If you've ever wanted to start writing a family history book there's a few things you need to know. To get you started I have produced this booklet on 34 questions you need to ask yourself first!

1. © 2016 Write Genealogy. All Rights Reserved. 34 Questions to Ask When Writing Your Family History Book

2. © 2016 Write Genealogy. All Rights Reserved. 34 Questions to Ask When Writing Your Family History Book
34 Questions to Ask When Writing Your
Family History Book
Whether you are writing about your life or your family’s history, there’s a lot to be said about having a
plan to your writing. Not only will it help you to start well, but it will also guide you through the
writing process.
These questions will assist you by giving you something to think about and help make it easier and
save you heaps of valuable time. I call it the ‘PEAT’ method, as it’s easy to remember the four key
areas.
Preparation
1. What is my motivation for writing my book?
2. What is my outcome for my book?
3. Am I writing only about highlights or events in my life or a story?
4. Who is my audience? My immediate family, all family or the general public?
5. Do I want to separate it into parts for different stages of my life?
6. What point of view am I writing from? Will it be as narrator or first or third person?
7. Am I writing historical nonfiction or fiction?
8. What tense will I write in?
9. Where will I position photographs or images? In the middle of the book or in the story?
10. How many pages do I want for each chapter?
Ethics
11. Have I got permission if needed for using the photographs and images?
12. Have I got permission from anyone living about adding their stories to the book
13. If I knew a boss or foe would read my book would I re-write anything?
14. Have I kept a log of sites I have visited for referencing?
15. Do I know how to use footnotes and bibliographies?
16. Have I referenced material I’ve used from others?
17. Have I added a disclaimer for stories I’m unsure are fact or family lore?
18. Is anything I write likely to embarrass me or affect my credibility or someone else’s?
19. Will anyone be offended or hurt by what I write?
20. Is there an unfair bias?
Authenticity
21. Have I considered that emotions have cultural and time period differences from ours today?
22. Have I balanced the characters and made them well rounded with good and not so good
characteristics? Are they presented as real and not one-dimensional?
23. Have I used words or language from by-gone days that won’t be understood?
24. If yes, how will I make it easy for my reader to understand?
25. What history research do I need to do for the time I am writing in?
26. Have I posed questions for my reader to draw conclusions rather than stating as fact?
27. Do I clearly differentiate between opinion and fact?

3. © 2016 Write Genealogy. All Rights Reserved. 34 Questions to Ask When Writing Your Family History Book
Technical Writing Skills
28. Do I need to improve my writing skills?
29. Does each paragraph have one point?
30. Do I need a plagiarism, grammar and spell check of my words?
31. Are my sentences and paragraphs too long?
32. Do my stories follow a logical sequence?
33. How will I get it in print? Use a publisher, self-publish, printed book or e-book?
34. Do I know where to go for help?
As you can see, there is much to consider when writing a family history book or one on your life. It
helps to have a plan and idea of where you want to take it. Even, if you are writing only for your
immediate family what a priceless keepsake you are leaving.
If there is anything on here that you aren’t sure about or need more information and help with I
would love to hear from you. Please feel free to email me at vicki@writegenealogy.com and find out
how I can assist you on your journey.
Remember, if you write it, they will come…alive