Storytelling Hub
Blog articles to Help You Tell the Stories of the Past
Feeling Irresolute in January?
We all want a better year—or at least one that is as good as the previous one. Despite the best of intentions, most of us will struggle to keep the resolutions we make. Those of us feeling irresolute find it hard to even set those goals. (My last year’s post, How to...
Blog Caroling In the Bleak Midwinter
An invitation was issued by LindaRae Palmer, aka the footnote Maven, to join in her annual tradition of Blog Caroling. Blog Caroling is simply “posting the lyrics, youtube video, etc. of your favorite Christmas carol on your blog.” Thanks for the invite...
Elopement! A Honeymoon Diary, Part 1
My exploration of the beautiful 100 year old art deco postcard album continues, this time with the typewritten Honeymoon Diary. Researching the historical context of the diary reveals quite an exciting elopement. (Read also the first installment: A Story in Captions:...
Who owns your family history?
Who owns your family history? You? The original researcher? The global family connected to it? Not too long ago, I retweeted, without much forethought, a quote by Rosemary Alva. “We Don't own our family history. We simply preserve it for the next generation.”...
A Story in Captions: The 1913 Gettysburg Reunion
Of all the things I expected to grace my dining room table, a photo album with captions retelling an eye-witness account of the 1913 Gettysburg Reunion wasn’t one of them. It's here on loan from one of my neighbors. One evening a few weeks ago, one of my neighbors...
How to Preserve Traditions of Laughter
When we think about preserving and sustaining our family heritage, we often overlook the traditions of laughter. This comes particularly to mind as we approach Thanksgiving. I am truly, deeply thankful for the traditions of laughter that echo from the branches of my...
5 Great Family History Writing Strategies for Fall & Winter
As the temperatures drop, the days shorten (at least here in the northern hemisphere) and the trees lose their leaves, the momentum for writing about family history wanes too. To combat my own lethargy and procrastination, I developed a list of family history writing...
Now and Then: Comparing Photos Across Generations
Today, I'm launching a new blog series: What's in your Closet? Through these posts, I'll illustrate the stories and connection that are waiting in closets for their re-discovery. Like an old album that has you comparing photos across generations. Here's how it...
Writing Prompt: What patriotism means to you
Here in the USA, there’s a lot of talk about patriotism, but seldom in the form of stories. We proclaim our fierce love of country without explaining what patriotism means to us. Without telling the backstory. If you’re starting to suspect this is a political or...
15+ Reasons to Attend #RootsTech 2018
If you’ve experienced it you probably don’t need anyone to list off the reasons to attend RootsTech 2018. You know. If you’ve never been, let me help you out by showing you a few photos still on my phone from RootsTech 2017 and 2016. First off, full disclosure. I’m a...
12 Ways to Celebrate Your Family’s History
What better time than Family History Month (October) to celebrate your family's history by sharing part of the family’s legacy. As Family History Month Activities for Non-Genealogists explained, Family History month isn’t just for genealogists. It’s something all...
Choosing Which Family Stories to Tell
“Your Ancestors are Waiting; They Have Stories to Tell,” a 2013 Ancestry.com blog title proclaims . I doubt my paternal grandmother is one of them. During her lifetime, she decided, for reasons that remain unclear, to lie about her past. I’m not sure she wants me...
How Ancestor Stories are like Potato Chips
Americans over 30 probably remember Lay’s potato chip commercials declaring “You can’t eat just one.” Ancestor stories are like potato chips —a non-fattening, healthy version—that shouldn’t be limited to just one. Lest you misunderstand, I’m not making a case that...
Which Photos Represent your Family Story?
It's a blessing to have tons of family pictures, but the options can make it harder to decide which photos represent your family story. Listening to my favorite expert on choosing photos that portray moments that matter brought this precious photo album back to mind....
How Family Stories Fill in the Gaps: A Case Study
During a single afternoon visit with an eighty-three-year old cousin back in 1996, my mother confirmed family traditions that put my grandmother’s life—and her stories—in context. Usually, when family stories fill in the gaps by research, we're pleasantly surprised. ...
Listening Skills and Conversations: Keys to Collecting Stories
When I joined Toastmasters to improve my public speaking, their emphasis on listening skills surprised me. It shouldn’t have. Listening, as opposed to simply hearing, is the key to effective communications. Good listening skills facilitate meaningful conversations....
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