Ask people these 63 questions about death for storytelling.
I have interviewed hundreds of people about the period when a family member has passed away. Based on the answers I received in those interviews, I have put together a list of writing prompts and questions about the death of individuals to ask people when writing narratives. Use these prompts and questions to help you
- Identify events and memories you can write about
- Organize and write your narrative and story
- Develop questions to ask other people about their life’s
- Organize, research and write stories about others
- Know what type of information to include in narratives and stories
- Identify memorabilia, artifacts, photos, documents to include in stories
- Develop ideas for journaling, story starters, poetry, memoirs, and more
Writing Prompts and Questions About Death of an Individual
The “Death of Individual” writing prompts and questions to ask people are part of the 28 articles, 108 category series entitled “7,500-plus Questions About Life to Ask People When Writing Narratives.” The prompts and questions are provided to help you look at the death of an individual from as many angles as possible when writing narratives about yourself, your family, and others.
Find 63 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write about an individual, your family, and others. These questions about the death of an individual cover various aspects and memories about the person, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences
Approach each topic from the point of view of the person/lives you are writing about. You don’t have to ask every question. Review the questions and determine which ones are most appropriate to ask. I would encourage you to modify and add questions as you desire.
I have prepared a couple of other resources that will provide value in interviewing for and writing individual, personal, and family narratives: “Complete Guide for Conducting Oral History Interviews” and “Complete Guide to Writing A Personal Narrative.”
- What do you know about the death of this individual?
• What is the name of the person?
• How old was the individual?
• When was the person born?
• What was the date of death?
• Where did they live?
• What were the circumstances of their death? Such as medical condition, old age, accident, unknown? - How did family and friends respond to their death? Explain.
- What was the person doing in their life during the time of their death? Such as occupation, hobby, and more?
- What are the known highlights of this person’s life? Any other questions about the death of the individual?
• Highlights of life age 0-11?
• Highlights of life age 11-18?
• Highlights of life age 18-25?
• Highlights of life age 25-45?
• Highlights of life age 45-65?
• Highlights of life age 65+? - What do we know about the person’s life in regards to
• Parents and siblings?
• Current family?
• Work/career?
• Individual interests/hobbies?
• Religious affiliation and activity?
• Other? - Who was the person survived by?
• Spouse?
• Parents?
• Family?
• Siblings?
• Children and their families? - Who died before this person?
• Spouse?
• Parents?
• Family?
• Siblings?
• Children and their families - Where family, friends, or others present at the time of death?
• If yes, can you share the experience? - Was there an obituary? If yes, where was it placed? Such as newspapers, online.
- What happened to the remains of the person? Such as buried, cremated.
• What are the family, religious, cultural traditions?
• Is there a cemetery or place where you can go to visit the remains? Such as cemetery? If yes, where? - Was there a viewing, service, funeral, wake or other for this person?
• Describe the observances and questions about the death of an individual?
• Where the observances governed by religious or cultural traditions? Explain.
• Describe the traditions and why they are observed?
• How were the observances carried out? If possible, share from start to finish?
• Where were the observances held?
• Who attended the observances?
• Was there a program such as speakers, eulogy, memorials for the observances?
• If there was a program, who spoke during the observance? Was it recorded? If yes, who has a copy? Are there printed versions? If yes, who has copies?
• Was there a casket, urn or other?
• What happened after each observance? - Was there a gathering of the family after the individual’s death?
• Where was the gathering?
• What was the purpose of the gathering?
• What happened at the gathering? - Did the individual have a will or living trust?
• What do you know about the will or living trust?
• How were the will and trust shared with family, friends and others?
• How did the family, friends, and others who were mentioned in the trust or will respond? Explain - What other questions about the death of an individual should we ask?
- Did the person leave behind artifacts that tell the story of their life? Such as photo albums, journals, letters and cards, pictures, physical artifacts (e.g., awards, badges, clothing)?
• Who is the caretaker of such artifacts?
• Is it possible to have made copies of the artifacts with a camera, scanning, etc.?
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