What happens when you treat your family stories like precious, searchable artefacts? We tried it one rainy Saturday and discovered people remember different versions of the same moment—and that’s the fun. The open loop: the simple structure that keeps this joyful rather than bureaucratic. I’ll come to it after the origin story.
It began with a shoebox of photos and a relative asking, “Who’s that, and why are they holding a chicken?” We knew names, not stories. So we made tea, opened a shared online doc, and decided to build a mini‑encyclopaedia with the seriousness of a pub quiz.
First, roles. We appointed a Keeper of Dates (the one who owns a calendar), a Story Catcher (good with questions), and a Scanner (tech‑curious, not tech‑terrifying). Everyone else became Contributors.
Second, structure. This is the bit that saved us: People, Places, Events, Phrases. Every entry belongs to one of those. We started with a dozen entries, nothing perfect. “Nan’s Biscuit Tin” went under Objects (we added that), linked to People (Nan, obviously) and Phrases (“Nothing wrong with a custard cream”).
Third, prompts. We asked AI for interview prompts that avoid interrogation: “Tell me about a time when…”; “What do you wish you’d asked…”; “What sayings should never die in our family?” Suddenly the shy ones had a doorway.
Fourth, searchability. Names standardised (full name, maiden name), locations tagged (town, street), dates rough but improving. We weren’t making a museum; we were making a friendly mess you can navigate.
The structure promised: People → Places → Events → Phrases → Objects. That kept the tone playful and the entries short. We ended the weekend with laughter, three legends contested, and a list of mysteries to solve—like the chicken.
Guardrails? Keep private details private. Share only what folks are happy to publish. And capture disagreements as such; future readers will love the drama.
Try a pilot this weekend. Two hours on Saturday, two on Sunday. Print a starter list of 20 prompts. Start with five entries. You’ll be surprised how alive it feels.
If this hit a nerve, join me on Substack: substack.com/@theoldgreythinker
