Summer Stories: A Writing Prompt
Summer stories are like fireflies. When it’s cold and dreary out, they’re out of sight and mind. But on hot, humid nights, in a flash you remember that time when… Summer Stories Resonate Because most of us have had them, our summer stories trigger echoes of...
Including context in Immigration Stories
Context in immigration stories is crucial to understanding the past. Context explains why, what happened, and what was that like. Information missing from the documents. Details that make compelling stories. In addition, context can confirm family traditions,...
Brains on Stories: Implications for Family Historians
We all know stories bring history alive in a way that facts alone cannot. Neuroscience explains why. Looking at our brains on stories has lots of implications for family historians. Remember that anti-drug commercial which showed an egg dropping into a frying pan of...
Intentional Tangents: Taking a Circuitous Route to Writing your Story
(aka when Tangents aren’t really so Tangential, aka Bringing the Subtext out of the Closet) Because they reflect relationships, stories are often complex. Sometimes the family storyteller has to apply a little tact. At my last critique group meeting, one of my fellow...
Advice from Great Storytellers for Family Historians
What can family historians glean from advice from great storytellers? I picked a few of my favorites tips that can help those of us writing family stories. (See also Who Do You Think You Are? What Writers Can Learn from the Show.) “How would you feel?” Emma Coates, a...
Don't Wait.
Put the episodes of the past to paper.
We all have stories to share with our children and grandchildren. Whether it’s a proud moment, memories of grandparents, or a lesson you’ve learned, Memories of Me: A Complete Guide to Telling and Sharing the Stories of Your Life helps you put the episodes of your past onto paper and share them with loved ones.
