Writing Genealogy and Family History

Comment

Comment by Catherine Davis on August 15, 2009 at 7:57pm

By the way, while you may need Adobe to fulfill the software requirements of Blurb or other online publishing companies, most commercial printers won't care where you created a PDF. PDF Creator is a freebie program created by a bunch of shareware guys that you can download from many different companies just by googling PDF Creator. Some companies will actually try to charge you for the program, but my understanding it is exactly the same program as the free version. It doesn't allow you to edit a PDF, like Adobe does, but if you find an error after you create the PDF, you can always go back to your Word document, do the edits there, and recreate the PDF--it's basically point and click. I've used PDF Creator to create annual reports for a nonprofit and my local printer has never had a problem with them. He can use them with his Adobe programs.

Comment by Catherine Davis on August 15, 2009 at 7:49pm

Have you talked with your local print shop? Or even Kinkos? I don't know if either would be able to bind hardcover books, but Kinkos, and many independents too, can do paperbacks, and give you a choice of binding types, including traditional bookbinding, not just spiral or three-hole. With our current economy hurting small businesses, you might find your local printer willing to give you a deal, and be more than happy to incorporate different kinds of paper.

Comment by Sarah Coles on August 10, 2009 at 12:51pm

Thanks for the replies and advice. Shari ask why not Blurb for family history publication. Don't get me wrong but Blurb did a very nice job on the three books I had published by them but they were nothing like I have been planning for a family history book/s. I had a lot of photos in those Blurb books and some text which was a pain to deal with. The program you donwload to use for creating your books works extremely slow on my computer and it would get frustrating at times. I really need more RAM to deal with that.

Also, it lacks a good text editor so I used Word to create text and did the cut and past routine which was very time consuming. For my family history books I would like to incororate PDF files and Blurb just recently added that feature but I was disappointed in the way you have to do that. They provide templates for Adobe InDesign and I don't have that software nor do I intend to get that at a price of $699! They do claim that they are working on templates for other desktop publishing software.

Also, for the amount of material I wish to put into my book/s it would cost a forturne to have it published by them. You are limited on paper choice. I would like to have a mix of paper for text and for photos and charts. It just isn't feasible for me to go that route. I'll have to look into some of the other suggestions made here by other contributors. Thanks again for the feedback. I am just doing preliminary investigating right now as I have a lot more writing to do on this project.

Comment by Caro Nally on August 10, 2009 at 12:22pm

Hey everyone

I just wanted to let you know that I am here and I'm not ignoring the group. Due to some personal matters, I've been offline and will probably remain so for a little while long, but I am here. I found an internet cafe where I can at least get online for a few hours every so often.

Keep up the awesome work!!

Comment by Rose Marie Morrell on August 7, 2009 at 10:51pm

Stephanie,

I offer my clients several publishing options. I have used online publishing options with Cherish Bound (a competitor of Heritage Makers), and Memory Press.

But, when I want to make sure the book turns out the way I really want it I use Family Heritage Publishers (Utah Bookbinding) in Salt Lake City. I live less than a mile from them, I have had books published by them and their quality is top-notch. I don't know where you live, but perhaps there is a local publishing company that could give you the service you need.

Rose Marie Morrell
A Lifetime Remembered, LLC

Comment by Shari McLaws on August 7, 2009 at 8:38pm

Hi Stephanie,

I'm publishing my books through Heritage Makers (also a self publishing Internet company) I'm an independent consultant for them (www.sharingheritage.com). Its perfect for my family history stuff because its archived and I can buy books for years to come. Also if any books are damaged at all (fire, kids, etc.) I can buy it at 50% off. If you want for info email me at shari@sharingheritage.com. I love it!

Why won't Blurb work for your book if you don't mind me asking?

Shari

Comment by Sarah Coles on August 7, 2009 at 5:43pm

Hi!

Just joined this group in hopes to find out what others have experienced with self publishing websites or other forms of book publishing of their family history. I have had other types of books published by Blurb (a self-publishing Internet company) with very nice results but it will not serve my purposes in having my family history published so I am looking for another source..

Comment by Trudy Doolittle on August 2, 2009 at 1:46pm

I've been gathering information on my Revolutionary War Patriot and have a lot of stuff. I think I'll start writing there. I've picked a point where he was 75 years old and applying for his pension. Then it goes right into the flash-back. What I'm looking for is if the opening lines draw interest. You can find it in my blog.
Thanks for any input.

Comment by Shari McLaws on July 29, 2009 at 11:17pm

I think I will be doing my books featuring a Married couple, until I don't have enough stories to do a whole book on just them, then I will do the line as far as I can go. But I'm starting where I'm at right now. My Mom just finished her parents book, so I'm working on my Fathers parents.

Comment by Trudy Doolittle on July 29, 2009 at 10:45pm

Welcome shari. Are you going to do individual documents for each ancestor?

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