Description

Media: BOOK - paperback, 130 pages
Author: C. Baxter
Year: 2016
ISBN: 978098704655
Other: 3rd ed., index
Publisher: Carol Baxter

Keen to write an engaging family history? Stuck with little more than names and dates? Uncertain how to begin? Writing Interesting Family Histories is a must-read.

With advice ranging from how you can structure a simply family history and begin writing, through to how you can use simply words and sentences to evoke drama and tension, this book will help turn your dusty piles of notes and photocopies into a riveting family history.

It will challenge you to rethink what 'facts' truly are. It will show you how to extract 'dialogue' from original records. It will help release your creative writing spirit.

Now into it's third edition this popular book gives you even more information on how to write an 'interesting' family history.

Contents:
Author's Note
Introduction
1. Imagination?
2. What are facts?
3. Historical 'facts'
4. Perspective
5. Style, tone and voice
6. Structuring a simple family history
7. A 'pole' structure example
8. Surnames
9. Beginning a family history
10. Words on a page
11. Words of wisdom
12. From dry to interesting
13. The dramatic experience
14. Scenic eperiences
15. Epigraphy
16. Words, words, words
17. Delight in the unepected
18. The truth, the whole truth
19. Publish or perish?
Conclusion
Reading List
Index

3 Reviews

Writing Interesting Family Histories
5
Posted by Hope COLEGROVE on 6th Sep 2022

I was highly motivated to improve my writing skills as I read this book, and to encourage others to improve their boring renditions of family events. Carol Baxter gives a comprehensive insight into a plethora of ways to capture the attention of the reader, which I hope to imitate. Thank you Carol.
GREAT PRACTICAL ADVICE
5
Posted by Maggie on 23rd Nov 2018

Carol Baxter is inspiring. This book was first published in 2009. It’s still a great read full of facts; I found the section Perspectives and facts very interesting because Carol explains the difference (small example “sailed” and “landed” appear innocuous - versus “invaded”). Great work.
Well written
4
Posted by Gary B on 11th Jun 2018

This is one of the better books I have come across about writing family history. Carol Baxter has an easy reading style that gets to the point quickly. Her examples are a good demonstration of her techniques. Recommended reading.

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