Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Writing up your family history

The aim for all family historians is to write up your research. Tell the story behind those photographs and share it with other family members. You could create a heritage photo album, write a short article for a local history or family history magazine or newsletter or you could build a website. If your family was from Melbourne's north consider contributing an article to Wikinorthia, a website using wiki technology, where individuals can add and edit content.

Interviewing relatives is an important step in any family history process. Putting your family within an historical context can also add interest to your story. Check out this online time capsule. For some writing ideas visit Biography Assistant when you can concentrate on an individual. in your research.

If you are considering writing a book look at the criteria suggested by AIGS who award the Alexander Henderson Award each year to the best submitted published family history.

Be sure to visit your local library and see examples of how other people have published their family histories, including: Picking up the threads: the story of John and Ann Cracknell and their descendants by Lois Cracknell.
Other local family histories can be found in the local history collections.
See also Writing family history very easy: a beginner's guide by Noeline Kyle.

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