These are the twenty-third and twenty-fourth articles in her series.
WRITING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
Part III
Patricia Wellingham-Jones
Components of the Book
You have now gotten the blooming thing written, edited, critiqued, revised and re-edited until words blur your mind and you’re not sure the book is even worthwhile anymore. Persevere! Any written record of your family becomes a treasure to them and to people not even born yet.
The following is what you need to include in your book, no matter how brief a record it is. We progress from first opening the book then go in sequence all the way through.
Title page
The first page you see when you open the book, this should repeat the title and subtitle, include author’s name and, often, the publisher’s logo.
Copyright page
This is the reverse side of the title page.
At top left, put the copyright symbol (©), then your name and the date the book is published.
Include the name and logo of the publisher if known.
A statement about “all rights reserved” or however you want to word it should be included; see how other books have worded this and adapt the version you like best.
Add a disclaimer if needed to protect you and others.
Add the printer’s name and location if known (they appreciate this and it helps readers who might be looking for a printer).
You may put the dedication and/or acknowledgments here if you don’t want separate pages for
them.
Dedication page
If you choose to use a page for this it goes here, balanced in the space of the whole page.
Back of Dedication page
This can be left blank, contain a family photo (I used my parents’ wedding picture here), or for acknowledgments. Acknowledgments can also go after the Contents page or at the end of the book.
Contents page
The Contents page traditionally starts on the right-hand side of the book.
On the left of the page, list chapters and even sub-sections; in an even line down the right, list the page numbers where they can be found.
When the book is completely assembled and in a final proof-reading, double check the Contents page for accuracy of page numbers and spelling.
Chapters
The information is clearest and least confusing to the reader when each chapter deals with a single subject (or closely related subjects).
The title tells the reader what to expect. Don’t try to be too clever, this often confuses; however, interesting titles do grab attention.
Subtitles (subheadings which break the topic into related, manageable parts for easier reading) are very useful.
Decide if you want to put your genealogy charts, etc. in the body of the text or at the back
in an appendix. If here, add them now, at the ends of chapters.
Text
See Tips and Essentials on Writing in Part I for information.
Illustrations
Drawings, maps and photos add a lot of interest to the book.
Captions should identify people and places in the photo; avoid “cute” captions. This is a historical reference, not a family scrapbook.
Make sure illustrations are credited to the artist or photographer when known.
Make sure they are dated whenever possible.
Scanning photos is less expensive than having a printer make negatives but may lose some of
the quality in reproduction. Today’s scanners in home computers allow you to insert a decent replica directly into your book.
Consider including illustrations, black and white drawings, maps, symbols, mining deeds,
old letters, other items that show some of the story. Remember the old saying: one picture is worth a thousand words.
Genealogy charts
See the note under Chapters about placement in the book.
Many computer programs allow you to simply lift the charts in a variety of formats directly to your book pages (or cut and paste them into position).
Whichever charting system you use, keep it consistent all the way through.
In complex lineages, it can be helpful to list at the bottom of the chapter or segment the direct line through a certain descendant.
You can also give the direct line in the chapter, then expand on that in the genealogy chart in the appendix; this has the advantage of keeping the reader’s eyes moving through the story and not getting bogged down in long charts.
Appendix
This is where you put things that don’t fit the flow of the book: charts, old letters, etc.
It is useful for expanding on things mentioned earlier.
Appendices are usually done as A, B, C, etc. and listed in the Contents page, as are the sections below.
Glossary
Glossaries are helpful if using foreign or unusual terms, names, locations.
They are also helpful when unusual customs, foods, etc. are used.
Keep the glossary simple, use short definitions.
Consider including a pronunciation guide.
Bibliography
A bibliography or reference list is essential in a family history; this is a factual document and statements must be verified.
You must document sources of your information.
Others will use your bibliography to further their own work.
This includes books, magazine/newspaper articles, websites/links, personal correspondence, interviews, conversations. This is why, at the beginning of your research, it pays to keep the entire reference along with the fact or statement. To go back at this point and try to find a page number in some obscure book can make you crazy!
Index
An index is absolutely essential. Probably the most important part of the whole book. Without an index, readers won’t be able to find anything in the book (except by luck, not a good idea).
Creating the index will take a long time but is worth all the frustration.
If you’re lucky, you have a computer program that will do this.
Double, then triple, check to match word and page numbers in the final printout.
Include surnames, locations, work situations, countries, anything that helps a reader find a particular subject.
The more complete your index, the more useful your book.
WRITING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
Part IV
Patricia Wellingham-Jones
Finally, you’re at the end of the project and just need a good cover to wrap your book. Here are things to consider.
Covers
Front and back covers are important for several reasons. They give a polished (or not) appearance to your book. They are major marketing aids. They give information to both casual browser and someone looking for specific family names. They can even entice buyers with a photo of the author or setting, if there is room and inclination.
Front cover
The front cover must include:
The title: it should refer directly to subject of the book.
A subtitle: not essential, but very useful in defining further what the book is about, including regions as well as names.
Author’s name(s).
An illustration if desired or appropriate; if used, be sure text can be seen over or around the illustration.
Example: My primary family history front cover reads thus—
Title: Stories of the Ancestors
Subtitle: Clunn, Horan, Robinson and Mackintosh Families of New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Author: Patricia Clunn Jones (for family histories I used my maiden name as well as married name to help identify family alliance).
Back cover
The back cover should include:
ISBN (International Standard Book Number) if possible; this allows listing in databases and indexes internationally and ordering from anywhere.
List of major families, very useful for browsers.
List of minor families, for similar reasons.
Reviewers’ comments if available.
A short paragraph about what to expect in the book. This blurb helps browsers but can also be used in news releases and marketing promotion.
A one-sentence description of your book, which you use freely, can be the most valuable marketing tool you have.
A photo of the author is a nice touch and helps sell the book.
Final Touches
This is where you truly enjoy the massive work you have compiled and published.
Size
Overall size of your book and number of pages determines the cost of printing.
If the book doesn’t fit what you want, you may reduce material or add some.
If you do this, you’ll need to fix the Index and Contents pages, at the very least; then double check them again.
Publishing
Major publishers seldom bother with family histories, except possibly a memoir if you are famous.
There are publishers who specialize in genealogy, but this article doesn’t cover that. You’ll have to research it yourself.
Self-publishing: This is a highly effective way to get your book out and is increasingly used.
If you decide to self-publish, get a book of guidelines, e.g. Dan Poynter’s book, The Self-Publishing Manual.
You can go to local printer.
Or find short run specialists using web press.
Or photocopy small batches yourself.
Consider online print-on-demand book publishers, e.g. 1st Books, iUniverse.
Some local printers have joined in the concept and are now doing print-on-demand books.
When the book is done
The huge project is finally finished. You hold a real book in your almost-unbelieving hand. This brings you to the next (and hardest, in my view) stage of making a book: selling it. For specific suggestions, see my article, “Marketing Ideas,” in Long Story Short, August 2004. Here are some other ideas for your family history.
Donate copies—not only is this rewarding, it gets your information out where people who really need it can find it. Give it to Family History Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; they’ll eventually put it on a CD for the world to use. Give copies to your local Family History Center; to local libraries; to regional history and genealogy societies and libraries; to family (if you can’t get them to buy it); to college libraries in the regions mentioned.
Get the book reviewed or a news release published in your local paper, in genealogical newsletters and websites, in historical society newsletters, in your own organization’s newsletter, anywhere else you can get it read.
Carry copies wherever you go for at least the first year; keep them in your car.
Make postcards or bookmarks with the information; pass them around freely. This is where that one-sentence description is especially handy.
Sell tons of them. (I’ve discovered this works if the family is closely connected; scattered families tend not to care as much.)
Get famous and rich!
Selected Resources
Any software program that helps format a book.
Your genealogy program; copy charts directly to your text or print and paste them in.
The Self-Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter. Para Publishing, Santa Barbara, CA (7th edition
1993 – I expect there are newer editions).
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. MacMillan Publishing Co., NY, (3rd edition 1979; the best little book on the basics of writing in a writer’s library).
Writing a Memoir by Judith Barrington. Eighth Mountain Press, Portland, OR 1997 (not on family history but full of related tips and information, including legal).
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. Shambhala Press, Boston, 1986 (a good general book on writing).
Magazines: The Writer, Writer’s Digest, Writer’s Journal, etc. Remember the genealogical magazines, too.
“Getting Published” series of articles by Patricia Wellingham-Jones, Long Story Short.
END
