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)

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.

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