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Topic: Writing Family Narratives - how do you do it? (Read 3816 times)
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Biker
RootsChat Honorary
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4625
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Hello,
I've been struggling with the many pieces of paper, Word documents, online sources, bits and pieces people have emailed me etc and all that 'stuff' we all collect for ages and have finally started to try to pull it all together and 'make sense' of some of my main families in some form of narrative style from the research I've done so far ...
I decided to start with my Freiensener families. I tried to do it by individual families, that didn't work, tried doing it by individual and that didn't workand went finally for a chronological(ish) style but what a trial trying to fit everything in and try to make it sound logical, it's taken me days to write about two pages and it's still all messy and convoluted, bits missed out, bits I don't know where to put ... 
Here's my first - very flawed - dabble http://webb-erickson.rootschat.net/freiensener_family.htm
Any ideas on how you've done it would be great as i'm hoping eventually to do a narrative for all my 'main' families or those I know enough about.
p.s. I hope the photos pop up properly 
Cheers
Biker
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Sylviaann
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 2854
Isabella Barette
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Biker
That looks OK to me. It's similar to "what I wrote" about my family. Mine is not on the net but in Word. For the sake of clarity I wrote a general bit about the family then I did individual families on seperate pages with a little tree at the top. I just worked in time order. As my main family didn't go back too far I added things that were happening at the time, ie relief of Maffeking, Queen Victorias death etc. I add facts as I find them. I did start about 10 years ago so I didn't know a great deal then. Definately best to start early.
I really don't know if my rellies like it or understand it. No-one has commented. It is set out that way now and I can't be bothered to change it all.
See what others say.
Sylviaann
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Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukNorfolk: Gooch, Loveday, Lake, Betts Suffolk: Gooch, Crosby, Turner Hampshire: Laws, Burrows Kent: Beer Jersey: Barette, de Gruchy East London: Middleton, Gower, O'Farrell, Smith, Weston |
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Arranroots
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 10927
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Hi Biker
Haven't read yours yet - praise later! - but I stored these against the day that I would start my own writing project:
http://www.familychronicle.com/fitzhugh.htm
http://www.genealogyforum.rootsweb.com/gfaol/reunion/WriteHist.htm
http://www.aagsnc.org/articles/writing.htm
Hope you find them interesting
A 
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS WIL: WEBB, SALTER RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY (DUBLIN), BOYLE(DUNDALK) |
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Biker
RootsChat Honorary
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4625
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Thanks for the feedback. Glad the photos work!
Sylviaann - yes I think the social context is important, I'm going to work on that bit some more.
Geoff - I know what you mean about recording sources, but I did kind of try that and it made it very cumbersome and I think detracted from the 'story'. I guess they could be put in as footnotes? Or maybe not do that at all as that info is actually recorded on my master files (not on website). On some of my families I only have census data and some certs too, so a bit more of a challenge but nevertheless interesting .... This is probably one of more interesting families especially as they are all related too. But I have more than enough of General Dealers, Ag Labs Shoemakers and the like
Arranroots - yes I did read some web guides but frankly I found them quite daunting so skimmed - so much like me not to do things thoroughly but thanks for pointing them out, I'll have another skim before I do any more ...
Thanks again folks
Biker
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Gadget
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 24469
Holy Island - Pilgrims' Path
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Hi Biker
Just noticed this thread, linked from Bob's summary at the top of this Board. The description of the bits of paper, etc. made me laugh - you should see my collections
Yours is looking good - Sarah Ann seems quite a character.
I've written up half of my lines, then re-written, then found some more, then re-written, etc. The cousins who have them think they're fine and are pleased that they have a rellie to do the hard work I'm not satisfied. I feel they should be more chatty in style - but how?
Putting the life stories up on the web is even worse - I think I've got writer's block. Maybe collecting together the odd bits that I've put up on RC might be a solution - kind of post-modern narrative
Gadget
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Berlin-Bob
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5692
by: My Daughter. Chatting to find her Roots !
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My family narrative is my website OR my website is my family narrative
Although web-based, most of it can also be printed as a reasonable semblance of a book.
I have taken my daughter's 4 grandparents as the main family groups and then used the following structure for each family:
- "Family" home page: short description (still working on most of these)
- various "chapters"/pages about different aspects of the families, including census info., and even the search for information
- Biographies of various family members
- photos
I also have a basic structure for the biographies:
- Born .... with cert. thumbnail, if I have the cert.
- Died... (thumbnail cert., as above)
- Parents ...
- Siblings ...
- Spouse (thumbnail cert., as above)
- Children...
- If applicable, Spouse 2, Children, etc
- Biography
All with photos, where available
The biggest problem ist decide whether biographical details go on the individual biography pages, or on the family pages.
However, as this is a "work in progress" (aren't they all ? ) I don't worry too much about that, I can always change it.
I have found that by having this structure, I can add snippets at any time:
- For instance, after queries on RootsChat I can add more here and there:
some of the articles are, in fact, summaries of the contents of the topic.
For the web version I sometimes incliude a link to the RootsChat topic.
- for instance: I see a snippet of info on the web. I add that, as a snippet, to the relevant page, and every so often, I re-write the page so that it looks more homogeneous.
One point for those just starting:
I spent a lot of time agonising about the "best" way of doing it, but I found that once I had something written down, it was much easier to decide later, that I wanted to have it differently. Usind word processors and text-editors makes a re-think so much easier, as the "content" is already there, it's usually just a question of moving blocks of text around, and adding a sentence or two, till you are happy (or happier) with it.
Bob
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Searching for Coleman, Moore, Kallnung in London; Margulies, Remenyi in E. Europe; Ancestors of Hessie Stevenson-Coleman-Baxter (Ireland, 1861) and, of course, any other ancestors for my web-site. All Census Data included in this post is Crown Copyright (see: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) |
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kerryb
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 11962
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Hi Biker,
I find that your write up is excellent and the photos do pop up. I was interested to read it as I am in the same situation i.e got to the point where I must collate everything and get rid of all the notes and scraps of paper etc.
One thing I am never to sure about. When you have discovered your family history from the Census records and any other titbits of info. is it worth recording these in any write up or just take it as fact and part of your own learning curve. In some cases that is the only info. I have on certain family lines.
You have an interesting family history with a lot of historical input. I sometimes find mine is a bit dull coming from Ag Lab/Shoemakers/Dressmakers etc, so it is difficullt to write up a good family narrative.
One of these days I will make a start but in the meantime congratulations on your write-up.
Regards
Geoff
I agree Geoff, some of my 'characters' are boring, just census returns and bmd details. What I have started to do is to write up all these details plus any extra I get for certain people on my tree, for instance Jonathan Harmer who devised a way of adding terracotta reliefs to local gravestones in local graveyards. I will add to these biographies as I gain more information about others.
I have also decided to concentrate on local history of some of the villages and towns involved in my families tree.
However I have no doubt that further down the line as I investigate further and find more information it will all completely change.
Did someone mention a work in progress!
Kerry
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukSearching for my family - Baldwin - Sussex, Middlesex, Cork, Pilbeam - Sussex, Harmer - Sussex, Terry - Surrey, Kent, Rhoades - Lincs, Roffey - Surrey, Traies - Devon & Middlesex & many many more to be found on my website .... www.kerrysfamilyhistory.co.uk |
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Gadget
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 24469
Holy Island - Pilgrims' Path
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Hi Bob
Read your bit on this 
My problem is that I've written masses - but it feels stilted to me. I'd like it to be chatty but the dates and bare facts get in the way.
It's not that I'm unused to publishing - I have written a few academic books and papers and even one or two on family history. It's just that I'm so conscious of doing justice to my ancestors in what I write! It's the hardest thing I've had to write in 35 years of writing for publication 
I want to give them a context - their work, their social lives, their communities, their interests, their houses, etc. Without these people, I wouldn't be here. They were once alive like me and I can't reduce them to just outline census and BMD facts. Where I have letters and documents, they come alive but for most they are just names on records. I've read masses on social/cultural history of their times - and continue to do so.
I know that I can change it and add to it - but how often do these sites get really changed. Once it's up, it's there
Lots of points to answer here..............
Gadget
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wamwig
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 355
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi all
Seem to be several people here I know!
Anyway I'm just starting out on this writing it all up, having now got masses of information I thought it might make it easier for me to understand it all. I was thinking of coming at it from a slightly different perspective more as a social history around the people because, as you say Kerry, many of them had what are probably quite ordinary lives. There are however a number of 'characters' in there and their stories will be told as full as possible.
My idea was to try to produce it as a book format so that a future generation could potentailly add to it if they wanted to, with various chapters on family history, including the boring bits, but interspersed with personal stories, like I'm getting my father to remember all his national service (mostly in Palestine in 1947/48) and what it was like for my parents as children growing up in WW2.
And I will probably add some sort of website as well.
Oh and of course its very much a work in progress and will be for a long time!
Anthony
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Hertfordshire: Parker, Lovick, Smith, Slade, Chapman, Winters, Webb, George, Mapleton, Craft, Tottingham
London: Slade, Maloney, Oldfield
Norfolk: Lovick, Woor, Thurston, Twiddy, Osborn, Crisp
Suffolk: Lovick
Northants: Smith, West, Marriott
Cork: Maloney
Yorkshire: Oldfield
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Berlin-Bob
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5692
by: My Daughter. Chatting to find her Roots !
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Hi Gadget,
My problem is that I've written masses - but it feels stilted to me. I'd like it to be chatty but the dates and bare facts get in the way.
Isn't this a problem for all of us ??
For instance, I feel I can explain technical stuff better than write biographies. Maybe because, as you say, it is so very personal.
Some of us can "put words together" better than others, Just keep practicing.
I know that I can change it and add to it - but how often do these sites get really changed. Once it's up, it's there
No, I don't agree here. let's look at the two cases, website, "book" for relatives.
1) website: you can change your web pages as often as you want. I am constantly adding snippets here and there to individual pages; after editing, I just upload that page. (It's also a good idea, so that search engines know your site is active)
To use an analogy: a website is just space, an empty room, which you furnish as you wish. And as in real life, every so often you re-decorate a room, throw out a piece of furniture, buy something new ...
2) Book: how often are you going to print this ? Normally we are talking about a "book" that is a computer file(s). I used to print my family history about once a year, but I've stopped doing it now. Everyone said "that's lovely", "lot of work", "good job !" etc, but there was very little real feedback, and very few sent me more details of their families to include. So even a book is really just for you, and you can change it often as you want.
The all-singing, all-dancing egg-laying woolmilchpig ?? (*) ... there just aint no such animal
Just do what you can: the journey there is the point of the journey.
After all, what are you going to do when you get there 
Bob
(*) Update:
that should be woolmilkpig - I was translating from eierlegenden wollmichsau
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« Last Edit: Monday 05 June 06 07:40 UTC (UK) by Berlin-Bob »
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Searching for Coleman, Moore, Kallnung in London; Margulies, Remenyi in E. Europe; Ancestors of Hessie Stevenson-Coleman-Baxter (Ireland, 1861) and, of course, any other ancestors for my web-site. All Census Data included in this post is Crown Copyright (see: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) |
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Biker
RootsChat Honorary
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4625
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Hello fellow 'writers'
Lots of good info here on different ways to approach it so that is great!
I also had problems - like you Gadget not in the technical side of writing - but putting in some context and 'feel' for the period. The outline that is on my website at the mo is my first stab, so really represents lots of info with some background research. I started time and time again, but I think what got it going properly was always remembering that it's a work in progress. Luckily I know a lot about the area and streets this family lived in, so I've still lots to add there. Also, there is quite a bit of later info that I'm double checking for 'affecting living relatives' before I include it.
Of course as others have mentioned I do have lots of families where there is just BMD and census entries, but I think perhaps that can be interesting too with a bit history on locale/occupations etc.
Cheers
Biker
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Gadget
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 24469
Holy Island - Pilgrims' Path
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Thanks for replying Biker
Like you I grew up in the place that most of my ancestors settled in post 1800 and I have some super stuff on some of the lines. Maybe I'll start with that and work outwards
Gadget
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