Storylines | The Family History Writing Studio

How to Show Instead of Tell: A Writing LessonHow to Show Instead of Tell: A Writing Lesson

September 13, 2017 0 Comments

“Writing in scenes represents the difference between showing and telling. The lazy, uninspired writer will tell the reader about a subject, place or personality, but the creative non-fiction writer will show that subject, place or personality, vividly, memorably-and in action, in scenes.

Lee Gutkind, You Can’t Make Stuff Up

Writers are told all the time to show not tell. What does that exactly mean? How does that apply to narrative nonfiction and specifically family history stories?

Narrative nonfiction is comprised of summary and scenes. Simply put, summary is telling, and scenes are showing. To show in nonfiction, we must include scenes and not just summary. Your family history stories are likely boring because you are only using summary, you are only telling. To make your stories entertaining and compelling, so that they read like a good book you must embrace scenes. Scenes are the half of the nonfiction equation that brings a family history story to life.

What is a family history scene?

In the case of family history, a scene recreates an event or an experience for the reader from your ancestor’s life. For example, getting on a ship to America, voting for the first time, giving birth, getting married, proposing to a future spouse or signing documents to own their first land.

These scenes are recreated from details pulled from a document, a picture, a diary, a letter. Maybe details are derived from a newspaper article, or an interview or a recalled conversation. These scenes might rely on social, local, regional or world history to help recreate them on the page. You’ll likely require a combination of these sources to bring a scene to the page.

A scene shows the action in real time. The reader is placed immediately in the event as if it is playing out before our eyes. A scene is filled with description, detail and dialogue, necessary to bring the scene to life. The more specific you can be the more real it becomes for the reader.

Jumping into writing scenes can be overwhelming for new writers. The best place to start is by learning to show, one sentence at a time.

Examples

Telling

Tom walked every Sunday to church.

Showing

Tom strolled along the dusty road to church, adorned in his freshly pressed Sunday shirt, the starch collar scratching at his neck.

Telling

Grandma baked a pie.

Showing

The cinnamon apple pie cooled on the kitchen window sill, the golden crust glistened, and the sweet smell surrounded Grandma’s house as we ran through the front door.

See the difference. In the showing examples, above we get a vivid picture that we can imagine in our mind’s eye the setting and action. It gives us the feeling of being there and experiencing it for ourselves.

3 Steps to Start Showing in Your Ancestor’s Stories

Use strong active verbs. I could have used “Tom walked” but the verb ‘stroll’ conjures up a more specific image. I could have used hustled, or ambled or skipped, all would have provided a clear picture of Tom and his actions.

Use specific nouns and precise adjectives in descriptions that paint a picture for the reader. For example, Grandma’s pie on the windowsill paints a very clear picture. It’s not just a pie but a cinnamon apple pie. Be specific in your details and descriptions.

Use Sensory Details. – Don’t just tell us how something looked, show us how it looked, smelled, sounded, tasted and felt. Use all your senses, of course not all in the same sentence. We not only see Tom in his freshly pressed shirt, but we feel it scratching. And of course, we smell Grandma’s pie as we approached the house.

Start practising showing in your family history stories by using these three steps to start transforming your sentences into showing sentence instead of telling sentences.

Want to learn how to build a scene and connect them into a story, consider workbook #4 in the Write Your Family History series. Crafting a Scene, Showing Your Ancestors in Action walks you through building scenes and connecting those scenes into a complete story. Or consider our upcoming course Writing a Family History Scene and get hands on practise building and writing scenes. This course will transform your writing.

A Path to Mapping a Story SettingA Path to Mapping a Story Setting

August 31, 2017 0 Comments

In our last instalment of setting and social history, we talked about how setting can be a key component in our stories especially when we view it as a character in our family history stories.

Today, we will look at mapping our setting. We will look at the purpose of a map as a tool in writing our family history stories. I’ll show you how I created my own setting map for guiding my writing. There are three features I like to keep in mind when creating my setting map; the main setting, beyond the central location and the activities and occupation that provide the movement throughout the setting. Let’s get started by looking at each one of these key elements.

Your Main Setting

In most cases, the primary setting of your story will take place in a city, town or village. However, your story could be on a ship or any other of many locations. Regardless of where your setting is taking place, we need to include all the internal buildings and places within the setting. For example your ancestor’s home, his place of work, where he worships and where he gathers with other towns people to visit.

Beyond the Central Location

You’ll also want to consider what is beyond the central location. For example, if your story takes places in a small town is it surrounded by lakes, forests, swamps or is it a city surrounded by industry or a ship surrounded by water.

Activities and Occupation

If your ancestor was a farmer, (we have a lot of those in our research), then details of how he performed his job and how he moved about in his day to day activities is very much a part of your story setting. Describing the physical characteristics of a farm, the land, the buildings and so on is one aspect of the setting. Explaining how to fix a broken wagon or harvest the crops in the field is also an element of your story setting. How did your ancestor move about to school, church, and get the groceries? Where were these places located in relationship to your ancestor’s home?

The Purpose of a Setting Map

Creating setting map can be very helpful when writing your family history stories and dealing with the location and activities of your ancestor. They can aid your writing in many ways.

Maps can enable the tracking of your ancestor’s location throughout the story.

As your ancestor moves about, from his job to home and church or the grocery store, it’s important to know where each of these locations is located in the story setting. Place them on your map as a visual tool.

Your map can help to reflect on your ancestor’s awareness of their surroundings.

As you move your ancestor through their activities, your map can help you develop an awareness of your ancestor’s surroundings.

A setting map can act as a tool for measuring your ancestor’s movement from point a to point b.

As you write your ancestor’s tale, he’ll have to move from one location to the next physically. Your map can help you with that. What’s the distance, does he walk, ride a horse, take a boat. This might lead to some further research to answer these questions.

A setting map can help you describe your ancestor’s journey and the world to your reader.

Your setting map will allow you to consider what your ancestor is doing at the place he is on the map and what do the surroundings look like? How is he interacting with his surroundings? Whether it is a short journey to the neighbour’s house or a long journey across the ocean, a map can guide you through writing those details into your stories.

A setting map can help you to visualise the scene and the proximity of your ancestor to other characters and places.

With the movement of your ancestors, they will come in contact with other characters in the story and other locations. Your setting map will make it easier to know when they are within the proximity of greeting another character or hearing the church bells ring.

How to Create a Map

First, you have to take the time to get to know your story setting through research and then as you are discovering the setting or after you’ve completed your research you can create a map of the setting. I like to create the map while I’m researching.

Here’s an example from my research. The town of Stratford is the setting for the story I’m currently investigating. It’s important for me to understand where some key places are located as my main character/ancestor makes his way about town.

As I went about doing my research this summer, I created a map. I uncovered clues and mentions of various places that allowed me to put them on the map. Keep in mind my story is set in 1847, so I need to research and understand what Stratford looked like during this time.

The local museum had a map that is from the period of my story. They allowed me to take a digital picture of the map. I then uploaded the picture to Evernote. This is where it got fun.

This summer, as I worked through my setting and social history research each time I uncovered the location of an important place I marked it on the map. I did this right inside Evernote. In Evernote, I used the annotate feature and created a key with coloured dots, so I have an easy reference to where various places are within the setting. Once I start to write, as I move my ancestor through the story, I can quickly reference where he is on the map and what the surroundings look like and how he might be interacting with those surroundings.

Also in this Evernote note, I created internal links to the information and pictures that I have for each location making it very easy to not only find the place on the map but to find my description notes within my research notebook.

Of course, this is only one of many ways to create a setting map. You certainly can sketch a map out if you like or use mind map programs, you are only limited by your imagination. Here’s an example of a setting map done with Prezi for The Great Gatsby.

Regardless of how you build your map or your map’s purpose, I hope you’ll consider including a map among your writing tools as a means to keeping your family history story on the right path.

Setting as Character – 10 Research TipsSetting as Character – 10 Research Tips

August 15, 2017 5 Comments

When beginning any family history story, we look carefully at our ancestors as we attempt to understand and describe them for our reader. We develop an ancestor profile of them drawing details out of our research so that we can bring the most authentic ancestor to the page for our readers.

The same can be said for the setting of our family history story. The setting can be a character in our story. If we treat the setting like a character, we are more likely to bring that setting to life for your reader in a big way, in a way that adds to the story. However, before that can happen, we must complete some in-depth research.

Authentic Ancestors 2

It’s important to take the time to get to know your ancestor’s world. It’s not enough just to know the year and location of your story. We need to know details about the setting to bring the personality of the setting to the page. If there are several settings in your story, then it’s necessary to give this in-depth attention to all of them. Our goal is to be able to give the story setting a heart and soul, and for the writer to be able to show how the characters in our story are influenced by the setting.

When we take the time upfront to create not just a setting but an atmosphere we accomplish two things: first the reader will feel connected to your story; and second, the setting and your ancestor will feel more real, authentic, and understood through the descriptions and details of their surroundings.

The setting can also have a significant influence on your ancestor and their backstory. Was the setting a friend or foe to your ancestor? Did it change their behaviour and choices?

The setting comes alive partly in its details and partly in the way that our ancestor experiences and interacts with their surroundings and what is going on around them. Together they deliver a sense of place.

When we head out to research the setting of our family history story, consider the following 10 tips to better recreate the most specific and telling setting in our story.

No. 1

Look for the essential features of the location as you begin your research. The obvious physical attributes of the place, amenities, landmarks, gathering spots, etc. The more specific the details the more authentic the story feels.

No. 2

Keep your eyes open for major and concrete and specific details of the houses, the roads, the weather.

No.3

Look for what is remarkable about the setting and what is not in the surroundings. Are there things that are common place to the setting and yet other things that stand out and not common. It is the uncommon features that make the setting unique and memorable.

No. 4

Consider the history of the setting and how its back story may have influenced its current personality. Just like characters in a story, settings can have a back story, a history that occurred before your ancestor arrived. That history may strongly influence its personality and behaviour.

No. 5

Who are the major personalities in the setting? Whether your setting is a town, street, etc. there are often major personalities who inflict their thoughts and ideas on to the setting. How do they contribute to its history and how the town thinks and acts? In my story, there are two major town personalities who conflict to be the town leader and major influence. The personalities in the setting can greatly infect your ancestor’s thinking.

No. 6

Consider the local culture. What cultures make up this setting how are they reflected in the environment. What flavour and uniqueness do they bring to the setting. How do we see, hear, smell, touch and taste these cultures in our setting? Where does your ancestor stand within the cultural context of the setting? For example, the culture of my setting includes Irish, Scots and Germans.

No. 7

Is there a socioeconomic divide within your setting? How and why? Where does your ancestor stand within that divide? Are they on the right-side or wrong-side of the tracks?

No. 8

What is the political makeup of the setting and where does your ancestor position himself within that framework? For example, in my current story, there is a clear political divide between the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholics. An age-old conflict carried over from the old country.

No. 9

It can’t be overstated the importance of specificity in your setting. Look for specific names and details of the setting. Use street names of local businesses that exist in that area. For instance, my ancestor visits a general story on a regular basis. Don’t just call it the general store. What is the name of the store, who operates it, what sits in its front window? What types of items would be in this store at this time? What would my ancestor have bought there? The more specific the details, the more realistic your story becomes.

No. 10

Consider the location of your setting—weather, climate, geography, topography. Does this place create physical conflicts for your ancestor? For instance, the roads in my ancestor’s story present a challenge for my ancestors. As well, the town is built on swamp land so mosquitos present a challenge as does stepping outside your door and being met with wolves. On the plus side, the deer are plentiful. These are all important to our ancestor’s day to day challenges and how they interact with their setting and how their surroundings influence them. Does the weather, geography or topography of the setting make your ancestor’s life easier or harder?

Research your setting with the same care and detail you research your ancestor. Find the personality of the setting. How does this setting influence both to you as a writer and to your ancestor?What is the meaning of the setting? This meaning may become significant in how you portray the setting in your story, as an ally or antagonist and may offer some help in developing your theme. You also will want to consider how your ancestor’s position within the setting and local community affects their evolution and journey throughout the story?

A Setting and Social History Research Trip – The Do’s and Don’t’sA Setting and Social History Research Trip – The Do’s and Don’t’s

August 1, 2017 0 Comments

Now that we have our social history and setting research list ready to go it’s time to head out for our to archives to begin our setting and social history research. I’ve gathered together some advice that has helped me in my archives visits and making the most of my time and staying focused and productive.

Do Email the Archives Ahead of Time – It only takes a minute and will go along way in making the most of your time when you arrive. It gives the researchers at the archives an opportunity to source out what they have for you. Sean at Stratford Perth Archives was very accommodating. He asked for the list of books that I had sourced out to see how many of them they had. When I arrived, Sean knew who I was, and we were able to dive right in.

Stratford Perth Archives

Don’t Assume all Archives are the Same – On your first trip take some time to get acquainted with the Archives. Sean was outstanding in giving me a tour. He laid out their policies very clearly in advance so I knew what I could and couldn’t do. Every archive is a little bit different, for instance, some allow pictures others do not. Make sure you know the policies before you begin.

Do Ask Questions – Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Not all archives are as forthcoming with information as the Stratford Perth Archives. Ask questions if you’re unsure of their policies. If you don’t know where to find something or how to load that darn microfilm reader. No one expects you to come into a new archive and know everything they have or even the history of the area. The researchers are there to help you, make the most of their knowledge.

Do Create a Notetaking System – Decide in advance how you plan to take notes while at the archives. Stick to that plan. Nothing is more confusing than using one method one visit and something different the next. I grab my iPad and make notes right into Evernote. I create a new note for each topic on my list.

Don’t Forget to Record the Book Details – Make sure to each note you record all the necessary details to create a citation or bibliography later. It only takes a minute. Make it a habit each time you pick up a book.

Do Check out the Bibliography – Check out the bibliography and references in each book you consult for further resources you may not have on your list. I keep a note pad beside me and I jot down anything that comes across that might suggest another book or resource look at or a new topic I may need to add to my to-do research list.

Don’t Expect to Get it all Done in One Trip – Pace yourself and set up a schedule for subsequent visits. I’m visiting the Perth Stratford Archives every Tuesday for the summer until I feel I have exhausted their resources.

Don’t be Afraid to Research and Write at the Same Time – I mentioned how important it is to plan your story out before you begin your research. It will help you build your checklist. Don’t be afraid to start writing even while you are still researching. You may not have all the details that you need, but you can certainly leave a marker in your text where more details are needed. If you haven’t already identified that detail on your research list, then you can add it now. You will identify more items as you write. It is good to know you can add them to your list and pick them up on the next visit.

Perth Stratford Museum

Do Take Breaks – Pack yourself a lunch and drinks and take breaks. Keep in mind you can’t eat or drink in the Archives. Some may provide a room for you but if you’re researching in the summer take advantage of the beautiful weather and step outside to get refreshed and re-focused. You’ll be much more productive if you keep your energy up. Step outside get some sunshine take in some energy and go back at it refreshed and focused. I find after a few hours of research my mind begins to wander. On my first visit, I checked out the Perth Archives Museum which offered me some good information. One my second trip, I took a drive to where my ancestor’s land would have been and next week I’m going to visit the tourist office to seek out some walking tours.

Do Start with General History of the Area – I like to start my first visit with the general history of the area. What is the town’s history? How did the town originate? While the city history may or may not become part of your story, it is like any good character you need to understand its backstory, its history to portray it accurately in your story. (Psst. Next week’s post how to research your setting like a character in your story.)

Do Evaluate What Needs to Be Done at the Archives and What Can Be Done From Home. As you work through your list, it might become apparent that some books are available online or for purchase or in a library. This allows you to do some of your social history and setting research from home.

Do Check the Index of Each Book for Items on Your Research List – Before I put a book back on the shelf, I check the index for anything else in the book that maybe on my checklist, like places, names, events, etc. I don’t want to keep revisiting these books, so I prefer to pull a book from the shelf start with the general history and then look for the specifics, of names, places and events, etc. that are on my list.

Do Re-evaluate Your List After Each Research Trip – After each trip, I re-evaluate my list. Did I accomplish anything on the list? Do I have enough research on it that I can check it off the list? What is my game plan for my next visit? I then create a smaller to-do list for my next trip. I like to do this immediately following my day either that evening when I get home or even before I leave while it’s all still fresh in my mind.

Be sure to read the other posts in this series:

My Summer of Setting and Social history – World Building

8 Tips to a Social History Plan

8 Tips to a Social History Research Plan8 Tips to a Social History Research Plan

July 17, 2017 0 Comments

I’m getting ready to head to my ancestor’s town next week, but before I go, it’s important to have a research plan in place. Just as you would use a research plan for your genealogy research, you also want to identify a plan for the local and social history research you need to write your family history stories.

I’ve already plotted out my story. For those of you who haven’t taken our plotting course or read Finding the Story Workbook #3, this just means I have outlined my story from beginning to end in great detail. By taking the time to plan my story, it helps tremendously in identifying the local and social history research I need to complete my story. Plotting your story in advance eliminates you from spending a lot of time researching topics that are not pertinent to your story. Your research will be more focused and purposeful.

Next, I spent some time on the internet looking at the various resources available for my visit. I’ve identified some resources available including Perth OGS, Perth/Stratford Archives and The Stratford Museum operated by the Stratford Historical Society. There is also the Stratford Heritage Society which operates the Fryfogel Inn, and I’ve also identified some walking tours through the Stratford Tourism that I think might help me to put some context to the town and the community. I won’t be able to cover all of these identified resources on one trip, so I’m creating a plan and a priority list as it’s probably going to take several visits to complete my research; all the more reason I need a plan. The plan might also need to be adjusted once scope out these locations when I arrive.

Here are eight steps I’ve identified in preparing for a research trip of local and social history research for your family history story.

1. Identify Topics That Need Researching

Start a comprehensive list of research topics. I like to keep this list easily accessible, you can keep it either in a notebook, or my preference is to use Scrivener or Evernote. Evernote being my first choice.

2. Identify Sub-topics

Some research topics may be pretty broad. Take the time to think of any offshoot topics. List them under original items.

3. Organise Your Topics

Not every research topic will be crucial to your story, some will carry more weight than others. Reorganise your topics and subtopics by their level of importance. This way you will optimise your time on the more important issues. As well, some topics might be covered very quickly while others might take some time.

4. Have a Purpose for Each Research Topic

Each topic should be on your research list because they have the potential to add value to your story. Realise why you’ve chosen to include each subject in your research time. Don’t waste your time researching topics that don’t serve your story. This is why identifying your story plotline is important before you begin this research.

5. Identify What You Want to Learn

List what you want to learn about each topic, so you have a clear goal in mind. When you have a goal, it becomes easy to identify when you’ve achieved your goal, and it’s time to move on to the next item on your list. Too often researchers have trouble finishing the research, never getting to the writing. Identify the end game so you know and when it’s time to move on. You also have to know when some research just may not be available. Don’t make your quest for local and social history research an excuse never to get to the writing.

6. Create a Story Box

Before I write a story, I create a Story Box. A story box is basically a container where I pull all my research for a particular story into one place. I create a binder in Evernote for my Story Box. I add all the current documents and information into this binder. The Story Box makes it easy to find and quickly access anything you need about the story you are writing. Don’t spent valuable writing time looking for stuff. You can make a digital story box or tactile one, using an actual box. I like a digital box. I use Evernote because I’ll have everything I need wherever my research physically takes me. I can access it from my laptop, ipad or iphone and it’s cloud storage so there is no worry of losing it to a computer crash. Now as I begin my local and social history research anything I learn will also be included in my Evernote binder. In this Evernote Binder, I’ve also included my local and social history research checklist. If you don’t know how to make a research checklist in Evernote, you can check out my video below.

7. Create a Research Calendar

Once you’ve identified your research topics, you’ll want to consider how you are going to proceed with your research. The more organised and planned you are the more productive your research time will be. Schedule your research days on a calendar regardless of whether they are online or in an archive. How much time per day do you plan to spend doing this research? Set yourself a deadline to complete your research with realistic expectations. Without a deadline, you’ll research forever.

I’ve determined I’m starting with the Perth/Stratford Archives. I’ve sent off an email letter to them letting them know the day I am coming and what I will be looking for on that day.

8. Organise by Priority

My research plan is arranged by priority; what I feel is most relevant to the story –where I want to start. My first focus will be on creating a map of Stratford in 1847 and locating the list of businesses and homes that I’ve identified. Hopefully, I will also come up with some general information, description or even a photograph for these places. This will help me to describe them in my story. I’m dealing with a very early time so photographs will be a long shot but some of the businesses may still have existed later, or an advertisement in a Gazetteer might exist to help get a perspective on the business.

I’m also going to start my research with the political climate in Stratford and Perth area at the time. It’s an essential element to my story. In my Google search, I’ve discovered that the Stratford Archives holds the council minutes for North Easthope (this is the township my ancestor lived in on the outskirts of Stratford). The council minutes begin in 1843 so I’m going to start there and well as many other resources that may help me with my list. You will also note that I’ve identified on my research checklist a list of books that may offer some insights into the local and social history of the time. I’ll keep an eye out for these in each archive I visit.

Keep in mind as you begin your research that your plan may change as more information and resources may open up to you and others may fall away because they just aren’t available. Remain flexible. However, a plan remains essential to identifying the research you need to help you bring that story to life on the page and keep you focused and on track.

Next: Reaching out to the Archives and the First Visit.

Did you miss our first post in our series My Summer of Setting and Social History? World Building

World BuildingWorld Building

June 26, 2017 0 Comments

I’ve been thinking a lot about my ancestor’s world as of late as I prepare to write the story of my 4^th great grandfather. John Phelan immigrated from Kilkenny, Ireland to Stratford, Ontario in 1833. I’m not going to give away the plot, but I will tell you that it takes place in Stratford, Ontario in 1847. It revolves around 2-3 days and involves many of the local townspeople. Before I sit down to write I need to have a clear picture of what Stratford looked like in 1847, I want to understand the personality of this community and its people. I want my readers to experience Stratford in 1847, I want it to be as authentic as possible. So, in a few weeks time, I’m heading to Stratford for a little local and social history research. I’ll keep you posted. But let’s take a look at some of setting elements I’m going investigate while in Stratford to help build my ancestor’s world.

If you’re writing your family history stories, then you’re probably aware of the importance setting plays in writing stories. By giving great detail and description to the setting we bring that world to life for the reader, drawing them deeper into a different place and time and making the ancestor’s life and the event we are recreating on the page come to life for the reader.

Too often we rely on the old standbys to create story setting, reliables like landscape, architecture, rooms, furniture, and the climate is predictable in a story setting.

Unfortunately, too many writers stop there when there is likely a lot more detail and description that we might be able to include to paint a clearer more realistic and accurate picture of our ancestor’s life.

Let’s push beyond the obvious and consider some other aspects of our ancestor’s world that could help bring the setting to the page for the reader.

8 of My Favourite World Building Details

Food – I love to use food where possible because it can be a great sensory experience, allowing us to use a good majority of our senses when we describe it, hear, feel, see, smell and touch. Look for the types of food you’re your ancestor would have cooked, the everyday dishes, special occasion food, what was the local agriculture to the area and how did they prepare and cook their meals.

Government and Politics – We often underestimate how much the world and local politics affected our ancestors. Who rules? Kings? Queens? Presidents? Dictators? How did government affect our ancestor’s lives? Consider taxes, for instance, local taxes could put a strain on a family and that could easily be reflected in their surroundings, what they could afford and their opinions and dialogue. Sometimes it even caused them to pick up and move.

Health – Our ancestor got sick, even died. How does healthcare work into the time of your ancestor? How did society treat sick people? How did they perceive medicine? Doctors? What were the practices of the time? What medications were available, doctors visits, general health practices?

Communication – How did your ancestor communicate with others in the town, with their neighbours or families far away. Even in one town, there could be a variety cultures and therefore languages, there also might be a variety of dialects, slang words and accents.

Currency – What was the currency of the day? Did your ancestor use paper money or coins? Did the local shopkeeper manage accounts for the townspeople or was bartering a common occurrence.

Religion – You don’t have to be religious to understand that religion had a great influence on how our ancestors behaved. It influenced their movements, thoughts and behaviours. It is impossible not to have religion in your ancestor’s town. Religion is a foundational element to all cultures. They affect the way people eat, sleep and relate to others. There may be multiple religions in your ancestor’s village. Learn about the local religions, their moral codes, beliefs and history so you can better understand the make-up of your ancestor’s village.

Races – Did your ancestor live in a multi-cultural community? How did this affect their behaviour, their exposure to different foods, clothing and beliefs? How did they view others races? Did racism exist in their community? Did your ancestor live in a liberal community that embraced diversity?

Recreation – What did your ancestor do for fun? Did they play sports or other activities that were part of their daily life? Did they read? Play board games? Tell stories? How they spent their free time reflects their cultures and enriches your world building.

Where to Find World Building Details

A little research into the local and social history of your ancestor’s part of the world can help to reveal how some of these elements were a part of their world. Now by now means is this a complete list. You can find a much more extensive list in Authentic Ancestors. But it is a great representation that can help us push beyond the standard description of their surroundings, dig a little deeper to truly understand the world they were living in and build that world with confidence for your reader. Look at your library, online libraries, historical societies, genealogical centres, newspapers, letter and diaries and city directories to help you flesh out the setting and social history details.

Recently I spent some time on Amazon looking for local and social history books for my upcoming writing project. I found some great resources, but they shouldn’t take the place of visiting the archives and museums of the local areas that your ancestor lived. Don’t just use one resource but a variety to build your ancestor’s world.

Here are some of my recent discoveries on Amazon.

These first two are going to help me out a great deal with my upcoming project.

The Canadian Settler’s Guide

The Backwoods of Canada, (download to Kindle for .99)

I also stumbled upon this a series of books called A Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life, each book addresses a different time period. I thought they might come in handy for some of you.

Everyday Life in Colonial America

Everyday Life in the Middle Ages

Everyday Life in the 1800’s

Everyday Life in the Wild West

Everyday Life During the Civil War

Everyday Life in the 1800’s

Everyday Life from Prohibition through to World War II

Everyday Life in Renaissance England

( I do receive a small compensation from Amazon if you purchase through one of these links.)

Now, we’ve offered up lots of ideas. Of course, we don’t want to overdo it. We might have to pick and choose which details and descriptions best suit our story. It’s up to you to decide what will ultimately serve your story and reader. We can’t include it all, but it’s nice to know we have options. Take some time before you write to research and learn what setting options are available to you so that you can build your ancestor’s world with authenticity.

Watch for future instalments of My Summer of Setting and Social History. Come along with me on my travel and writing journey. Next: Creating a Setting and Social History Research List.

How to Fit Writing a Family History into Your LifeHow to Fit Writing a Family History into Your Life

May 15, 2017 0 Comments

Are you tired of saying some day?

The number one excuse that I hear when it comes to writing family history stories besides not knowing how to start is how to find the time in what is usually an already busy schedule. There are so many other things that are probably demanding your time and attention, and while you agree that writing a family history is something you want to do and need to get started on, still so many of you are waiting for some time to free up on your calendar.

Ha! Not going to happen. You have to make it happen. So let’s get started.

1.Establish a deadline for your stories or book. It is a well-known fact that without a target date, goals just don’t happen. You need to set yourself a deadline or you’ll not only never start you’ll also never finish. Make that deadline public, announce it to friends and family. Be accountable for it. If not it’s just too easy to keep moving the date. Plan your deadline around an event such as a family reunion or an anniversary or birthday, events that have a finite finish line.

2.Create a to-do list. Make a list of everything you need to accomplish between now and the deadline for your book or stories. Plan to write one story a month, or a book by your next reunion. I use a great app called Asana, for outlining all my projects. Asana allows me to create a project, add a list of tasks and subtasks in the project along with target dates.

3.Identify when you are available to write during the week. Let’s be real. The writer in me tells you to write every day, but I know that’s not realistic for many of you. Instead, try to write for a minimum of 3 days a week. Try to make them consecutive days. It allows you to establish a momentum you just can’t get from stopping and starting every couple of days.

4.Schedule writing days on your calendar. You have to make writing a priority just like any other appointment on the calendar. Establish a time to work on your family history stories and don’t let anything or anyone infringe on that time.

5.Schedule your other life tasks and responsibilities. The best way to settle into a few hours of writing without being distracted is to make sure your other duties are also scheduled. This is a big one for me. Schedule others tasks like, housework, shopping, paying the bills, research. If you know, there is time on your calendar for these other tasks it makes it so much easier to settle into writing. You won’t feel guilty and be distracted thinking you should be doing the laundry.

6.Turn off the distractions. Can’t stress this enough, turn them all off, TV, Facebook, your cellphone, and yes even the landline. Close the door and write. No interruptions during this time.

7.Have a plan when you sit down to write. I firmly believe in plotting out a storyline in advance. It provides you with an outline for what you need to write, no guess work involved. You know the beginning, middle and end of your story. Each day you should know exactly what you need to write next. This will make your writing time extremely productive and efficient.

8.Establish a workflow. Be organised, have a workflow in place, with research close by, don’t waste your writing time looking for a date and finding your sources.

9.Don’t think you have to write your entire family history. If you think in small ancestor profiles, and schedule one or two a month think what you’ll have accomplished in a year’s time. Enough to fill a book.

10.Find a writing partner or group. Writing groups will help keep you accountable to your schedule and deadlines. When you have someone like a partner or group you become committed to the process, you write more, your writing skills grow and you are more likely to meet your deadlines. Look at your local library or genealogical community to find a group. Or better yet, start a group with some of your genealogy buddies.

11.Believe that you deserve this in your life. Writing is an excellent expression of your creative side and personal development. Invest in yourself by giving yourself the time and skills to write. Think about it like exercise or planning nutritious meals, we make time for them because we know they are good for us. Writing is good for the soul and your family history. Don’t deny yourself this opportunity. When you make writing a family history a part of your life, it becomes equally about the journey as it does about the destination.

Bonus: Take a writing course.

Writing courses not only help you to develop your skills but through the exercises, you can finish a story or two and get some practice and feedback. Writing courses will offer the motivation to move your writing to a higher place on the priority list in your life. But we might be a little bias when it comes to that suggestion!

Ancestor Profiles: When there’s no time to write a bookAncestor Profiles: When there’s no time to write a book

April 14, 2017 0 Comments

How long does it take you to write 500 words? 1 hour? 2 hours? What if I told you that you could write your first ancestor story in the time it takes you to write 500 words. It’s true.

Too often we get caught up in the impression that writing our family history is going to be this big massive, overwhelming task. So we shy away from it and promise ourselves some day. But it doesn’t have to be that way because in 500 words you can write a story in the format of an Ancestor Profile.

Ancestor Profiles are the perfect place to begin. They are one ancestor, one story and they can take all the scary out of beginning to write your family history.

What is an Ancestor Profile?

An Ancestor Profile is a snapshot of a single ancestor. It can be an overview of an ancestor’s life, but more importantly, it should focus on something specific or unique about your ancestor. It can highlight an ancestor’s achievements or accomplishments or an event or critical aspect of your ancestor’s life. It’s not an autobiography or even a biography but more of a biography sketch. It’s not meant to convey every researched detail you have of an ancestor’s life but rather to shine a spotlight on a specific theme, or idea about that ancestor. It compliments a few pictures and a pedigree chart very nicely. Ancestor Profiles are quick and easy to read and that means our family will probably read them.

Ancestor profiles are not book-length they usually run about 500 to 2000 words with a snapshot profile tapping out at 500-600 words. In the time it takes you to write 500 words you can have completed your first Ancestor Profile. Then a little revision, polish and editing and your first ancestor profile is complete in no time at all.

To write an ancestor profile, you must have a good understanding of the ancestor either through your research, memory, observation, or a combination. Ancestor Profiles can be created out of an interview of the person or someone who knew the person, or your personal experiences and memory. You can create a profile by visiting the places where the person worked, lived and socialized.

For those earlier ancestors you might need to rely solely on your research but again focusing in on something that makes this ancestor stand out to you. Too many family history writers use ancestor profiles to create a mundane rundown of an ancestor’s life rather than a look at an aspect of the ancestor that gets to the heart of their character.

Just like family history narratives, profiles also rely on you to use some creative writing techniques to make your profile interesting and entertaining. In stories, we lean on description, details, action, structure and theme to create an enjoyable read. We also need to include all of these elements as part of an ancestor profile to make them entertaining and engaging.

Where to Use an Ancestor Profile

If you have gaps in your ancestor’s research and you can’t tell a birth to death tale, you may want to consider the Ancestor Profile. They allow you to write about a specific person and a specific time frame, event or accomplishment rather a birth to death chronology.
Ancestor Profiles are a great starting point for the beginner family history writer. I would encourage as you work through your research to create a profile for all of your direct ancestors, and those that are unique and have achievements in their life you would like to share. It’s a great way to start small, develop your writing skills and work your way up to a larger story.
Ancestor Profiles fit in wonderfully in legacy books, alongside pictures and documents or as sidebars to the main story.
Ancestor Profiles also make great blog posts, newsletter articles or even Facebook posts. You can even use them as the script to a short video or slideshow.
Ancestor Profiles can also be weaved into a larger story.

How Reading Can Improve Your Writing with 6 Actionable TipsHow Reading Can Improve Your Writing with 6 Actionable Tips

March 14, 2017 0 Comments

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” —Stephen King

I believe three things make you a better writer.

Learning the craft of writing.

Practice, practice, practice.

Reading books by other authors.

I can help you to learn the craft of writing. The practice, well, that’s on you. So today, let’s address the third item on the list, reading. Let’s first look at why reading can make you a better writer.

A good writer should read for pleasure but to also learn the craft of writing. When we read the books by other authors, styles, voices and other genres, we expand our knowledge. Most importantly, it presents us with writing that’s better than our own, and through osmosis, as well as applying the techniques it helps us to improve our own writing. Reading can help you to expand your vocabulary and to craft better sentences. It helps you to understand language better. Quite simply reading helps you to learn from the best and gain new knowledge.

Reading can help you to understand how others think and process information. This is an important skill to learn if you wish to express yourself through the written word to others. When you analyze what you read and share it with others, you learn to understand a book and in turn convey that understanding to others.

Reading reveals the secrets of a writer’s job in practice. And finally, you will find reading will offer inspiration.

6 Tips for Improving Your Reading Skills

Establish some good reading habits.

Dedicate a set amount of time each day for reading. I like a minimum of 60 minutes. Somedays, I will read more. But no less than 60 minutes every day. Carry your book with you to maximize your time. Consider making a book list and plan your reading for the year. I choose a minimum of 24 books each year. That’s 2 books a month. My goal is to improve on this each year. Choose your books wisely, plan your books, read from a variety of books from classics to trash to contemporary literature. Read outside your genre. Join a book club – it forces you to read books outside of your genre, to read with a deadline and to read with a critical eye.

Take notes.

Break down the stories you read. Analyze character, plot and theme. Highlight passages, make notes of words or passages that stand out for you and the effects they create. Make notes throughout the reading process. I love Kindle for this reason. I can highlight passages and make notes right in the Kindle. After finishing the book write a one-page Keep a binder with your one-page summaries of each book you have read.Write reviews, Amazon, Goodreads, or consider a book review on your blog. It helps you to analyze the book and think about the story with a more critical eye.

Consider creating a reading journal.

A reading journal combines the skills of reading and writing. You record your impressions and ideas about a book you’ve read in your journal. A reading journal will help you record the not only the feelings it created within you as you journeyed with the characters but the writing lessons you learned. It is worth taking a few minutes after each book to record your thoughts in a reading journal. All these things can help you become a better, offer inspiration and build your confidence.

Try the techniques you’ve learned in your writing.

Experiment with what you discovered, and then give the techniques you’ve discovered a twist to make them your own.

Don’t read more than two books at a time

I recommend limiting the number of books that you read at once. If you do read two books at a time, read from two different genres, for example, read a fiction and nonfiction.

Enjoy your reading.

Don’t waste your time reading books you are not enjoying. Life is too short to read a book you dislike. But before you put it down learn from it. Identify why you are struggling. Write down your analysis of why the book is not landing for you before you move on. We can learn from the bad books as well as the good ones.

To learn more about how to read to write, I recommend. How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren. For more books visit our Writers’ Resource Page. (affiliate links)

How to Use Index Cards to Plot a Family HistoryHow to Use Index Cards to Plot a Family History

January 12, 2017 0 Comments

I’m known as a plotter. This means I love to outline my stories in great detail before I begin to write. For me, it’s like creating a road map of a story from start to finish. It allows me to organize my story so that when I start to write I know exactly what I’m writing and where I’m going with the story. It eliminates sitting and staring at my computer screen in that deep dark hole known as writer’s block.

I use index cards to create this map. Each index card represents a scene or a summary. A creative nonfiction story is comprised of scenes and summaries and having those scenes carefully thought out in advance can help keep you organized and writing every day. Check out my scene building cards that I designed just for family history writers.

Once I have my story mapped out with my index cards, then I can begin to write my first draft.

While index cards may seem a rather old-fashioned method for outlining it is with good reason it’s still around, it works. Of course, just as technology has impressed itself on every aspect of our lives even the little old index card has not gone untouched by the digital world. You can still use paper index cards if you are tactile, and like the physical feel of a paper card in front of you. I love to lay out my index cards on a corkboard in my office it keeps my story in front of me and top of mind.

There are plenty of digital index cards available today that have replaced the paper card. For instance, Scrivener offers index cards on a corkboard so that you can storyboard your family history within the writing program. Check out this video to see how to use the Scrivener corkboard. Scrivener also offers the ability to print off those cards so you can still have those paper cards to shuffle around on a physical corkboard.

There are plenty of apps for index cards, the Corkboard Writing app, and the Index Card app are just a couple. Most are available for iPads and iPhones. Check the Apple App store for a selection.

Elements of an Index Card

An index card will record either a scene or a summary on the card. On each card, you will record bullet points to help you write that particular scene or summary. Here is an article that explains the difference between scene and summary.

Scene cards should contain a few basic elements that will help you to write the scene when it comes time to put pen to paper.

Who – the primary ancestor in the scene

Scene Goal – your ancestor hopes to accomplish an explicit goal with the scene. Read here about scene goals.

Action – what physically happens in the scene.

Setting – Where and when does it happen? Indoors? Outdoors? Time of year, day, place, etc.

Conflict – within the scene is conflict, tension or suspense.

Inner Journey– how is your ancestor emotionally affected by the outer journey or action happening in the scene.

Theme – Do the details in the scene support the theme you have created?

Index cards are another tool in our writer’s toolbox that helps us to break down our writing into manageable tasks, keeping us from becoming overwhelmed and hitting that all too familiar writer’s block.

Writing a Family History Scene (1)

Want to learn more about how to write to write a family history scene consider our upcoming class, Writing a Family History Scene.

To understand how to format a story using scene cards, consider joining us for our upcoming course Plotting a Family History Story or our e-workbook, Finding the Story. Also available on Amazon in paperback.