Share your family story: starting a family history blog
Three Reasons to Start a Family History Blog
Have you ever considered starting your own blog? If you haven’t…I recommend giving it some thought. One of genealogy researchers’ biggest complaints is that family members aren’t interested in their research. My question to those who struggle with this is: “How do you present your research to them?”
Not only is a blog one of the best ways to share your research, but it has other benefits, as well. Here are my top three reasons to start your own blog;
1. Engage Your Family in a Relatable Way
Ancestry trees and family group sheets are exciting for us genealogy junkies…but in this generation of instant online entertainment we need present our stories in a more relevant way to engage family members. Delivering stories in blog form with photos and historical background is relatable, like enjoying an historical fiction novel or movie.
Historical books and movies tell their character’s story in a rich historical context. Our real life family stories can be just as engaging!
2. Compels you to Dig Deeper into Your Ancestors' Stories
Telling an engaging story requires robust research…beyond vital and census records. Who were their neighbors and friends? What political and social circumstances prompted their decisions? Some of the most interesting details about my ancestors have been uncovered during blog research.
3. Make Connections with Other Researchers
I began my genealogy blog, Tales of Our Past, more than two years ago hoping to share research with family members. The biggest surprise has been the number of new cousin connections the blog has has brought about…cousin bait, as some call it. Connecting with new cousins has yielded amazing stories, photos, and documents that were passed down through their line, but forgotten in mine.
Starting Your Own Blog...Where to Begin
Whether you are just considering starting a blog or ready to take the plunge, I recommend beginning with research. Examine other genealogy blogger sites. What do you like? What would you do differently? Will you focus on one family line or several? If you are nervous about starting a blog or overwhelmed with how to begin, consider following my Memoir Genealogy blog. Throughout the following weeks I will provide resources, templates, and step by step instructions to make starting your own blog simple. Stay tuned…help is on the way!