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Blog Entries: 1 to 4 of 4
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Spring 2025
AVOIDING BASIC RESEARCH MISTAKES, Part I
Mistakes happen – we are only human – but to avoid incorporating them into our research, and by extension our writing, we need to become familiar with some of the more common genealogical pitfalls. Sometimes our intense focus on a specific research subject can cause us to develop a type of tunnel vision that translates into something I like to call that “well, duh” moment later on.
- RELYING ON TOO FEW SOURCES
Fundamental mistakes can happen when we rely exclusively on only one or two basic resources. This can result in a one-dimensional subject that cries out for something more expansive. More records equate to more satisfying stories. Timelines are invaluable.
This function applies to those interesting individuals that you cannot prove are linked to your tree, but keep you locked into a never-ending genealogical loop.Don’t let those “bright, shiny objects” stall your forward progress.It’s time to get out the pruning shears and refocus your efforts.Stories are more fun when the ancestors are yours.
- MAKING UNSUPPORTED ASSUMPTIONS
As genealogists we understand that documents can contain discrepancies, but that doesn’t mean that we compound the problem by ignoring the inconsistencies and making unfounded assumptions.It is better to “dig deeper” into the records that may reveal the truth instead of assuming that they don’t exist.Genealogists strive for non-fiction stories.
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Winter 2025
HOW TO WRITE THINGS WORTH READING
or
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BORING ANCESTOR
As genealogists, we are in the best position to create stories about our ancestors. Aided by all the advancements in genealogical research over the years, we have become the best source of information about our forebears. The trick is to ensure that all our hard work not only outlasts us but is also interesting to read. This is where the ability to tell a story becomes essential.
All you need is the story itself and the desire to tell it. Start by chasing stories that inspire you and get your “creative juices” flowing. Use specific memories to spark the writing process. Learn as much as possible about your ancestor’s life and times, personality, relationships, and the community in which they lived, then:
- Create a writing project summary: Who or what is your focus? How do you picture the final project – short story, newsletter, book?
- Choose the audience for your story: Family, historical or genealogical society, general public.
- Follow themes found in your research such as: Patriotism, religion, occupation, migration, hardship, etc.
- Include visuals: Family tree or group sheet, military, baptismal, or wedding records, photographs, newspaper articles, etc.
Remember that you have the “inside track” into your ancestry and you need to share those stories before they become just a thing of the past.
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Fall 2024
SUGGESTIONS FOR WHEN THE
WRITING “WELL” RUNS DRY
Not every family story has to be written in an essay-style format, there are other avenues you can explore for recording, preserving, and sharing your research.
- mily Newsletter: Use one of the templets found in your word processing program or design your own. Give your newsletter a title, include a brief introduction and a photograph or two, and some basic information about your family history. Decide how often you are going to issue your newsletter and remember to keep the information brief but interesting. Make sure to include contact information so family members can send updates for future issues.
- Photograph Journaling: This is like scrapbooking except that the focus is on photographs with short stories attached. Keep the topic focused on one individual or event in an individual’s life. Companies like Shutterfly® make it easy to create lovely keepsakes to share with family members.
- Scrapbooking or Heritage Album: Scrapbooking albums come in a variety of sizes and styles and can showcase a variety of subjects. Scrapbooking is a colorful and imaginative way to display family reunion memories, travel adventures, notable anniversaries, or special events in your family history.
- Family Facebook Group: Creating a Facebook group around a family surname can help in finding relatives scattered around the globe. Use your Facebook page to announce reunions, gather and share family history research, tell short stories about ancestors, and request help with brick wall subjects. Don’t forget, you can make your page private if desired.
- Video and Audio Recordings: Using your smartphone when you interview a relative is another way to record family history. Prior to taping, be sure to get permission and arrive with a list of questions that you have cleared with the interviewee. These recordings can later be uploaded to the cloud and sent to family members as attachments on text messages or emails.
- Family Reunion Recipe Collection: Prior to the reunion, ask attendees to send in a favorite family recipe along with anecdotes or family stories attached to the recipe and a photograph or two of the cook or the family at mealtime to illustrate the history of the recipe. Collect all the recipes into a binder and distribute at the reunion.
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Summer 2024
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR
EFFECTIVE STORYTELLING
In 1989, Stephen Covey wrote a self-help book called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and in 2024, Danny Heitman applied this principle to becoming an effective writer in his article published in the Phi Kappa Phi Forum. Below is a summary of his article.
Keep a Notebook: Jot down your ideas as they come to you – they can become the basis for a piece of writing.
Read Your Writing Out Loud: Writing should reflect regular speech, and reading your writing out loud is a wonderful way to spot problems.
Write Something Every Day: Think of writing as a muscle that needs to be exercised to stay focused and healthy.
Have a Writing Friend: Someone who can read your writing and offer honest feedback – a fellow member of a writing group could be a great option.
Be Open to Criticism: This is hard for all of us, but remember that writing is supposed to be a “conversation between a writer and a reader,” and constructive criticism can help the flow.
Consider Your Audience: Don’t forget who you are writing for – storytelling often falls flat when you forget who you are trying to reach.
Read: To learn how to write effectively, read often and sample a variety of work.
Above all, remember that the goal in writing isn’t to immediately strive for perfection, but to find a story that is worth telling in your own voice. Don’t be discouraged, storytelling is more about the courage to begin than about the skill required to do so. |
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