Need a Kickstart for Writing Family Stories?

Writing stories is so important to sharing our family history.  What will we leave behind?  Some names and dates or some really cool stories?  I know better so why don’t I do better.  The hardest part for many of us is just getting started.

A new favorite blog is “Fortify Your Family Tree; handle your genealogy research like a pro”.  (Not to be confused with another favorite “Research Like a Pro” with Diana Elder.)  In the current Fortify blogpost DiAnn Iamarina Ohama has some writing ideas and encouragement.

How to Turn Your Family History into a Great Read  Don't think of it as an all-at-once process. Writing your family story is a step-by-step climb. Take your time, find your theme, and you'll get there. Here's a great way to start. https://family-tree-advice.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-to-turn-your-family-history-into.html

Amy Johnson Crow also has a writing challenge called “52 Ancestors in 52 weeks”.  Read all about it here:  https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

Join with the big orange button part way down and you will get an email each month with weekly prompts to write about an ancestor.  No pressure here but a number of bloggers have been doing this for a few years and find that it improves their research and gives them something to pass along to their relatives.  In the comments with this post you’ll see Randy Seaver bragging that he just finished four years of 207 ancestors in 207 weeks.  He must love it.

There’s even a hashtag.  Try #52ancestors in google or social media.  Now don’t be discouraged if you see long, polished stories with pictures even.  These people have been at it for a while and we just need to get started.   

I just listened to a podcast about Good Enough Goal Setting.  What’s good enough for me is to write a single paragraph each week.  I already have a couple of ideas.  I have a few DNA matches who don’t know me but I recognize the names of their grandfathers which is as far as their trees go.  I could write a paragraph about them.  Just get started.  That’s what I need to do. 

If anyone jumps on this bandwagon, we would love to hear your stories at our Genies meeting. 

Remember:  Next Genies Meeting Friday, June 18.  Mark your calendar.