How Legal Context Prevents Misunderstood Family Stories: An Interview with Judy Russell
Legal context is critical to understanding the stories of the past. Without it, readers unaware of the legalities of an earlier time period could easily draw incorrect conclusions about family members’ and ancestors’ actions. That means that including and explaining...
Mind Mapping Software for Writing and Family Storytelling
I’m a big fan of mind mapping for research and writing, but I was having a hard time finding an app which worked well for family history and writing. That quest resulted in an in-depth comparison of mind mapping software. Note: A 2025 update of my comparison of...
Describing Family Dynamics
Family storytellers often overlook the importance of describing family dynamics. When that happens, readers are left to make their own assumptions. If they come from a June-and-Ward-Clever-style family, they’ll interpret the story we tell in that context. If their...
Including context in Immigration Stories
Context in immigration stories is crucial to understanding the past. Context explains why, what happened, and what was that like. Information missing from the documents. Details that make compelling stories. In addition, context can confirm family traditions,...
Don't Wait.
Put the episodes of the past to paper.
We all have stories to share with our children and grandchildren. Whether it’s a proud moment, memories of grandparents, or a lesson you’ve learned, Memories of Me: A Complete Guide to Telling and Sharing the Stories of Your Life helps you put the episodes of your past onto paper and share them with loved ones.
