Face it: most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on their genealogy research. How about a different approach: producing short 3-5 page “sketches” about an ancestor? You’ll learn how to include a cover, photos, facts, family stories, source citations and more! And guess what, once you get a few of these ancestor sketches done, you can compile them together for one big book!
Genealogist and educator Thomas MacEntee presented Creating an Ancestor Sketch during Webtember 2025, offering a practical and approachable solution to a challenge many family historians face: how to share research without the daunting task of writing a full-length family history book. Drawing on nearly five decades of experience, MacEntee emphasized the importance of leaving a legacy that future generations can access and enjoy. His method focuses on breaking research into manageable, engaging “sketches” that blend facts, stories, social history, and even technology tools like artificial intelligence. The result is a streamlined yet meaningful way to document and preserve family stories for years to come.
The Ancestor Sketch Method: Instead of waiting to complete a comprehensive family history, genealogists can create short, 3–10 page profiles of individual ancestors. These sketches typically include a title page, life summary, timeline of events, photos, and family stories—building blocks that can later be combined into a larger book.
Leveraging Technology and AI: Platforms like MyHeritage provide timelines and auto-generated biographies that can be expanded with the help of AI tools such as ChatGPT. Used responsibly—with transparency and proper source citations—AI can serve as a writing assistant, helping genealogists craft engaging narratives that appeal to modern readers.
Preservation and Publication Options: MacEntee stressed the importance of “future-proofing” research by preparing both print and digital versions of ancestor sketches. From personal blogs to libraries like Allen County Public Library, and self-publishing options like Lulu.com, multiple avenues exist to ensure genealogical work is accessible long after the researcher is gone.
Thomas MacEntee’s presentation demonstrates that preserving family history does not have to be overwhelming. With the ancestor sketch approach, anyone can begin documenting and sharing their research today—one story at a time. To gain the full benefit of his practical strategies, examples, and templates, view the complete webinar replay. The accompanying syllabus offers detailed guidance, links, and additional resources that can help genealogists at every level.
For those ready to take their research further, the syllabus also points to valuable handouts, templates, and related articles on writing, publishing, and technology. Exploring these resources will help genealogists transform their findings into engaging, lasting legacies for future generations.
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Wonderful ideas to put to use; very practical and interesting to develop. Thank you.
This webinar just demonstrates that Thomas MacEntee is the best — he is so professional and yet down to earth. His speech is very understandable, and he makes sense with his suggestions. Thank you.
I really liked learning about how to use AI in my writing.
I really learnt so much from this webinar. The best thing was that the format is very much how I want to share my heritage information to family and Thomas shows how do to this in a concise and interesting way. Thank you.
This was great – always love a Thomas MacEntee webinar
Best webinar I have watched. So well explained and makes me excited to do the writing. Need to get to the templates. How do I do that. Virginia Walker
Concise, approachable and informative. I appreciated the information on using ChatGPT.
Thomas’ webinars are always so well explained with loads of information.