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Family history

Create a family photo book

Family story photo book

If you don’t have the time or the skills to write a full-length family history or life story, one way of presenting and preserving your family history or the story of your own life is to create a family photo

Chris 04/04/2022 Family history, Life story No Comments Read more

Could a ghostwriter help you write your story?

Ghostwriter

If your ambition is to write your memoir or life story or to write your family history but you just don’t have the time or confidence to write it yourself, then using a ghostwriter could be the answer. Reasons why

Chris 11/12/2021 Autobiography and memoir, Family history, Life story No Comments Read more

What’s in a name? How your surname can connect you to the past

What's in a name?

What’s in name? Well, a lot if you look at the history and stories behind the estimated 45,000 different surnames (last names) in England. “A name is so important. A surname connects you to your past, to your family. Even

Chris 08/27/2020 Family history No Comments Read more

Artefacts up close

Artefacts up close

As a family historian you will undoubtedly have built up a collection of resources from birth, death and marriage certificates, photos, letters, diaries, newspaper clippings to detailed notes and records of your genealogical research. But amongst your collection, are there

Chris 04/29/202007/15/2020 Family history No Comments Read more

Alternative ways to present your family history – forget the chronological approach

Alternative ways to present your family history

If you are struggling to get started writing your complete family history using the traditional chronological approach then maybe it’s time to look for alternative ways to present your family history. Not many people enjoy reading long and dreary family histories

Chris 09/03/2019 Family history No Comments Read more

Writing a family history? Start with the stories about your own life

Writing a family history? Your story matters

As a family historian you will probably have spent years tracing your family back through many generations to discover more about the lives and times of your ancestors. But have you ever considered how your own life is also part

Chris 07/10/201902/15/2021 Family history No Comments Read more

Nostalgia in a family history narrative – is there a place for it?

Nostalgia in a family history - is there a place for it?

Can you be too nostalgic when writing a family history? Professional historians don’t really do nostalgia and sentiment. It is not their job to interpret history in this way and some criticise family historians for not adopting their own more

Chris 01/14/201901/14/2019 Family history No Comments Read more

Write your family history story by story

Write your family history story by story

Feeling overwhelmed about how to start writing your complete family history? Well, why not make it easier and write your family history story by story. Many family historians, including many who have attended my family history writing workshops, haven’t even

Chris 01/10/201909/23/2019 Family history No Comments Read more

How to start writing your family history step by step

How to start writing your family history step by step

Don’t let your years of family history research go to waste. Stories are so much more engaging and interesting than lists of names and dates etc. so read on to discover how to start writing your family history step by

Chris 09/13/201801/08/2019 Family history No Comments Read more

Family history and social history have close links

Family history and social history

Anyone who has read my blogs or who has met me at workshops or Family History Fairs/Exhibitions will know that I am always keen to talk about the close link between family history and social history. The stories of ancestors

Chris 01/12/201805/29/2018 Family history No Comments Read more
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Recent Posts

  • Create a family photo book
  • Could a ghostwriter help you write your story?
  • Processing your oral history interview
  • Recording an oral history interview – what equipment do you need?
  • Setting up your oral history interview
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