How to Write a Family History Short Story in 10 Steps




Family stories don’t have to be epic novels or mammoth books that tell a tale from birth to death of ancestors and their families. They can be short stories.

 

What is a Short Story?

 

A short story is when a character undergoes some event and experiences something which offers him change. Short stories usually say something a small something but delivered with precision.

Short stories are growing in popularity because they can deliver the same experience of a novel but can be consumed quickly. You can post them on a blog, in a family newsletter or turn them into a video or gather a bunch of them together into a short story collection.

A short story is not a life to death tale of an ancestor squeezed into a short time period. But instead a moment in an ancestor’s life in which he or she experiences a life-changing event.

A short story does not have a 3-act structure as we learn in our online class Plotting a Family History Story. Nor is it just Act 1, 2, or 3. It has its own individual structure.

It focuses on your protagonist ancestor. There is usually one conflict two at the most. There are generally no more than two to four characters. The story may transpire over one or two locations.

In a short story, you have less space to develop your ancestor’s character, less room for lengthy dialogue.

A short story is rarely over 10,000 words or below 500 words, commonly between 1500-5000 words. A short story can be read in a single-sitting but long enough to engage and move the reader. The topic is narrow and focused, the story’s meaning demonstrated through events that effect some change or denial of change in an individual.

We’ve broken down the process of writing a family history short story into 10 steps.

 

10 Steps to a Short Story

 

Step 1: Brainstorm

Brainstorm. Choose an exciting event from your research. It could be a happy moment or sad moment or a life-changing event. It could focus on a relationship between two ancestors or with a friend, acquaintance, stranger or spouse. It could be a trip or vacation, a sporting event or other activity. Mine your research and find an event worthy of a short story.

 

Step 2: Choose the Protagonist Ancestor

Choose the ancestor through whose perspective the story will be told. Every story needs a protagonist ancestor at the centre of the story. This allows the reader to connect with that ancestor and the story.

 

Step 3: Find the Story Goal

Before you start any story short or long you must identify the focus, the goal. All narratives have a focal point, a climax. Identify a purpose that your protagonist ancestor sought to achieve in his life. What is the central moment of the story when your ancestor reaches this goal and change occurs?  This is the climax, the goal of your narrative.

 

Step 4: Complete Ancestor Profile and Setting Details

Outline your ancestor’s profile and the setting details. It’s important to take some time to research and flesh out the details and descriptions of the setting of your story so that you can bring it to life on the page. Equally important is understanding your protagonist ancestor on an in-depth level. Complete an ancestor profile so that you can pull together your ancestor’s physical appearance but also come to comprehend what makes them tick and you are able to bring the most authentic ancestor to the page.

 

Step 5: Write the story as a one-page synopsis.

Go ahead and briefly sketch out a 1-page synopsis of your story as you see it. This will help you in the next step of creating a storyline.

 

Step 6: Outline the story structure using a storyline.

Below you’ll find a storyline for a short story. You want to break down your narrative into critical scenes, including opening scene, obstacles, climax and closing scene.

 

Step 7: Write your short story using scene and summary.

You’re now ready to write your short story. Make sure you find a delicate balance of scenes and summary to tell an intriguing tale that will bring an engaging and entertaining story to the page.

 

Step 8: Write a satisfying ending.

Make sure your story ends with a climax and conclusion that leaves your reader with a clear image and message.

 

Step 9: Rewrite for clarity, concision and structure.

Now it’s time to rewrite, making sure every detail is exact. Share your story with a writing group. Get feedback and allow that feedback to grow your writing skills.

 

Step 10: Share your writing with the world.

Now your story is ready to share with the world. Stories are meant to be read. Be brave and put it out in the world. Then, move on to the next story.

 

Need a short story example? One of the first short stories I ever read is Faulkner’s ‘A Rose for Emily.’  Go ahead and give a read and note how Faulkner has structured his story. While this is a fictional short story, I offer it up as a great example of short story writing structure.

 

2 thought on “How to Write a Family History Short Story in 10 Steps”

  1. Thank You! I am still plugging away and your helpful tips always get me going again!

  2. This may be my answer.
    Each of the ‘Chapters’ in my father’s story relate to an event or relevant change, and can be read as individual stories.
    A Collection Of Stories, would be a great way to describe what I’m writing.
    Thanks, I feel great relief, as though I have now found direction.
    Love and blessings, Paula.

Comments are closed.

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When Another Necktie Just Won’t Do! (Gift Idea)When Another Necktie Just Won’t Do! (Gift Idea)

This Father’s Day the best gift you could offer your father is the commitment to write his story.

Ok, before I hear a big collective sigh out there because you thought you were going to get way with a golf shirt again this year, let me explain. It doesn’t have to be big and take you the next five years. You don’t have to have it completed for Father’s Day. In fact, I’ve done a lot of the work for you. I designed a beautiful gift certificate, Father’s Day Gift Certificate, you can download and give to him, and I’ve prepared 11 questions that will help you to get the information you need to start writing. These questions are built around the necessary elements you need to create a great story.

These 11 questions will help you to interview your father while at the same time focusing in on the key elements needed to tell an entertaining, compelling story.

Set up some interviews, maybe a couple of hours each week and ask the questions. You could do it in one sitting but don’t wear the poor man out. Each of these questions will help you to set up a story, with a setting, a goal, conflict, obstacles, motivation, and theme, all key to writing a compelling and engaging story. I’ve noted beside each question what story element they may contribute to.

Story Questions 

1. Start with the basics – if you don’t already know them, where he was born, lived, went to school, married. Your genealogists you know the stuff I’m talking about. You most likely have all this information, but it never hurts to confirm it again.  Setting

2. Get some accurate descriptions of the principal places in his life. What did his house look like? His bedroom, his place of work, etc.? Get very detailed. What was on the walls, the furniture? Use your five senses, how did sound, smell, touch, see and taste? Setting

3. What was life like growing up for him? Was it carefree? Stressful? What kinds of things influenced his growing up years? Money, War, Depression, Friends. Social History

4. Who were the key people in his life besides his parents? Individuals who supported him and influenced him along the way. Main Characters

5. His thoughts on his parents. How were they as parents, what did they teach him? What didn’t they teach him? What kind of parents were they, strict, lenient, fair? What did he learn from them? Does he emulate them? How did he hope not to be like them? What skills, morals, and values did they stress on him?  Backstory/conflict/motivation

6. What were your father’s dreams and aspirations? What did he want to achieve in his life? Did he or didn’t he achieve those goals and why? Goals

7. What obstacles did he have to overcome to meet his goals? At any point did he change his path on his way to his goal or change his target completely somewhere along the way. Obstacles

8. Did anyone in his life object or hold him back from his goals? Antagonist/Conflict

9. What motivated him in his life and goals? Did he fear not meeting these goals? Why? Motivation

10. What life lesson would your father like to pass on to his descendants? Theme

11. How have his choices changed him and his outlook on life and what he wants for his children and grandchildren?                Inner Journey

With these 11 questions in hand, you now have the key ingredients of a great story. Not a chronological tale of a life but a story with depth, meaning and purpose.  A story shaped around goals and aspirations that were met with conflicts and obstacles.

Use Workbook #3 Finding the Story, Plotting Your Ancestor’s Journey to structure your answers into a compelling story format. Add some pictures and you will have a nice little book in honour of your father. You’ll likely move up to favourite child status very quickly.

Take advantage of our June Special. Get Workbooks, 1, 2, and 3 in downloadable PDF format for $17.00.

Consider interviewing your father using the above questions and then joining us this fall for our online course, Plotting a Family History Story.  Now open for registration. Limited spaces.