Here, the term ‘life stories’ includes all sorts of stories from your life experiences, memories of someone in your life, or your family history. The stories may come from childhood or adulthood. You might describe a memorable moment, tell a true tale of yours, help an elder share stories from their life, or write about an ancestor. Life stories may be written, told aloud, and/or shown in images. They don't have to follow a standard 'story' format - there are many options (e.g. poem or profile).

A ‘life story’ summarizes someone’s life, covering their whole lifespan. Where were they from, what did they do, who did they love? What challenges did they face, and how did they handle triumph or tragedy? A life story allows for more perspective and commentary than a biography or autobiography. Although generally thought of as book-length, you can tell a life story in a short format (such as a profile, essay, or obituary).

On this site, your lineage refers to the line of ancestors from whom you descend directly, going back in time. In genealogy, ‘family lineage’ means a group of individuals who all descend from one common ancestor. A ‘lineage society’ may include people with the same surname, or who descend from original members of a group (such as historical founders of a town).

In the context of telling life stories, media is what the ‘final product’ is made of and how and where it is shared. You could write a story and then share it in one or more ways: publish in print, post online, or record as an audio story. You might show your story in pictures: still images in a scrapbook or album, moving images in a slideshow or movie, or your own drawings. These various formats are all types of media.

In a memoir, someone shares their reflections on an aspect of their life and the meaning they make from related experiences. It includes their thoughts and perspective about key events, how they faced challenges and how their views or actions may have changed as a result. A memoir is written as a book. Brief (or 'mini') memoirs and personal essays are shorter ways to share some of your memories and experiences.

On this site, a memorial refers to a written or spoken piece to honour and remember someone who has passed. Types include a tribute, eulogy, obituary, online memorial page, remembrance essay or any celebration of the person’s life. In general usage, a memorial also refers to a monument, inscription on a gravestone, or ceremony to honour the deceased.

The things we remember from our past, about what we've seen, felt and experienced. A certain sound or scent may bring up a memory. Our elders have memories about their life experiences and family history. Friends and relatives have memories of loved ones. Memories are perishable - it’s worth capturing and preserving them while you can!

On this site, the term ‘the memory of someone’ most often refers to keeping the memory of them ‘alive’ in people’s hearts and minds after they die. The hope is that by speaking or writing about their qualities, they will be remembered by those who remain. The second use of ‘memory’ on this site is about individual (yours and mine) and collective (societal or group) memory. Memory may be accurate and informed by fact, and/or include bias and false stories.

A story or storyline: spoken aloud, written, or told through pictures. It connects a series of events and actions (like a movie that tells a story, versus a mixed collage of photos). A narrative poem tells a story, unlike a poem that is descriptive or abstract. A narrative family history tends to be book-length or written as a story or essay (as opposed to a compilation of individual ancestor profiles).

Oral (spoken) history is sometimes called aural (heard) history. Indigenous cultures have a strong tradition of transmitting heritage this way to next generations. In European-based societies with a focus on written records, oral history may lean towards family lore.

In simplest terms (mine, I admit), a poem is a piece of writing that is not prose (full sentences and paragraphs). Think of lyrics to a song. Poems can have precise structured forms, but ‘free verse’ is whatever you want! You might write a descriptive poem to share a memory, tell a story through a narrative poem, or write a poem as a tribute to someone from your life.

On this site about telling life stories, a profile refers to a brief write-up about someone. It could be you, but more likely someone significant in your life, or an individual ancestor. A profile tends to be one or two pages long, and may include photos. An ancestor profile gives an overview of their life. A ‘bio’ is similar, but is usually one or two paragraphs that focus on part of someone’s life (e.g. their career or role in the military).

Similar to a C.V. (the terms are often used to mean the same thing). As with job applications, a person's C.V. tends to be chronological and focus on titles and achievements. A résumé has more optional formats, such as to focus on skills and interests. Similarly, a résumé-style profile could have categories for an individual's roles in life (e.g. parent, traveler, writer) or their qualities (e.g. ambitious, caring, funny).

An old-style scrapbook has mementos and photos stuck to pages. It may be about an event such as a trip (with tickets, a menu, a postcard…). Titles, notes, captions and doodles may round out the page and tell a story. An option these days is a digital scrapbook, with apps (user-friendly software) available to help create the whole project.

Self-publishing is a way to share your writing (in print, digital or audio-book format) that gives you control over your work and enables you to ‘put it out there’. Self-publishing companies and online services are there to ease the process. The term ‘publish’ on its own means to submit your manuscript or sample to a publishing house – if accepted, it is edited and put forth under their label.

A story takes listeners (or readers or viewers) through the ups and downs faced by a character as they try to reach their goal. On this site, as in common usage, ‘story’ also includes other ways of sharing an experience, such as describing the memory of a spectacular sunset, the qualities of someone special, or the highlights of an ancestor’s life.

The most basic story structure is: beginning, middle, end. This reminds us that a story follows someone on a journey: something happens at the outset, then they go through ups and downs until their efforts are resolved one way or another. Plays, movies, and short stories all use a version of this time-tested approach to storytelling, which has engaged people since ancient campfire days!

Storytelling is the art and act of telling a story. It may be done around a campfire or dinner-table, at a live storytelling venue, in writing, or in visual formats such as films. When you are telling stories from your life, or about your elders and family history, you are engaged in storytelling. It’s fine to describe your memories any way you like, yet there are certain storytelling techniques to help engage your audience.

In genealogy circles, this refers to the largest worldwide providers of ancestry-related services (here in alphabetical order): Ancestry, Family Search, Find My Past, and My Heritage. Each has their own set of services, some offered free, others at a cost. Types of services include: online searches of public records, how-to guides, family tree-making software, DNA testing and results analysis, and apps to help you share family stories!

The theme of a story is the over-arching message or aspect of life being explored. A romantic story may have the theme "love is blind". A family history may include stories of resilience, as ancestors persevere "against all odds". It doesn't have to be a moral, but it runs through the whole story.

A throughline in a story refers to the overall theme, series of actions, or other element that runs through the whole piece and connects the parts. This is why it is sometimes called the ‘spine’ of the story (such as in a book, film or theatrical play). In writing a memoir, sharing someone’s life story, or relaying family history, a consistent throughline helps create a cohesive piece for your reader to follow.

In life storytelling, a timeline shows key milestones and dates in someone’s life: their birth, places they lived, perhaps military service, marriage, birth of any children, and their date of death and burial. When you research an ancestor, it’s helpful to create a timeline to see what info you have, what you're missing, and to piece together the story of their life.

A tribute to someone can be written, spoken, or displayed in a series of photos. It might be a speech at someone’s wedding, graduation or retirement. A memorial tribute is shared at someone’s celebration of life or funeral, or published in print or online for others to see. One form of tribute is a book of memories and photos about someone – or any way to highlight their qualities and acknowledge their accomplishments.

A turning point is a big shift in someone’s life situation, outlook or actions. The term is used in screenwriting, when the main character makes a choice that launches them into a whole new ‘adventure’ - or they hit a low point and must decide what to do. In telling life stories, it’s good to notice when you or the person you’re writing about met someone, faced a situation, or made a decision that changed their life. This can give rise to the kind of story people like to hear.

This includes any manner of telling a story through or (mostly) with images. The images could be photos, drawings, videos, maps, diagrams, or any visual representation. The key is that it’s not just a jumble of pictures, they are arranged (perhaps with annotation, captions or voice-over) to tell a story – in this case from your or someone else’s life, or family history.

This refers mainly to a narrator's style as they tell a story. Whether told aloud or in writing, the voice is the way of speaking. To ‘use your own voice’ is to tell the story as you would in your own manner of speech with your usual vocabulary. When you write stories, particularly from your life, it’s good to use an ‘active' versus a 'passive’ voice as a writing technique to engage your readers.