Writing Genealogy and Family History

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Comment by Anita Wills on July 22, 2009 at 12:06pm

Julie,
I used word in Windows XP, which has all of the features you need to create your document. You can add the Table of Contents, footnotes, end notes, and index (if you desire).

Comment by Julie Garner Clarke on July 22, 2009 at 11:43am

Just joined - have researched extensively and am ready to start writing family history, but am a novice at this. What's the best application to use to create a book - Word?

Comment by Lynn Palermo on July 22, 2009 at 6:42am

I just joined the group. I'm a freelance writer and write mostly for genealogy magazines. I am currently writing my own family history book. I really love to write life stories. For me genealogy isn't just about discovering the facts of a person's life, although I do enjoy uncovering the mystery and the chase involved in looking for a document. I really enjoy linking all those facts together to really see the person and the life story behind them. Looking forward to being a part of your group.

Comment by Lynda Ord on July 21, 2009 at 11:15pm

Many thanks to Trudy and Caro for their welcoming posts. To answer your question Trudy I don't make the DVD photo shows for as I don't often have the time but they are becoming more and more popular here at funerals/celebrations of life. I travel quite long distances to meet my clients and with often only two days before the service, I wouldn't have the time. It is an area I'm just about to start improving my skills though especially as I've just come back from our local nursing home where I spoke to a group of residents and their carers about family stories where they showed me a wonderful DVD their inspired social worker has put together showing photos of their happy times set to music of their choosing. It was wonderful to see their faces light up as they see themselves in happier days on the screen. I have spoken to a number of volunteer and service groups about family stories in my area and I always hear such wonderful tales of their lives which is so rewarding for me.

regards

Lynda

Comment by Caro Nally on July 21, 2009 at 4:01pm

Hey Brenda

The proof reading circle is more or less whenever anyone needs it. My thought was that someone would post a thread or respond to the master thread and upload the file through the post, unless someone has a better idea. I would suggest though that any files being uploaded and such would be in PDF form so that everyone would be able to see the files, regardless of what programs are on their computers.

I haven't started much either. I'm working on writing my Register Forms and making sure I have everyone, which isn't exactly an easy task since so few people (in the particular family I'm working on at the moment) are being helpful; most are just ignoring my emails.

If you are looking for some ideas on how to put your information together, I suggest you talk to Trudy. She seems to have a lot of experience in this field. (-:

Welcome to the group and good luck with your writing!

Comment by Lee Moats Beedle on July 21, 2009 at 3:51pm

Hi Caro,
I just joined the group and was reading all the comments. I saw your post about a proof-reading circle and was wondering if you've formed one yet. I'm new to the genealogy thing and I've gotten lots of family information online, however I don't know how to organize it either. A book is a great idea as I've got 4 kids and only 1 will be able to take what I have now. Long story short I figure proof-reading others' work I will find something that works for me, or at least get an idea of where to go from here.

Comment by Trudy Doolittle on July 20, 2009 at 7:19pm

Priscilla,
One thing I would suggest you do is see if you can find first person journals of the timeframe you are writing. I wrote a novel based on the Oregon Trail. I found a whole set of published journals written by women. The one thing I found about these journals was the control of emotion. They spent more time describing rather than sharing emotions. They would mention the death of a child or other relative, but didn't share their grief. I think in learning what they went through and understanding the emotions that would go with the event, you can write realistic events for your ancestors. Let's say for example my gg grandmother was born in Kansas in 1860 and as a child experienced her parents assisting in the underground railroad. So I need to study that era and try to get first person accounts. Then I can describe how my gg grandmother's life might have fit into the era. I need to find the quote, but one author wrote novels about a real person and said she wrote "a biography of a life imagined". Something like that.

Comment by Caro Nally on July 20, 2009 at 7:04pm

Ancestryprinting.com will print large family trees as well. They offer three sizes, 24", 36" 42" wide and as long as you need them. They have their own printing press and everything so the tree is on one continuous sheet of paper.

I have a lot of names to add my file tonight and should getting more within the week. Currently I'm at 1263. I should break 1500 easy by the end of the week. Hopefully I'll get more. I really want to hit 2000!

Comment by Trudy Doolittle on July 20, 2009 at 6:40pm

I'm not sure if I can find it again, but I found a site that would print out huge poster size family trees. They provide the software. You run your GEDCOM through the software and it generates (in my case) a huge family tree. You send this file to them and for $20 they will print it out for you. Then you can take it to Staples and have it copied for about $5 each. I had copies made for each of my siblings and a couple of cousins and gave them out at my aunt's memorial service. Everyone thought they were really neat. P.S. I have over 900 names in my Family Tree Maker file.

Comment by Caro Nally on July 20, 2009 at 12:09pm

Lynda

That sounds a wonderful job. I assume the families give you information on the person's life and family and you put it in words, in a concise and meaningful manner. How amazing for those families. I'm sure you are greatly appreciated by your clients.

I like the video idea, too. I've seen some wonderful videos for funerals and for weddings. They truly capture the person's (or persons') spirit. I made a video slide show, complete with music, for my daughter's six month birthday. We had a little celebration where we painted a pot and planted a tree in it. It was very healing for me (since her birth was not ideal). I can only imagine how healing something like that would be for someone who lost a loved one.

Of course you are welcomed here. If you will notice (and Priscilla, too) I changed the group description a little bit. I didn't really think about it when I first wrote it, but I wanted to make sure you felt included. (-:

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