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:

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

The Hippopotamus Picture Book Series
Easy to Read books
Picture books
Aussie Heroes

OAM Association Talk:
May 11th “Not Just a Piece of Cake: Being an Author” Will be on You Tube soon.

See all events

Student Resources:
Crafting an assignment on Hazel Edwards? Get tips for school projects, and her uniquely answered questions.

See all Resources