Hi Paul
 Good advice thanks. My book while being planned, hasn't started for no other reason then I am still looking for the documents to prove my lineage. But it is the documents that I have a question on. Are public records allowed to be published in book form? Marriage records, death records, deeds etc:

Thanks
Donald Locke

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> I have been asked by Joan, Suzy, and Helen, among others, concerning how to
> organize your efforts to write a family history. Honestly, no answer that would
> fit here or take less than 6 months to write is possible; the subject is simply
> too broad. That said, a couple of ideas come to mind.
>
> First, you should know that where - what family or ancestor with whom you begin
> - is not atall important, and I teach that you should start by gathering
> together every bit of data and material you have as to your favorite ancestor or
> single family unit. Though you must plan to write about ALL the family in order
> that you most benefit your descendants (or tell your readers some very good
> reason why you will not do that), as I have said you must start someplace and
> your favorite person or family is that place. You will much later decide what
> chapter that first writing will be, but for now the chapterage and titles are of
> no importance
>
> Genealogy itself provides a very satisfactory organization for the effort; you
> do it by dates from now back through time or from your earliest known ancestor
> down to now. Pick one or the other of those directions and, whichever you
> choose, stick to it for the entire book. Next, lay out all your materials as to
> that favorite ancestor or family in chronological order.
>
> One of the better ways to move ahead is to start with your earliest known
> ancestor of your favorite family, write about him or her, and then write about
> the husband or wife of that favorite and HIS or HER family. Next come forward
> toward now with the next generation - your direct ancestor, the son or daughter
> of that favorite and earliest ancestor in that line, write of that person and
> then of the family of the spouse of that person. Then come forward another
> generation - your ancestor, the grandchild of that favorite person, write of him
> or her and then of his or her spouse the family of that spouse. And so on and
> on till now.
>
> As you are writing about each of those ancestors and their spouses, you can
> write what and however much you wish concerning the siblings of that ancestor
> and their descendants. I prefer to write of those siblings - collateral lines -
> in an appendix to that family, otherwise, after only a couple generations, you
> will have more material than your readers will find interesting.
>
> Enough then, for a beginning; start that process in the way suggested or in any
> other fashion, however whatever plan you choose, be consistent and use the same
> approach generation after generation.
>
> One final thought for this tiny summary: good writers of family history always
> observe what we call "equality of treatment". That does not mean that you must
> write the same number of words about everybody, but it does mean that you at
> least mention and put in their rightful place all your direct predecessors. As
> an example, if you intend to write about a G-GMother who had 12 kids and worked
> diligently in a factory to keep her family together, then you must follow that
> with at least a description and a tad of info about her husband or mate.
>
> Enough then. I will help any who start the effort, but not I or anyone can help
> you if you don't start writing. As I said, a book is accomplished by the
> writing of it, and not by thinking, planning, and discussing it. Paul
>
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