Writing family history is an important part of research. However, the idea of publishing a family history book may sound quite daunting. Fortunately, it is just one of many options available.
Since I am not just talking about books I am going to use the term that we use in the family history archives where I work – a compiled family history.
A compiled family history is a synthesis of research that draws together component parts of a family history. A family history book is a type of compiled family history, but there are many other types and approaches.
Benefits of writing family history
Share it with family
Writing family history, or creating a compiled family history, allows you to convert your research into a format that you can share with family.
Your family probably can’t interpret a family tree chart or a bundle of probate documents on their own. However, they may engage with your findings if you extract bits of information and pictures and synthesise them into summaries and stories.
Share it with other genealogists
Compiling your family history makes it easier to share your research with other genealogists or historians.
You can share information and extracts of your family history informally. Or you could share them formally by publishing or depositing material with an archive or library.
You can just share copies of certificates, photos, maps and other records that you discovered, but it is the compilation or synthesis that helps other researchers make sense of these items. When you do this, you help other researchers use your research to progress their own.
Writing family history has benefits for your own research
Which brings me to the third reason for compiling your family history.
We often think about compiling or writing up our research as something that gets done at the end or near the end of the research process. However, the compilation and writing process is also a powerful tool which can help us progress your own research further.
Writing family history makes you review what you have found. It makes you reorganise it and place it in a structure. And it makes you write up your conclusions. During this process, it is almost inevitable that new research leads will be revealed. These may be gaps in your knowledge, inconsistencies or new ideas to explore.
More information
For more of my articles on documenting your family history, go to the Document page.
You will find many compiled family histories in libraries and archives, such as the Society of Australian Genealogists.
Post last updated 17 June 2024
2 thoughts on “Writing family history: Should you publish a book?”