7 questions that unlock real stories

What could you see from your bedroom window when you were ten?

This one works every time. It's specific enough to land somewhere real but open enough to go anywhere.

What did your mum's hands look like?

Sensory, unexpected, and it always unlocks something. People pause, picture it, and then the stories come.

What's a smell that takes you straight back?

Smell is the most powerful memory trigger. This question bypasses the thinking brain and goes straight to feeling.

Who do you wish you'd kept in touch with?

Gentle enough to be safe, but it opens up to real feeling. Often leads to the best stories.

What did you swear you'd never do as a parent that you ended up doing?

This one makes people laugh first, then think. The laugh opens them up.

What's the first piece of music you remember loving?

Music is a time machine. Name the song and they're back in the room.

Was there a teacher who saw something in you?

Almost everyone has one. And the way they talk about that person tells you everything about who they became.