One more quick comment. So many people think they have to have it "completed" before they can print and share it with others. But in today's age (and Amazon Direct Publishing, PDFs, etc.), there's no need to think that we can't revise it a few years from now when we have more info. In fact, I think printing it and distributing it to family members will likely spark discussion and get even more info for the next edition.

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

You speak truth! I try to advocate that an imperfect but published book is better than the perfect one stuck in one's head. Rewrites can happen.

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

Oh, and you are spot on with the more discussion for the second edition is what I found to be true. I learned stories people thought I forgot. I had just never heard them.

I love historical context! I have relearned American history through researching ancestors. This time, I actually enjoyed it.

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

That's awesome! I feel the same way.

I've used timelines for the past few months and really like how they synthesize all relevant information in an easy-to-digest format. I tend to create tables in Word, but I love your idea of color coding spreadsheets in Excel for easy identification. I want to try this myself with some of my ongoing timelines. As always, LOVE your encouragement to help us write our family stories.

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

Tables work well in Word, it's probably where we all started a few years back. However, with an engineering husband, I keep realizing how powerful spreadsheets are at sorting and filtering events.

The folks from Family History Fanatics now bring you Write Your Family History and this video is SPOT ON when it comes to structuring a family history writing project. Just like researching genealogy WITHOUT a plan or research log, the same concept carries through to your writing projects.!

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for your praise Thomas. I so appreciate it.

I like your ideas of the historical context, from technology (radio, TV, phone, microwaves, etc.) to world events (e.g., moon landings, presidents, etc.) to even pop culture (search for the top songs of 1957, etc. and ask your relative if possible). Thanks!

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

My pleasure.

I love your videos! This topic is exactly what I need to get going again on my stories. I also enjoyed the pronoun and other ways to use an ancestor's names videos. Thank you for the great content!

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thank you!

Okay, I am rewatching this to help with the algorithm, and because I want to work on updating my timeline for actually the project mentioned in my other comment that I still haven't gotten too. (I am hopeful that i have finally gotten my computer issues fixed!) Anyway. Right at the :43 you mention that a timeline is our outline. And that is exactly how I wrote my first three stories. I went, more or less, year by year in their lives writing about the events that happened that would have had some meaning to them. And as I was getting closer to the end I would say I have twenty more years to write about, 15 years, now 7 years, ect., until I got to their death and was writing the wrap up. And while I didn't write anything out for those first stories, the calendar was my unofficial outline.

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

2 жыл бұрын

Nice. The general concept is a timeline and yet I like your approach at the topic. I'm so happy that you're having so much success!

First of all, I wish this would have come out in October so I could have utilized it for my Nanowrimo project (that I did not complete and am still working on the first draft for several reasons)! And I think I want to seriously consider how to use this in working on draft 1.5. And I watched this yesterday but have been mulling over what I wanted to stay. I do think there is a step that we are missing. Most people when they are starting writing family history have already done some research. So I think the first step is to 'research' what you have already researched. In other words, find out what you already know, especially for the main ancestor. (Though recently I did find out some pretty cool information on my side project while going through a 'side' ancestor's records just last week.) And then you can figure out what you are missing. For my previous projects I have not used a timeline like this before. I have used time as a timeline. Just kinda going the person is born, what happens next. And that had worked well for my earlier stories. In fact I would use time to guesstimate how much more I need to write based on how much longer it would be until the ancestor would pass. (I have twenty more years to write about, six more years, ect.) But as I am now moving farther back in time with the chosen ancestor I need more help so I am looking forward to using this. And it is so true about researching the ancestor's family, and the in-laws to some degree. I try to do this when listing naming conventions for the children, and in one 'story' it was a FIL died and MIL moved in. And I do think that was part of the reason why there was a five year gap between children in the family. I do have a suggestion on the timeline and color coding. I think what I am going to do for the spouse if put a second line under the marriage that has the spouse's birthday, and maybe even the parents names. Because even though it has already happened, you are not going to talk about the spouse until they marry. Unless the ancestor or child is marrying a 1st cousin. Though maybe this is more of making it an outline rather than a timeline, because you typically don't introduce the spouse until they get married. And when you introduce the spouse is when you are going to talk about how old they are and when they were born. I think another thing to do is to look at historical events that may have happened 5-10 years before the ancestor was born. The example that came to mind is the Great Depression. (But wars would be other ones.) My grandparents were all born around the Great Depression; 1925-1936. Each of them would have experienced the Depression and its aftermath just a bit differently based on when they were born and the size of the family. But the Depression actually happened before most of them were born. Anyway, it is time to start working on several spreadsheets for my current (1st draft) project. This will take a long while, I think. Because I think this will be much more helpful than having several tabs open for each child in the family, and going back to learn about grandparents or cousins.

@WriteYourFamilyHistory

2 жыл бұрын

What great tips for all writers. Thanks Stacey