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I write a boring research paper on each ancestor using footnotes and subsequent citations. For ancestor books going to family, I either just use a bibliography at the end or a notice that they can request the research report with the sources. Through the books, they learn about family. I hope one of them will be inspired to get more deeply involved and want all the research.
@Write Your Family History, Now that I'm "On the clock" to become a Board Certified Genealogist, I have been even more cautious to ensure proper Chicago Style citations in my work. When I wrote my debut book, I asked my Editor to assist with the citation structure.
I have a question about not including family and geographical detail into sketches: my great grandma was sent to live with her late mothers parents when her mother and older sister had died from pneumonia. when she turned 18 (and by this point the family had moved states to their permanent settlement), she was sent away to help out her maternal uncle Walter. some years later, the two would birth my grandpa and his brother. Something like this event is key to how she ended up reproducing with her uncle. DNA matches who knew them personally have stated they were in love and would've married had it not been illegal. How can I tie this key event into her biography without run on sentences AND keeping it brief?
Jack Irwin Allenbach died shortly after his 27th birthday in a logging accident. He was a father to 2 daughters at death and conceived my Nanna presumable from birthday s*x.
I’ve written 4 books that were majority written by others through letters from 1919 to 1984. To complete the story another book needs to be written and I can no longer rely on letters written by others. However, I have videos and photographs for the time I need to cover. 1980-2010 You had a commenter on another video of yours that said he made a video about his story. I think this is a great idea since I have hours and hours of videos that covers the continuance and the finality of the story I want to tell. What are your thoughts. Should I do a video (it would in all likely hood be 3 videos for 3 decades). Or, have I gotten lazy relying on letters?
If you have a resource, there's no harm in using them. So, don't feel like you're lazy. I think you're blessed. If you have videos, then absolutely explore that format. It will be fun to hear how things go for you. I like that you keep trying new things.
@@WriteYourFamilyHistory I do feel blessed that my wacky Grandmother, for reason known only to her, kept and secured almost every letter she ever received. Without the letters, I would never have entered to world of family genealogy.
I'm just getting started, thanks in large part to this channel! I'm so glad you're back! At the beginning of this year I co-wrote (with his mother and his grandfather) a series of mini-biographies of my grandson's ancestors going back 200 years as a graduation gift. We created a lovely coffee table book, and although I am very glad we did it, I found the format kind of limiting, so I am now trying to get my arms around how to turn those mini-biographies for one branch of my family into a narrative with social history and historical context. This video helped to spark some new ideas about how to approach it. I am a professional writer, but family history is a very topic than anything I have written professionally, so the going is kind of slow, and I look forward to receiving my copy of "Recipes" and to future helpful videos like this! Thank you!!
Hey.. you started. That's half the battle! It beats looking at a blank page and thinking I don't know where to start. Treat the mini-biographies as the foundation for the next set of stories and keep questions coming.
@@WriteYourFamilyHistory According to Grandpa's letters - he finally convinced grandma that it was ok for a Protestant and a Catholic to marry. He promised that she could raise their children as Catholics and that sometimes he would even go to Mass with them.
Thank you for posting this video! It is like you make it just for me! In one branch of my family, besides marriages they did not talk about and child abandonment, there are several people with abusive and some with serious criminal histories. I have approached my main subject's story as showing them as the overcomer. Not sugar coating, just revealing the cause of their inner strength. While I try to remain neutral and factual, I do struggle with being compassionate in the face of such cruelty and ugliness. Sometimes I share insights on what happen to the person to make them that way without excusing the behavior. Sadly, in that part of the family there seems to be a generational pattern of abuse. I also try to balance my desire to be truthful, factual and complete with being senistive to the pain these victims have experienced. I let the reader know a living person or victim is out there and after their death, I will reveal their idenity and entire story. I have no desire to revictimize them again, but yet leave some "breadcrumbs" for future family historians. Additionally, for me to be silent makes me feel like I would be complicit in someone's abusive or criminal acts. Thank you for the suggestion on how to leave this information for people to access if I die before these people. As a last thought, in my research I have come across a living person I would love to reach out to but I have discovered their criminal backround makes them highly dangerous so to protect myself, I am not reaching out and keeping their idenity secret until after their death.
I am in the same boat, and I would love to know the answer to this question as well. There is nothing positive in this experience of abuse, and I don't want to write about it
Families are complex, and our stories are often challenging. I am glad that you're tackling the projects with care. It sounds like you're doing the best you can. I know there is healing in understanding a person's 'whole story', even if their actions are abhorrent. I pray your efforts to document the truth as neutrally as possible will have the intended effect for those who come across your story. Thank you for what you're doing.
@janineslifeofadventure Take a different approach, please. The stories of abuse have a positive lining for those who break the cycle and overcome it. The stories of abuse (and what may have led to the actions) can also serve as a cautionary tale. While the abuser, in this life, may not change and feel remorse for their actions, there is often good that can come out of the stories for others. I have found healing from knowing about the alcoholism in my family tree and the cycle breakers along the branches. Yes, there was abuse, but the rise from the darkness gives me hope and strength. May it do so for you.
I have just written a book about the people who lived and worked in an historical building in our town. Each chapter was written basically in chronological order yet, each chapter was a story on its own. Dealing with different people in a 200 year life span of the house, became much easier to explain with separate stories combined into one book.
I add them if they're important to the story and if they fit in. In the case of military members, like you said -- I'm not going to add every person in their unit, but I may mention a commander by name. My grandfather was good about writing little blurbs about people in his family history binder. For example, the priest who married them was apparently a friend of my grandmother's and theirs was the first wedding he officiated. If my grandfather hadn't written it down, at most I would have mentioned the priest's name in their wedding story.
I LOVE that your grandfather wrote that little tidbit. I bet the officiator was a wee bit nervous. But ministers that I've known always have a soft spot for their firsts (marriages, blessings, funerals, etc.)
I thought I'd write about my great grandmother, mostly because I remember her from the Christmas family gatherings. I was gung-ho. Then I found out that the most important things in her life were reading the Bible and going to church. Talk about a short story! Yes, some facts imply more to the story, but I'm a bit reluctant to conjecture very much. I don't want to initiate fake myths. Devon, I'm delighted to see you back online.
You can add details about the Bible she read (if you have, and perhaps she marked her favorite passages). You can also explain the beliefs of the church she attended. Never assume your reader knows the practices and beliefs someone shares. I have Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, United Brethren, and Episcopalians in my tree. I'm neither of those religions, so it's nice to incorporate a person of faith's religious worldview into the story. And that keeps you from creating myths but adds rich details to who your great-grandmother is.
I've made short videos stories from ancestors for my grandchildren since they are visual but I wrote the narratjve first. I'd love ideas to make these even better.
Hey, I have had people ask about doing exactly what you did. Glad you did it. I often invite people to draft everything and make books/projects that fit their audience. Short stories with lots of images for younger audiences and lengthier text (narratives) for older audiences. You have already started that. Yay!!!
The only writing experience I have is the books I've written about my family's history. I used a lot of fillers - such as newspaper articles, documents, letters, etc. to make a story longer. I've used AI as a proof reader - by that I mean - I'll write a paragraph, send it through AI. Most of the time AI makes a few changes and then I decide if I like the changes. Since I'm not writing a best seller I don't worry if the story is long enough or short enough. My goal was just to get the story out.
I use Grammarly's proofreading tool to do what you've mentioned. I don't often agree with the suggestions, but I love Grammarly's tips. Then, I can be intentional if I decline a suggestion. I love that your focus is 'just getting the story out.' Such a great vision. One short vs long question does depend on your audience. I don't think I addressed that as much. But, knowing your audience (after you've drafted a story) will also address the short vs long question. Shorter stories are great for younger audiences (and very disinterested family members). Longer stories are better for older audiences and those enthusiastic about learning the deeper context of their ancestors.
I just published a book about all the letters my Mom wrote (hundreds) in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. I also included some letters and cards she received from friends and relatives that I thought added to who my parents were during that time. I think knowing something about who our relatives and ancestors associated with helps us understand the type of person they were.
So true! I am checking out a service called Kindex. They apparently have an optical handwriting recognition feature that might be able to transcribe Andy's mission letters. If so, I plan on doing a project similar to yours where we discuss who he was writing to (or who he received letters from).
@Write Your Family History, I included some details in my book on a few associates of my 3rd and 4th GGFs because in one case, my 2nd Great Grandfather was named after Curtis Cannon and in the other, two men my 4th GGF served with in the Revolution swore oaths on Bounty Land Applications. On a different note, the National Genealogical Society 2025 meeting is in Louisville KY Memorial Weekend. I plan on being there, hopefully as a Presenter on Ohio Valley History. But if not selected, then I will be at the SAR Booth.
@Write Your Family History, You read in my book about how my great grandfather James sued a man for defamation. Since then, I've shocked my wife by finding a 1959 Engagement Announcement for her father, who was a US Soldier stationed in Germany. The woman was not my mother in law. The best we can determine is that it was a "Dear John" situation where he came home on Christmas Leave, got engaged, and then at some point in the year, she broke up with him. I found a Wedding Announcement for her and a completely different man 10 months later. It was after he got the "Dear John Letter" that he met and married a German Fraulein, then brought her to the States. They stayed married until his death in 2000.
I extensively used small Iowa farm town libraries newspaper archives to research my mothers life in the 1930's and 1940's in my family history book. She talked very little about her school life. I found out why. My siblings had a good chuckle reading about it. Casts a new respectful light on Mom.
Devon Noel!! Yay! Came across a random news clip about my immigrant gr-grandfather (who died when my grandfather was still a young kid) having an issue with a potato seller who was consistently not selling the weight he claimed to be. It's practically the only insight I have into his personality and how he was dealing with that issue is so much like how I likely would have that I felt an immediate connection to him that I hadn't previously. Newspapers are great for those kinds of tidbits. Glad to see ya, Devon Noel.
I'm glad to be returning. I'm also excited you learned that this video was live. I've been struggling to get the email announcements and other things going, but yay! I'm happy you found me again. I also love the newspaper tidbits you found, and it's so true they connect you to your ancestors. Thanks for sharing.
I write research notes in a table on Word. This helps me focus on one record at a time. In doing that, I have endnotes for the source citations. Because family members have asked me for information in story format (please write an “interesting family history”), I am (as office weeks ago, writing short narratives, <1,000 words, on a blog. These posts focus on one main document (eg marriage certificate, baptismal entry) with supporting documents. I write in the (Carol Baxter) fact-based narrative style. Some of my readers are family historians, so I list the facts from the document under my story, with a simplified citation so that they can find the same information for themselves. I also write “footnotes”, which I just call “notes”, which explain why I did a particular thing (eg I used the term “Church of England” not the recent Australian version “Anglican” because the former was historically accurate.) Finally, I end with a section called “Further Facts” where I clarify anything I’ve added to the story (eg where I found a biography of the officiating minister). All three of these are found after I’ve signed off on my story so, for the majority of my readers, who just want “infotainment”, there are no distractions from the story itself. I used to write academic papers, and loved it, but that would not suit my audience of cousins, aunts, etc.
Family doesn’t have a Crest, so I made one! it It combines symbols of the main countries that both sides of the family are descendent from. For my dad’s side of the family I put symbols from: the Basque country, Italy and Portugal. For my mom side of the family, I placed symbols from: France, Germany, and Portugal. I also put colors that represent the state I live in and the country I live in because the state I live just has one more color then my country ( Brazil) I also added a crown to symbolize monarchism ( the Brazilian crown) because my dad side of the family with my self included are all fans of the constitutional monarchy. My mom side of the family is more inclined to the ideas of the Republic.
I’m rewatching this video, because I’m thinking of starting a blog which will, of course, need stories! I just wanted to share some thoughts (background history from an Aussie perspective). My great-great-grandmother was born in Ireland but came to Australia (she had a brother and a cousin here who had come as “guests of His Majesty” but had served their sentence); the ship on which she sailed came from England not Ireland. Same goes for my Irish 3G-grandparents (different family line). Not all Irish immigrants sailed directly from Ireland, at least not to Australia. It makes more sense for USA because it’s across the Atlantic. To get to Australia, it was mostly down the west coast of Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope, restocking in what is now South Africa, then a trip across the Indian Ocean to Western Australia, round the southern coast for the ports of Adelaide and Melbourne, then north up the east coast to Sydney. This trip took eight months for the First Fleet (11 ships) of convicts and soldiers, leaving England in May 1787 to establish the first European settlement on what is now Australia, in the colony of New South Wales in January 1788. Nothing to do with Margaret Lally, but with your German ancestor, Joseph. Many Germans came to Australia, especially to South Australia, escaping religious persecution (Lutherans). South Australia was the only Australian colony established a “free settlement”; that is, not used as a convict settlement. Australia had a gold rush in the 1850s, so many immigrants arrived here, from all over the world, but particularly from Asia (Australia is closer to China than California or Alaska are!) I would imagine that the enticement of “riches” on the goldfields would bring poverty stricken immigrants to either of our countries. The Australian colonial government also offered assisted passages, especially to immigrants from Britain and Ireland, to entice more skilled labourers/tradesmen and single women to the colony. In the mid 1800s, men outnumbered women 5:1. My 2G-grandmother, mentioned above, was not here long before she married my ex-convict 2G-grandfather, who was much older. What many Americans don’t know is that, before the War of Independence, convicts were “transported” to the colonies of Virginia or Massachusetts as “indentured servants”. Australia was founded because Britain had lost its “penal colonies” when it lost the War and somewhere else had to be found to send the people whose greatest crime was “being poor” (hence the “Poor Law”). Fascinating facts that may shed some light on the relationship between the independent colonies of what was to become USA and the founding of European colonies half a world away, not only in longitude but also in latitude; and why some immigrants chose Australia rather than USA. Thank you for a most interesting channel, I love it. I hope this comment was not too long or tedious for you.
Your comment was a pleasure to read. Unfortunately, I had to take a break from content creation so I didn't see it until now. However, if you'll receive my gratitude for this insight (though a little late), you'll make my day.
I'm a master at using research to avoid writing. Also, there is nothing like blank paper or screen to bring on writer's block. I find it easy to tell stories. I was really enthralled when speech to text software came along (a lot easier than transcribing from audio tape). The presence of print makes it possible to edit and enhance the story.
I do love the speech to text tools. Thanks for sharing your roadblocks. I hope to share more content in coming months to help us all overcome our writing road blocks.
I have a family reunion coming up! There will be about 40 of us and I am going to ask some questions to the oldest and 2nd oldest generations. What type of questions should I ask? The eldest will be 98 and the youngest at 32
Really great idea--snowball effect, in more ways than one. I have so much information and it is snowballing upon me to try and get it all in the story without it overwhelming my reader.
I would write up all the information you have. Then in the EDITING phase of writing you can parse out the elements into more manageable chunks. You can create multiple books on parts of the story. You can create a collection of 'short stories' in different chapters to make stories more bite size. There are many options with too much information, but the first step is to write a rough draft.
Loved your video. Your personal story helps us figure out how OUR stories can be told. As for the complicated roadblock, it seems most family's histories can get complicated. However, as your other videos show, once you process the documents, put it all in chronological order, especially in the first draft. Sometimes that simplifies the story enough to provide direction in the next steps. I could only leave 1 thumb up on the 'tube.👍👍👍👍👍!
It's disappointing that "no one cares", but my hopes are on future generations. I have published one book and plan two more in hopes that of of my grandchildren or great grandchildren will want to know as badly as I did and that the books will survive to be passed along.
