Writing a Non Boring Family History
Family history sleuthing is the biggest hobby worldwide. Amid a sea of genealogy books, Hazel Edwards has written a practical handbook on how to craft stories about our ancestors in an interesting way that other people will want to read. She addresses the vital issues of: injecting life into a name on a shipping list; presenting the family’s murky secrets; doing justice to intriguing ancestors; getting the amount of dramatisation right; interviewing elderly relatives and people close to the family; how to use anecdotes and record memories. This revised edition acknowledges the new e – formats that today’s family members use, includes helpful tips on how to write a eulogy, and covers the growing interest in touring military battlefields and researching onsite material.
ISBN: 9780868067162
Author: Hazel Edwards
Publisher: The GHR Press
Formats: Paperback
Visit your local bookshop or these online retailers have copies available now – just click through on the direct link and you can purchase online:
Under the auspices of the Public Record Office (Vic) , Hazel offers a year -long mentoring of book length projects ‘Complete Your Book in a Year’ .
Chapters in ‘Writing a Non Boring Family History’ are based on answering the most common questions asked during Hazel’s popular workshops. These include:
- Avoiding chronological boredom
- Using humour
- Dramatising but keeping to the facts
- Fact, faction or fiction? Can’t call it a history, if you ‘fiddle’ with the facts.
- Viewpoints. Whose?
- What if the family criticise what you’ve written?
- Collaborating?
- Diplomatically handling family secrets?
- What if you’ve only got a name on a shipping list?
In Writing a Non Boring Family History, strategies are included for
- interviewing relatives
- shaping anecdotes, not just listing dates
- structuring
- publishing
- costing
- launching
- distributing, and
- overcoming procrastination
Links to Hazel’s published articles:
- Sharing History via Fake_ID Buzz Words July_2013.pdf (532.01 KB) Young Adult e-novel with historical links.
- Kids’ Book Review; Capturing Childhood Memories in Stories hints on writing their ‘histories’ with and for children
Buy e-book of Fake ID for teen family interested in a history mystery.
Tamil translated edition published.
This revised,’Writing a Non Boring Family History‘ includes visiting historic military or family history sites, eulogies and e-formats as well as writing history for children.
Other Formats:
You might also like to check out Hazel’s podcast interview on ABC Life Matters : about genealogy & military history researching ‘Searching for a Lost Garnet’.
This book is used as the basis of one day workshops. Check Events for workshops which cover:
- Researching and Interviewing Skills
- How to organise your material
- Structuring a Book
- Making it interesting for the reader
- Formatting and Publishing Options
- Handling Family Secrets
- Editing and Proofreading
- How to write using all senses and perspectives
- Launching and Marketing possibilities
Suitable for all who wish to improve their writing skills as well as for those contemplating or struggling with a book length project such as a family history, corporate history or autobiography/memoirs.
‘Clarifies how to organise a book length project, and still talk to your family.’
‘Stimulating and informative…Excellent…Hazel Edwards encouraged me to really get going.’ Amateur historian.
‘Loved the recipe for a family history and the generic checklist was invaluable before our reunion launch.’
Shauna Hicks review respected historian writes in a non-boring review.
Why Self Publish? Hazel’s realistic answers about online publishing of histories and memoirs.(Who Do You Think You Are?’ Magazine)
Other Books by Hazel
OAM Association Talk:
May 11th “Not Just a Piece of Cake: Being an Author” Will be on You Tube soon.
Student Resources:
Crafting an assignment on Hazel Edwards? Get tips for school projects, and her uniquely answered questions.