for:
Exceptional writing skills
Ghostwriters need the versatility to write in many different voices, tones, and styles. They need to be clear, precise, and concise to ensure the storyline is easily understood. And, of course, they need a deep understanding of story structure to help build a compelling narrative.
Capturing the authentic voice of another person requires the ghostwriter to pay close attention to the author’s unique speech patterns, tone, and phrasing. This sounds difficult—and it is—but good ghostwriters become so well-versed in their author’s personalities and storytelling styles that they are able to share their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives as if they were their own.
Active collaboration
In order to be effective, ghostwriters need to have a clear understanding of the author’s expectations, goals, and vision for their project. Acquiring this understanding, to ensure the author is happy with the story execution and direction, requires a significant amount of work before getting started. It also requires continued diligence once the project is underway.
Adaptability
Ghostwriters work with authors who have their own personalities, preferences, and communication styles. It’s imperative that they stay open to feedback and are open to adjusting on the fly when an author’s direction, goals, or vision for the project suddenly shifts.
Persistence
Writing a personal autobiography on behalf of another person is a complex and time-consuming yet rewarding challenge. To meet that challenge head on, ghostwriters need the fortitude to continue iterating their wording or story structure until it meets the author’s desires and expectations.
Humility
Humility is perhaps the most important quality for a ghostwriter to possess. Since ghostwriters don’t receive public credit or acclaim for their substantial efforts, they need to focus on delivering high-quality work for their authors.
Ghostwriters who successfully bring these skills and qualities together become indispensable and often treasured partners for authors who want their priceless life stories preserved and told in a skilled, professional way. Thanks to the utmost care they bring to every life story they write, LifeBook Memoirs authors receive completed autobiographies that align with their hopes, visions, and goals for their projects.
Parting words
Hopefully, you now have a good understanding of the lengths that we at LifeBook Memoirs go to in order to surround authors with people who make a meaningful and enjoyable job of creating a private autobiography. With their help, writing your life story needn’t be a solo endeavor. We understand the value of every life story, and we want to ensure that each one we create is told in the best way possible, so we have identified exactly what makes a great interviewer, and we go to great lengths to deliver those qualities every time.
This means marshalling the finest professionals—people who personally care for you and your story and who deeply and truly learn and understand who you are, where you’ve been, what you’ve done and endured, the lessons you’ve learned, and the person you’ve become.
Get in touch
Interested in capturing your life story for friends, family members, and future generations? We’d love to hear about your goals, vision, and expectations for your personal autobiography. Our skilled interviewers and ghostwriters will ensure your life is preserved, cherished, and never forgotten.
It’s easy to get started. Just click here or call (561) 782-9119. Our team is here and standing ready to answer all your questions. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Written by the LifeBook Memoirs editorial team
