Writing & Publishing Your Family History 2024

Thank you for registering for the online course, Writing & Publishing Your Family History!

Now is the perfect time to write your family history! Think about the legacy you will be leaving if you write and publish your own family research: not only a legacy for current and future family members, but an important resource for current and future genealogical researchers. This 5-week course led by the writing and publishing experts at American Ancestors will provide you with a step-by-step approach to turning your raw data into an illustrated narrative, Register-style genealogy or Ahnentafel. Topics include: organizing your materials, choosing a genealogical format, adding citations, page layout, and final steps in self-publishing.

This course includes:

Five+ hours’ worth of pre-recorded lectures
Exclusive access to handouts, slides, templates, and other materials
An in-depth Q&A session with the instructors
Access to all materials for the foreseeable future

Instructors include:
Cécile Engeln, Assistant Publishing Director cecile.engeln@nehgs.org
Kyle Hurst, Senior Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press khurst@nehgs.org
Sharon Inglis, Publishing Director sharon.inglis@nehgs.org

Q&A WITH EXPERTS

Live Broadcast: February 10

Presented by: Kyle Hurst and Sharon Inglis

Running Time: 01:35:28

RECORDED PRESENTATIONS & INSTRUCTION

Class 1: Getting Started, Presented by Sharon Inglis

Ready to write? Learn about the decisions you'll need to make before starting: Who is your audience? What families in your ancestry do you want to cover? Learn about helpful tools and how to organize yourself before beginning to write.

Running Time: 48:04

Class 1 Handout
Class 1 Slides Worksheet
Class 1 Slides (large)

Class 2: Structure, Sketches, and Citations, Presented by Kyle Hurst

Time to get technical! In this class, we consider the genealogy's overall structure and master the numbering systems for the Register-style and Ahnentafel formats. Learn how to write a genealogical sketch in each format while properly citing sources.

Running Time: 01:04:40

Class 2 Handout
Class 2 Slides Worksheet
Class 2 Slides (large)

Class 3: Adding Story to Family History, Presented by Kyle Hurst

Going beyond names and dates, how can we add narrative that brings our ancestors to life? This class will cover story structure, writing tips, and how to add biographical and contextual details that show how each ancestor lived.

Running Time: 01:02:35

Class 3 Handout
Class 3 Slides Worksheet
Class 3 Slides (large)

Class 4: Photos and Illustrations, Presented by Cécile Engeln

Get a handle on photo-research basics. Learn how to choose, scan, edit, and insert photos, documents, and other images to make your family history publication come alive.

Running Time: 42:48

Class 4 Handout
Class 4 Slides Worksheet
Class 4 Slides (large)

Class 5: The Publishing Process, Presented by Sharon Inglis

Learn how to edit, lay out, proofread, and publish your work. Gain valuable tips on finding freelance editors and indexers and working with publishing vendors.

Running Time: 57:04

Class 5 Handout
Class 5 BONUS Handout - Editing Passes
Class 5 Slides Worksheet
Class 5 Slides (large)

INSTRUCTOR BIOS

Cécile Engeln, Assistant Publishing Director; cecile.engeln@nehgs.org Cécile joined American Ancestors with nearly ten years of editorial and project management experience in academic publishing. She has developed a variety of books, ranging from a guide to U.S. citizenship to graphic novels, and managed the production of complex foreign language programs. She graduated with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in French from Andrews University in Michigan. She received her M.A. in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College.

Kyle Hurst, Senior Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press; khurst@nehgs.org Kyle holds a B.A. in both History and Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and a Master’s certificate in Museum Studies from Tufts University. For the culmination of this program, she completed a semester-long internship at the National Archives in Waltham, MA. After two years as a volunteer, Kyle joined American Ancestors in 2008. For several years a member of the Research Services team, she focuses on research in the mid-Atlantic, Midwest, New England, and various European countries. A skilled writer, she has been credited for her contributions to The Root, the Vita Brevis blog, and American Ancestors magazine. With Newbury Street Press, she authored the Ancestors & Descendants of Lester Lowry Mays and Peggy Pitman, edited An American Family: Four Centuries of Labor, Love, and Reward, and is currently working on several other book projects.

Sharon Inglis, Publishing Director; sharon.inglis@nehgs.org In nearly 30 years in the educational publishing industry, Sharon developed and directed the production of French, Spanish, Italian, German, social studies, science, and math textbook programs for secondary school and higher education. She is very happy to be at American Ancestors applying her editorial and project management skills to Newbury Street Press publications and the Mayflower Descendant journal, and searching for her Croatian, Scottish, English, and Yankee ancestors in her spare time.