Genealogy goals: Beyond research

As genealogists, we often have short-term goals (such as find the obituary, gravestone, burial record, will, etc., to provide an end date for an ancestor). But what about long-term goals? Have you considered how to share your years of research with your family?

You can start small, with a genealogy photo book or a collection of family stories. Perhaps you have your great aunt's war-time journal, which you could transcribe and annotate. Or you'd like to write a multi-volume series, covering each of your grandparents' lines. There are plenty of genealogy projects to do.

Tools for Writing

To help you get started, here are a few suggestions for tools to help with writing:

RootsMagic's Personal Historian software

Guide to Genealogical Writing by Penelope Stratton and Henry B. Hoff (NEHGS)

Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills

The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Colonial America, 1607-1783 by Dale Taylor (and other books in the series)

Writing/Publishing

Check out my writing/publishing series for genealogists:

• Top 10 reasons to publish your research
• Top 10 reasons to publish on paper
• Top 10 projects to publish
• Top 10 writing tips
• Publishing terms for the genealogist
• Top 10 marketing tips for publishing your genealogy
• Creating a genealogy photo book