Producing a Quality Family Narrative will be taught by John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA along with the help of: Ann Carter Fleming, CG, CGL; Kay Haviland Feilich, CG, CGL; and Barbara Renick.
For years you've been gathering information about your ancestors. You've made many fascinating discoveries. Now it's time to share them. But where do you start? Right here! Three dynamic instructors are eager to share their expertise and experience to help you write and publish your family history. Using lots of vivid examples and case studies, this course demonstrates how to: compile the material you've gathered; narrate the life stories of your ancestors; choose the most appropriate numbering system and observe proper documentation; edit and proofread your text; work with a publisher or self-publish, either in paper form or electronically; weave family lore and treasured heirlooms, as well as pertinent local history, into your prose; and incorporate maps, charts and illustrations. One in-class writing exercise (with follow-up critique sessions) helps you improve practical writing skills, share your special talents, and exchange ideas with the family instructors and fellow students. Your family instructors and fellow students. Your family history will never be "finished!" It's time to start sharing what you've discovered so far.
- Preliminaries: What, Why, How and For Whom Are You Writing?
- Turning Biographical Facts into Real Life Events: How to Build Historical Context
- Principles of Good Writing and Good Storytelling
- How to Use Artifacts in Genealogical Writing
- In-class Writing Exercise
- Grammar for Genealogists
- Numbering Systems for Genealogies and Family Histories
- Evaluating Evidence
- Writing Your Genealogy or Family History Using a Word Processor (Book Format, Page Layout, Style, Text, Notes, Graphics, Charts, Illustrations, Etc.)
- How to Create a Narrative of Biographical Facts
- Electronic Venues for Publishing
- Documentation: Important for Readers . . . and the Author, too!
- Editing and Proofreading
- Indexing
- Publishing Your Genealogy or Family History (Fundamentals of Self-Publishing and Subsidized Publishing)
- Using Newspapers and Cartographic Materials for Historical Context
- In-class Critique and Discussion of Writing Exercise I
- In-class Critique and Discussion of Writing Exercise II
- Writing a Quality Family Narrative: The Pitfalls and Snares
- The Larger Literary Possibilities of Family History
