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Tips for Family History Writing
In recent years, researching one's genealogy has become a popular hobby. If you have gotten interested in delving into the past, surely you want to do all you can to write the history up in a way that is not boring. On the other hand, maybe a reunion is coming up and you have been unanimously elected (except for your own vote!) to be the writer of the family's history. How can you get the best story out of the real life story of your kith and kin?
First, look for unifying threads among your family. Sure, there may be brown eyes or bald heads that show up with uncanny regularity, but look deeper into who those people really are or were. Are there a lot of preachers or teachers in your family line? Maybe they were migrant workers or European immigrants not so many generations ago. Perhaps the family has been known for their musical abilities or their stubbornness. Use these ideas to weave a thread throughout the story that ties it all together.
If possible, interview the older relatives and note interesting anecdotes about various family members. It doesn't matter if the story seems a little unimportant. Happenings from every day life interest us all because we can relate to them. Look for romance and humor. Look for excitement and heroism. Look for values and evidence of good character.
Remember that good fiction requires conflict. If you want your family history to read like an interesting novel, make the most out of conflict, whether it is in war hero stories or man versus the elements. Did some of the family travel west in a covered wagon or immigrate to America on a sailing ship? Surely there were moments of suspense during these events.
Depending on your situation, you can fictionalize the story into a great read or you can report the facts in as creative a way as you can. Just make sure the reader knows the difference. By the way, who is your reader? This is a valuable question to ask yourself when you start any writing task. The fact is, everyone will not be reading your family history. Who will, and what sort of story will keep them reading?
The title you pick for your family history can mean the difference between people wanting to read it and people dreading it because it sounds like a chore. Use the unifying quality you discovered earlier as you create your title. "The Musical Martins Through the Years" is a better title than "The History of the Martin Family."
What sort of format will work best for your family history? Will you want to make a professionally bound and published book that each member can take home, or will it be adequate to have everything in a single hand-written and crafted loose-leaf notebook? Remember that a professionally printed book will require a certain amount of money. If you are a little tech savvy and have some good software, you can create a nice booklet on your home computer.
When you are finished writing your family history, it is a good idea to let some of your older family members read the rough draft before it goes to the printers. These patriarchs and matriarchs can let you know if some of your facts are incorrect. Consider letting your writer friends take a look at it, too, to give you ideas for improving the readability and style of your writing.
One final note is that when writing your family history, if you uncover old grudges and feuds, why not minimize them? Look for the positive traits in your family, and your retelling of their story can inspire the generations to come.
Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
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About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com
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Thank you for reading. Keep writing!
Best,
Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
WriteSparks!™ creator
WriteSparks.com
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