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 -------------- Original message -------------- > 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 > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html