Tags
family historian, family history, family stories, genealogy, remembrance, stories, story, writing
The title of this post reads like a tragically misspelled street address doesn’t it ? I couldn’t resist. This is what I refer to as my “how to start” method.
A Pair Tree is the easiest Way that I know of to get focused and get writing.
Most writers will tell you the hardest part of writing, isnt ideas, it’s actually getting started. Some people have agonized for years over the perfect title for a work they have never even begun. That is pathetically stuck !
I don’t think there’s a faster way to kill a writing project than through procrastination (could I be related to Mr Yogi Berra ? ).
Separating my work piles into Pair Trees immediately sets me onto the path of pseudo organization, and gives me a clear spot to begin. Most importantly, it’s very easy to do! Just choose one set of “” who you are directly descended from. This Pair is the anchoring foundation, the alpha of story writing for your family Tree.
Many of you have read my post titled November 30th. I chose it as the final entry of my month-long series of daily writing prompts. I called it my NaNoWriMo with a twist, because it was a way to get people jump started on writing and recording family stories. The post contains a bit of the opening chapter from the history I wrote for George and Margaret Farmer… using a Pair Tree.
Now the actual genealogy record of both halves of George and Margaret is documented well before their greats and grands. But I chose to start the stories with them because so many of us still living actually knew one or both.
If you “played along” during November, you may have a pretty clear idea already about who would make for the easiest starting point for your project. I chose the Farmers because I was handed so much documented research (names, dates, stats…no stories unfortunately). But if I had it to do over, I may have chosen a different side of my family because I have lots more” razzle dazzle” photo and heirloom wise for my dad’s side (see http://www.whenHarryMetKate.wordpress.com for an example of them). I mention this only because I think it would have been a bit easier as a first go to have so much inspirational material on hand. 
Just as an aside, the photos I use in my blog are a big mix of all my relatives. Most times ( for privacy sake) they do not directly correlate to the family member I’m talking about at the time. In my privately written stuff, I do only accurate names, dates, and media.
Review who you seem to have the most stories about and make them the starting point of your writing. This could be a pretty well documented generation from long ago, or it could be as current as yourself. Writing these stories are for us to know our past as well as we can, and also to tell those who will come long after us, about US!
So choose that #1 Pair Tree and set off on your Way!
Great post!
Starting with a single Pair really does clear up the muddy water of where to start. And, later on, you can easily add others into the story