I do not know how to get motivated to begin this project. It seems so huge, and my family is waiting for me to do this. They are still wishing that I will get going. I need help. Thank you.
2007-02-28 07:03:41 · 6 answers · asked by fran w 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Genealogy
I have some out of the ordinary questions on
http://www.tedpack.org/bioguide.html
the second page of the set has more, plus links to more formal sets of questions.
If you write a sentence, paragraph or page in answer to each question, one a day, by the end of a year you will have 365 sentences, paragraphs or pages.
It IS huge. Break it down in little steps.
If you don't type, ask your family if any of them (or 10 of them) would be willing to take a casette or digital recording and type it up for you. I think you can get a microphone to go with an iPod.
2007-03-01 04:49:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Someday, a grandchild, perhaps grandchildren, will start to ask the eternal question. Where do we come from, what was our family like? The quest for ancestral information goes beyond a flowchart of lineage. It is the need to know that the people on that tree are real, that they had lives of their own filled with loves, and jobs and experiences of their own. You do not need a book. You are the book. Write about how you met their grandmother/father, what it felt like when you and your spouse had your first child. Funny stories about the family. Tell them about your parents and grandparents and your childhood. Your favorite things...your pet peeves, this your legacy, this is what they want to remember and know. This is how you give them a part of yourself. Remember how much you love the people you are writing this all down for... Now, where did you put that pen?
2007-02-28 12:43:36 · answer #2 · answered by teacupn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best way is to start a journal. Even if it seems like trivial your family will enjoy the stories. My mom is in her 80's and has been writing since the early 1970's. I on the other hand have created a fictional character based on my life who manages to survive every thing that comes his way. I believe that you have a creative spark that just needs to be fanned.
2007-02-28 07:10:06 · answer #3 · answered by Steven D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a program called Personal Historian that helps you organize family stories, putting them into context with things happening in other parts of your family and in the world. It's about $30USD but it can help break your history down into smaller, manageable pieces.
2007-02-28 08:01:42 · answer #4 · answered by dlpm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should find the things *you* want to tell your family. I love the stories my father tells me about his work and the things he did, I see at his eyes he loves to tell about that , and I love to listen. Dont you tell the things you did, how you were to your children, do they listen then ? do you love to tell them those things ? if not well why bother then there are surely nicer things to do then ? Elderly people are a source of inspiration, my farther was a carpenter, he builded houses in the city, he pointed me out wich houses he worked on 40~50 years ago. It makes me feel less lonely in the city since his houses are there, its good to know all the things your parents did how they lived , it gives a point of reference it makes me think and reflect myself by comparing
2007-02-28 07:14:53 · answer #5 · answered by gjmb1960 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are probably a million books on the subject, not to mention websites. just start shopping
and check cyndislist.com for thousands of web links.
2007-02-28 08:47:48 · answer #6 · answered by chieromancer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋