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49:03
1.2K views
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50 Family History Writing Tips in 50 Minutes
Learn how to conquer family history writer’s block with 50 fun and practical tips for getting words on the page.
Learn how to conquer family history writer’s block with 50 fun and practical tips for getting words on the page.
Fri, September 29 2023: 14:15 UTC
1:11:31
544 views
CC
Free
Power of place – using MyHeritage to tell the stories of buildings & places
This workshop will guide researchers through a series of steps and stops to find the history of buildings and places. Follow some case studies and learn how to find excellent records in MyHeritage, the steps to follow followed, and the ideal interplay between primary and secondary sources. Also, learn pro-tips for writing a compelling narrative. This presentation will inspire attendees with the power that the places of our ancestors have to draw us near and to strengthen a sense of community. 
This workshop will guide researchers through a series of steps and stops to find the history of buildings and places. Follow some case studies and learn how to find excellent records in MyHeritage, the steps to follow followed, and the ideal interplay between primary and secondary sources. Also, learn pro-tips for writing a compelling narrative. This presentation will inspire attendees with the power that the places of our ancestors have to draw us near and to strengthen a sense of community. 
Tue, September 12 2023: 18:00 UTC
1:10:34
448 views
CC
Crafting vivid scenes from a few dry facts – class 3 of 4
We’ve learnt how to craft vivid sentences but how do we combine them to produce a vivid scene, especially when we have little information to work with? This webinar describes the process of doing so, using practical examples from Carol’s own writing. It shows how she began with very little information then followed one path after another in a desperate attempt to find something … anything … to make her description interesting. It shows how you too can apply the same strategies to your own research and writing, whatever the subject.
We’ve learnt how to craft vivid sentences but how do we combine them to produce a vivid scene, especially when we have little information to work with? This webinar describes the process of doing so, using practical examples from Carol’s own writing. It shows how she began with very little information then followed one path after another in a desperate attempt to find something … anything … to make her description interesting. It shows how you too can apply the same strategies to your own research and writing, whatever the subject.
Sat, October 29 2022: 0:00 UTC
1:02:37
596 views
CC
Crafting Vivid Sentences that hook our readers – class 2 of 4
Financial planners advise that the best way to acquire more money is to make the most of what we already have – aka, don’t fritter away our money. The same can be said for writing. The simplest way to craft an interesting family history, or other piece of prose, is to make the most of the words in our language. There’s no need to send our readers to sleep when a simple word replacement or two can bring a sentence, a paragraph, a story to life. This webinar discusses the basic tools in our writing toolbox, the tools that were once monopolised by fiction writers but are now used by nonfiction writers to hook our readers.
Financial planners advise that the best way to acquire more money is to make the most of what we already have – aka, don’t fritter away our money. The same can be said for writing. The simplest way to craft an interesting family history, or other piece of prose, is to make the most of the words in our language. There’s no need to send our readers to sleep when a simple word replacement or two can bring a sentence, a paragraph, a story to life. This webinar discusses the basic tools in our writing toolbox, the tools that were once monopolised by fiction writers but are now used by nonfiction writers to hook our readers.
Sat, October 29 2022: 0:00 UTC
1:16:44
321 views
CC
Publishing – class 4 of 4
Many researchers are daunted at the thought of publishing a family history or memoir or “how to” book because they lack knowledge about their publishing and marketing options. Carol has been associated with the publishing industry since the 1980s and her 24 books have been variously mainstream, boutique, indie, and self-published. In this webinar she discusses the editing processes that all works of prose should experience before they are published, whether it be in a journal article or a family history. She discusses publishing and printing options, along with marketing approaches to family members and the broader public. She also covers the practical aspects of self-publishing: writing and publishing programs, font choices, paragraph and column layouts, page sizes, book weight and postage requirements.
Many researchers are daunted at the thought of publishing a family history or memoir or “how to” book because they lack knowledge about their publishing and marketing options. Carol has been associated with the publishing industry since the 1980s and her 24 books have been variously mainstream, boutique, indie, and self-published. In this webinar she discusses the editing processes that all works of prose should experience before they are published, whether it be in a journal article or a family history. She discusses publishing and printing options, along with marketing approaches to family members and the broader public. She also covers the practical aspects of self-publishing: writing and publishing programs, font choices, paragraph and column layouts, page sizes, book weight and postage requirements.
Sat, October 29 2022: 0:00 UTC
Advanced
1:29:30
2.2K views
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Structuring a Family History – class 1 of 4
To write a family history, we must convert our ancestral information into paragraphs of prose. But how do we group the resulting paragraphs to produce a coherent structure? We start by asking ourselves what we wish to achieve. Are we writing a history that focuses on a surname line? Or one that covers all of our ancestors, or all of our descendants, or all of the ancestors and descendants of a particular person? And how do we craft an individual biography? Do we produce a family history that is a group of stand-alone biographies or one that has a narrative-style flow? These and other subjects are discussed in this simple guide to structuring a family history. Classes 2-4 will be part of our October 2022 conference on Saturday, October 29. Visit https://familytreewebinars.com/conference/ for the details.
To write a family history, we must convert our ancestral information into paragraphs of prose. But how do we group the resulting paragraphs to produce a coherent structure? We start by asking ourselves what we wish to achieve. Are we writing a history that focuses on a surname line? Or one that covers all of our ancestors, or all of our descendants, or all of the ancestors and descendants of a particular person? And how do we craft an individual biography? Do we produce a family history that is a group of stand-alone biographies or one that has a narrative-style flow? These and other subjects are discussed in this simple guide to structuring a family history. Classes 2-4 will be part of our October 2022 conference on Saturday, October 29. Visit https://familytreewebinars.com/conference/ for the details.
Thu, October 27 2022: 0:00 UTC
57:37
1.0K views
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Start with You: Writing About Yourself
Genealogy best practice is to start with you, and who better to introduce yourself to future generations than YOU? In this webinar, we will go beyond factual information typically found in family trees to include the essence of who you are. Using easy and fun writing prompts, you will learn to create a unique and revealing written portrait of yourself. You can also share these prompts with other family members, adding their written portraits to your family tree. Your future generations will get to know you, and thank you!
Genealogy best practice is to start with you, and who better to introduce yourself to future generations than YOU? In this webinar, we will go beyond factual information typically found in family trees to include the essence of who you are. Using easy and fun writing prompts, you will learn to create a unique and revealing written portrait of yourself. You can also share these prompts with other family members, adding their written portraits to your family tree. Your future generations will get to know you, and thank you!
Wed, September 28 2022: 18:00 UTC
51:50
Writing as You Go is the WAY to Go!
Being the recognized originator of the term “Writing as You Go” since 2009, Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL finds that people who adopt and adapt the process report that it really an efficient way to plan, record, and analyze research findings. Although the static concepts are standard, her recommendations on the placement and process order in which to work needs to be demonstrated and is often a “light bulb” moment for researchers.
Being the recognized originator of the term “Writing as You Go” since 2009, Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL finds that people who adopt and adapt the process report that it really an efficient way to plan, record, and analyze research findings. Although the static concepts are standard, her recommendations on the placement and process order in which to work needs to be demonstrated and is often a “light bulb” moment for researchers.
Fri, April 8 2022: 4:00 UTC
1:27:33
1.3K views
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Family Stories in 30 Minutes or Less
Have you always wanted to write your family stories but have never gotten around to it or known where to begin? Perhaps you’ve started but are stuck or overwhelmed. Good news! Capturing your family stories can be easy and fun with Brenda Hudson’s “story project” technique. In this webinar, you will learn three different story projects, each resulting in a different kind of family story that takes less than 30 minutes. Use this technique to build your family legacy one story at a time, capturing as many stories as you like, knowing your stories will help your family connect with each other, now and in the future, by spurring conversations and strengthening family bonds across generations.
Have you always wanted to write your family stories but have never gotten around to it or known where to begin? Perhaps you’ve started but are stuck or overwhelmed. Good news! Capturing your family stories can be easy and fun with Brenda Hudson’s “story project” technique. In this webinar, you will learn three different story projects, each resulting in a different kind of family story that takes less than 30 minutes. Use this technique to build your family legacy one story at a time, capturing as many stories as you like, knowing your stories will help your family connect with each other, now and in the future, by spurring conversations and strengthening family bonds across generations.
Wed, March 30 2022: 18:00 UTC
52:51
5.6K views
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Write As You Go! A Methodology for Efficient Report Writing
Puzzled by your brick wall? Do your client reports take more time to write than research? Are you working on a Research Report or Case Study for your portfolio? Using the "Write As You Go" methodology can assist in arriving at a solution to these issues. This brief overview of…
Puzzled by your brick wall? Do your client reports take more time to write than research? Are you working on a Research Report or Case Study for your portfolio? Using the "Write As You Go" methodology can assist in arriving at a solution to these issues. This brief overview of…
Thu, April 8 2021: 0:00 UTC
1:28:37
8.2K views
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Reporting on Research: Standards Encourage Better Communication
Documenting and sharing are fundamental to a genealogist’s work. Learn guidelines for preparing more informative, accurate, and useful research reports for yourself and others. The webinar shows how observing genealogical standards can improve written communication of research notes and findings. Topics include ten essential characteristics of quality reports, optional report…
Documenting and sharing are fundamental to a genealogist’s work. Learn guidelines for preparing more informative, accurate, and useful research reports for yourself and others. The webinar shows how observing genealogical standards can improve written communication of research notes and findings. Topics include ten essential characteristics of quality reports, optional report…
Tue, March 16 2021: 0:00 UTC
1:32:16
7.3K views
CC
Once upon a time: It’s all about the story
‘Facts’ send people to sleep; ‘stories’ keep them awake and alert and eager to learn what happens next. In this seminar, Carol shows you how to tell a gripping story within a family history, and by extension, how to write a gripping a family history.
‘Facts’ send people to sleep; ‘stories’ keep them awake and alert and eager to learn what happens next. In this seminar, Carol shows you how to tell a gripping story within a family history, and by extension, how to write a gripping a family history.
Tue, December 1 2020: 0:00 UTC

Upcoming Live Webinars

View all (103)
Wed, May 22 2024: 0:00 UTC
Editing Your Own Writing – Part 1
Wed, May 22 2024: 0:00 UTC
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish. Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will addresses the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish. Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will addresses the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Wed, May 22 2024: 0:00 UTC
Wed, June 19 2024: 0:00 UTC
Editing Your Own Writing – Part 2
Wed, June 19 2024: 0:00 UTC
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish. Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will address the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish. Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will address the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Wed, June 19 2024: 0:00 UTC
Genealogical Research & Writing: Are You a Saint, Sinner, or Bumfuzzled Soul?
Fri, July 26 2024: 18:00 UTC
As researchers, family historians, compilers, bloggers, or writers of other ilk, genealogists face legal and ethical perils they often do not anticipate. This crash course offers practical guidance to enhance your skills and keep you safe as you explore history, reconstruct lives, and “write up” your findings. While the issues are serious—from the legal issue of copyright to the ethical issue of plagiarism—the lessons are taught with a light heart and humor.
As researchers, family historians, compilers, bloggers, or writers of other ilk, genealogists face legal and ethical perils they often do not anticipate. This crash course offers practical guidance to enhance your skills and keep you safe as you explore history, reconstruct lives, and “write up” your findings. While the issues are serious—from the legal issue of copyright to the ethical issue of plagiarism—the lessons are taught with a light heart and humor.
Fri, July 26 2024: 18:00 UTC
Tue, November 19 2024: 19:00 UTC
Dear Me: Writing Research Reports to Yourself
Tue, November 19 2024: 19:00 UTC
Research reports are not just for professionals, but are a great tool for anyone who wants to answer their research questions. Write a research report to yourself to organize your thoughts, analyze the evidence, document your findings, and solve your puzzles. Using an example from the Netherlands, this presentation demonstrates how you can organize a research report to spot more clues in records, discover and resolve discrepancies, and build reliable conclusions.
Research reports are not just for professionals, but are a great tool for anyone who wants to answer their research questions. Write a research report to yourself to organize your thoughts, analyze the evidence, document your findings, and solve your puzzles. Using an example from the Netherlands, this presentation demonstrates how you can organize a research report to spot more clues in records, discover and resolve discrepancies, and build reliable conclusions.
Tue, November 19 2024: 19:00 UTC
Tue, May 14 2024: 18:00 UTC
A Closer Look at the 1850-1950 U.S. Census Records, with a Little Extra Help
Tue, May 14 2024: 18:00 UTC
Take a closer look at the 1850 to 1950 U.S. Census records as vital genealogy resources, while looking into details you may have missed, along with benefits to and tips in using these records and a little extra help from MyHeritage!
Take a closer look at the 1850 to 1950 U.S. Census records as vital genealogy resources, while looking into details you may have missed, along with benefits to and tips in using these records and a little extra help from MyHeritage!
Tue, May 14 2024: 18:00 UTC
Wed, May 15 2024: 18:00 UTC
Forgotten Records: The Record and Pension Office
Wed, May 15 2024: 18:00 UTC
Military research is not complete without consulting the records of the R&PO, yet few do. They can be a goldmine of information, or not.
Military research is not complete without consulting the records of the R&PO, yet few do. They can be a goldmine of information, or not.
Wed, May 15 2024: 18:00 UTC
Fri, May 17 2024: 18:00 UTC
The Mexican National Archive (AGN): A Resource for Genealogists
Fri, May 17 2024: 18:00 UTC
Housed in an old prison, the Archivo General de la Nación (or AGN, General Archive of the Nation), is home for the historical memory of Mexico. Its origins date back to the late eighteenth century when a royal decree ordered the creation of an archive to preserve documentation from the Viceroyalty. Today, the documents at AGN are a genealogical treasure waiting to be discovered by a wider audience of researchers. In this presentation you will learn about how to navigate the archive, and some of the information you could find there.
Housed in an old prison, the Archivo General de la Nación (or AGN, General Archive of the Nation), is home for the historical memory of Mexico. Its origins date back to the late eighteenth century when a royal decree ordered the creation of an archive to preserve documentation from the Viceroyalty. Today, the documents at AGN are a genealogical treasure waiting to be discovered by a wider audience of researchers. In this presentation you will learn about how to navigate the archive, and some of the information you could find there.
Fri, May 17 2024: 18:00 UTC
Wed, May 22 2024: 18:00 UTC
A Tour of Goldie May’s Genealogy Power Tools
Wed, May 22 2024: 18:00 UTC
Come see a variety of tools available in genealogy research software Goldie May. Organize your research into projects, keep an automatic research log (seriously!), write citations easily, analyze your research, quickly navigate to relevant record collections, and untangle knots in your family tree. Keep the family tree software you already have and see how Goldie May can help you with organization, visualization, and quick navigation.
Come see a variety of tools available in genealogy research software Goldie May. Organize your research into projects, keep an automatic research log (seriously!), write citations easily, analyze your research, quickly navigate to relevant record collections, and untangle knots in your family tree. Keep the family tree software you already have and see how Goldie May can help you with organization, visualization, and quick navigation.
Wed, May 22 2024: 18:00 UTC
Identity Crises: Right Name, Wrong Man? Wrong Name, Right Man?
Fri, May 24 2024: 18:00 UTC
What do we do with ancestors whose names don’t “match” from one record to the next? Or those who pose the opposite problem: too many men or women of the same name? This session examines a litany of social customs and naming patterns that cause ancestors to be known by different names—then offers techniques and strategies by which we can establish that any two records do or do not apply to the same person. A variety of case studies demonstrate the problems and the methods we can use to overcome them.
What do we do with ancestors whose names don’t “match” from one record to the next? Or those who pose the opposite problem: too many men or women of the same name? This session examines a litany of social customs and naming patterns that cause ancestors to be known by different names—then offers techniques and strategies by which we can establish that any two records do or do not apply to the same person. A variety of case studies demonstrate the problems and the methods we can use to overcome them.
Fri, May 24 2024: 18:00 UTC