Genealogy Pointers

Yes, genealogy is fun researching generation after generation. The new discoveries are an adventure to wonder down but now that you have tons of information on you’re family lines how about writing a family history book? Sound to daunting of a task, doesn’t it? Well, it really isn’t and it can be fun to put together.

Here are 5 easy steps to follow and you will have that family history book done before you realize it and your relatives will love you for it.

1. Choosing a Format
Try to picture what you would like your family history book to be. Do you want a full-scale, hardbound book for other genealogist to use as a reference or just photocopies of pages for your family to share? What are your obligations and time restraints for working on your family history book project? Would a family newsletter or Web site by better. You have to be honest and realistic with yourself about the type of family history book and your time schedule. Otherwise you will have this unfinished project just laying around and nagging at you for years to come.

Consider the audience, the type of information you have to work with and your interest, here are some ideas that your family history can take:

Scrapbook: If you are lucky enough to have accumulated a large collection of family photos and memorabilia then a scrapbook or photo album may be the fun way to tell your family story. Photos have to be in chronological order and include descriptions, stories and a family tree to complement the pictures.

Memoir/Narrative: Combining stories and personal experiences, memoirs and narratives don’t need to include everything or be objective.

Memoirs do usually focus of a specific time period of the life of a particular ancestor, while a narrative generally includes a group of ancestors.

Family Cookbook: Family cookbooks are fun to put together and help carry on a family cooking traditions. You can write about each person that contributes a recipe and how it has been handed down from generation to generation.

Most family histories are combined of personal stories, photos and family trees; this is narrative.

2. Define the Coverage of your Family History
Do you intend to write about every individual in your family tree or just about one particular person? Next you need to choose a center of interest for your family history book. Some possibilities could be:

Every descendant of a particular individual or couple and all of their descendants, organize each generation by chapters. If you know who the original immigrant was this is a good starting point.

Chapters by grandparents starting with your grandparents; working backwards through their ancestry or forward from his/her earliest known ancestor.

One single line of a descendant beginning with the earliest known ancestor; following him or her through a single line of descent. Each chapter of your family history book would cover one ancestor or generation.

Particular surname or geographical area of a descendant for example, your grandparents that were born, raised and died in a small town.

Choosing any one of these steps would be easy for your time and interest.

3. Deadlines:
Set a deadline even if you think you can’t meet it. This will force you to concentrate and complete each stage of your project. The goal would be to complete each piece within a specific time frame. Polishing will be done at a later time. The best way to make this happen is to set a writing schedule and stick to it.

4. Themes and Plot
You have to think of your ancestors as characters that you would read about in story form. What obstacles and problems did your ancestors face? Your family history has to have interest and focus; this is plot. Some could be:

War Survival
Pioneer or Farm Life
Migration form state to state
Immigration
Slavery

5. Background Research
If your ancestors didn’t leave must of their experiences behind them, then look to the social histories of that particular place. Your family history needs to make the reader feel like they are in your ancestors shoes, in other words, if your family history is dull and boring, know one will want to read it.