Genealogy Chat

Has anyone ever had their family history story published? If so how did you do it?

I'm busy writing up some stories and wonder if it's worth sending them to magazines? I'd love to get something published!

n

I know that Joy (AKA Joy of Kent) has had at least one family story published in an online FH magazine. It was a really good read.

I think going for a magazine is a good idea. I've been trying to write up a couple of things - and in my head I am aiming them for a magazine as it would have an "unknown" audience and I therefore need to be able to explain it all properly. A bit more difficult than if you are writing up stories for the family! Good discipline too.

Jill

Thanks Jill

I've written a couple of things but it's really hard to know if people would be interested in them. I've tried to explain how I found things out as that's what I look for when I read articles, but I don't know if that makes it a bit boring!

I've just got so much information sitting on my laptop and on bits of paper. It would be lovely to have something published!

Justine

As Jill said, I had an article published in the family tree forum site - I shall put it below - also, in family history society magazines (Suffolk, Cornwall and Irish).

http://www.familytreeforum.com/index.php

http://www.lewcock.net/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_edition&id=8&Itemid=76
A brief encounter with my Suffolk cousins

Justine

I like reading the articles that show how someone found the information - particularly if it took a bit of unpicking for you.

Also, if you add that same info to any family stuff - anyone picking up on your work in the future will know what route you took and why so they won't need to reinvent the wheel as such.

Jill

Thank you both for your comments. I'll enjoy Reading your article.

I've just read your thread about the writing group, maybe I should join to build my confidence. I want to tell the story of how I paid my children to look for graves! Feel confident to tell people that on here! My friends thought that was terrible!

Do so Justine.

Some of the Writing Group members said "Oh, two weeks between submissions is such a long time ... " and then they started writing, and carried on writing and they are submitting work all the time ... (we e-mail it round to each other). There is no stopping them!

Jill

Do people mainly write family history stories?

No, it's all sorts. Prose, poetry, some family history type stuff ...

But join in. It's fun - and when I catch up with ALL the reading that I need to read I will get around to doing some feedback (we do that as well - all positive stuff mind, no negative feedback)

Jill

My wife has a distant cousin who has published a Family book. It runs to almost 180 pages, has contributions, photos and trees from family members around the world.

Cost was £25 which included the publishing, printing and shipping from New Zealand, based an a 100 copy print run.

Hi there,
Just finished writing my family history story, so far have 160 pages, but have photos to go in too. Looked at self publishing, would cost around £500 and then the book copyrite is yours, but someone said its risky and you have to do all your own marketing, which i don't mind. Try friends reunited, they have a forum on publishing that i joined. Am waiting to see what they say. Did send some of mine to a lady, who said tha what i had to say was nothing new to her, but she was an older lady, (no offence) but there are a lot of young people out there that don't know any basics and so i haven't given up as yet.
thanks