THE IDEA OF DOING A FAMILY BOOK SCARES ME.

Every person, family, and organization has stories of its past and present. You would not hesitate to tell someone or write a letter to someone describing a recent happening in your life. Well, writing stories for your family (whether you decide to do a book or not) is no different. You write the stories, you have someone else read them to see what pertinent detail you may have left out and you make corrections. Read why people are afraid to write.

In time the stories may add up and you begin to feel more comfortable in the process. Once you are finished writing, you pull out the photos that go with the stories. Or you decide to simply have a few pages of photos in the middle of the book. Read Easy Book for the easiest way to do a book. 

You can read about how to arrange your pages and then how to "design" them. Look at a book you like and see what others have done. If you don't want to design the pages, we offer that service.

Most people get nervous about doing a book and remain nervous until the finished book is in their hands, beautifully printed and bound. So "nervous" and "scared" is not uncommon. When many authors hold their new book in their hands, they heave a sigh of relief, express their joy, and tell us, "I'm going to write another book now." 

There is hardly a book on book store shelves today that does not have an error. What one author placed in the Preface of her third book: "Finally, though I have tried to avoid errors, I am certain some will slip through, and I take full responsibility and I apologize in advance. (Please do not call my mother nor any other contributor about any errors!)" And she is an attorney and a detailed writer. She knew from experience to expect to see a date or name in error. No one is perfect.

See the helpful pages listed at the top of this page. And if you are nervous about our capability, read what our clients say in Testimonials.

CREATIVE LICENSE

Many stories are handed down through a family line and some distortion of facts or perspectives will necessarily occur. Also your own memories of many decades ago may have dimmed. These are not as important as relating the story as you remember it. Some authors invite other family members to write their memories of the same event. It is always interesting to see that each person viewed and remembered an event differently. This should not intimidate you. It simply proves that each human being has a uniquely different perspective. To have several stories about the same event brings greater perspective to the reader.

When writing a history, there are times when an author will add dialog or paint a word picture of the area as he thinks it was at that time. This allows the reader to "see" and become involved in the story.

One author included in her book: "The events are all true to history, but told in my own language. I have drawn on my imagination as to what the characters in the story might have felt and said in certain situations and even as to what they might have done under these circumstances."

When dealing with history, a writer often does not have all the facts, dates, or names. You can place a disclaimer on the copyright page or in the Introduction explaining that some data has been approximated.

Creative license is important to the writer of history. Usual spelling and punctuation may be manipulated to accomplish the time and place of a story you are re-creating. But when you deviate from normal usage, be sure that others "get the message" you are trying to send; otherwise your words can sound staged.

A WORD OF ADVICE

Because you work with the same material day after day, you may be missing errors. Every time you see your material in a different format, you will see things you have been missing. To avoid having to pay for corrections after your Book Proof is in your hands, have someone new go over it carefully now. Reading from bottom of page to top is the best way to find errors, because you are not pulled into the story.  If you need a proofreader, we are available. Read more.  

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WHEN TO COPYRIGHT

Copyright law today says that placing the copyright symbol or writing the word Copyright on your copyright page, along with the year, and your name legally establishes your ownership to it. Doing so also requires that you send one finished copy to the Copyright Office. However, you are not required to place a copyright notice in your book.

Do place a statement on the copyright page saying you give permission to others to quote from your book, or not. Some authors want the right to give written permission only; others are willing for material to be used without permission. If permission is required, your copyright page (this is the back side of the Title page) should provide a telephone number or address. See FAQ about copyright.

Whether you use a copyright symbol or not on this page, it is still referred to as the "copyright" page. See example of a copyright page.

NAMING YOUR BOOK

Distant family members may be looking for information on your family. We recommend that either in the title or sub-title, you include the family name and perhaps the geographical area in which they settled. This will make it easier for people searching for information to find out about your book.

SELLING BOOKS TO OTHERS

As the project develops, start a list of family members who may want a copy. Most people find that names continue to pop up as the project goes forward.

You may wish to send inquiries to these people, both to determine their interest in purchasing a book and to see if they have applicable photos to include. If they send photos, ask for an appropriate caption describing the photo. Try and include the year and location where the photo was taken, first and last names, etc.

Many people will want credit for providing the photo, and this is placed under the caption.

Of course, the question will be asked: How much will the book cost? And your response must be: We do not yet know. It will be determined by how many total pages are in the book and the quantity we order. Explain that the more books ordered at one time, the lower the per book price.

You may wish to factor in shipping costs to those people who cannot pick it up. Read more under When Ready To Send. And you will also need to acquire sturdy boxes, bubble wrap or other cushioning material, and tape.

When the time comes to print the books, you will have discovered the price. One idea many people use is to collect the money on sales in advance so the monies are in hand to pay for the books.

PRICING YOUR BOOK

Pricing a book to other family members is always a business decision. In the world of book manufacturing, the greater the quantity you order at one time, the lower the per-book price. But printing a large quantity of books requires a large initial investment. Printing a small quantity means you pay more per book. Thus it is a business decision to consider.

While family members may not realize it, you have spent time and money preparing the book to be published. You may choose (or not) to factor that cost into the price you charge them.

WHAT IF I DON'T REMEMBER DETAILS

Memory in the brain is like a computer. All your memories are stored away just waiting to be called forth. They are filed away so effectively and economically that we think we have "forgotten." Here is the way to access memories.

•First you spend a few minutes "pondering" on that time in your life. PONDERING is like asking your computer to find a file you haven't used in a long time. Your brain – like your computer – begins a "search." To your surprise, a little memory will pop up.

Ponder again. Another tiny memory will come forth, related to the first memory. Give this process some time and it will work. Another help is to "talk" about that time in your life with another person. The mere act of talking about it will cause other little details to reveal themselves. Pull out old photos or letters. And so the process goes. 

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I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL WRITER

Most people aren't and it isn't necessary to be one when you tell your stories. Family members are more interested in reading a story the way you actually talk, rather than how a professional writer would express what you are saying. Such books are more interesting.

CURRENT SPELLING AND GRAMMAR

In the past few years, many spelling, grammar, and punctuation usages have changed. It is also possible that older computers will spell check a word as correct, while a new computer program will show it as incorrect and offer a different spelling.

So what is one to do. Among historians, it is understood that spellings of certain words change over time. And all editors today see the ongoing changes in punctuation and grammar. Either obtain a consensus from the members of your group about specific choices in these matters, or have a detail-oriented person go over the material with a dictionary once you are finished and suggest corrections.

Also be aware that if you can spell and apply grammar well, you are in a fairly small group. Why do you think all the computer companies have developed "spell check" and "grammar check." Spelling and grammar concerns should not prevent you from writing your stories.

I HAVE GENEALOGY CHARTS, NOT STORIES

Genealogy is reported to be the third biggest hobby in the U.S. This information is printed on Pedigree Charts, Family Group Sheets, etc. More and more researchers are preserving their years of hard work by having these sheets printed on acid-free paper, and then preserved in a hard cover with sewn binding. See a Pedigree Chart example.

Such a book is valuable whether it has accompanying stories or not. However, it is interesting to have a short introduction on each main family line.

Many family books include information about parents and grandparents only. If you want to include information on your ancestors, that is fine. But remember, the most important task to accomplish in your book is well within your grasp. Tell about your life and how you have lived it.

I'VE NEVER DONE FAMILY RESEARCH

Searching out the why, how, where, when, and who of those involved in the early family can be accomplished either by examining early written records or from interviews of people who may remember those details. Whether using written records or the memories of people once involved, there will always be discrepancies–for that is the nature of writing about history. So make peace with it. See a page of posterity photos. 

LEGAL MATTERS

You may wish to write something controversial about a family member. Be aware that any printed material is subject to laws governing slander, etc. Unless you have the person's written permission, signed and dated, and the signature and date of a witness, agreeing for you to publish your exact wording of the incident, etc, you are at risk of a lawsuit and if we print/bind your book, so are we. So when we do a book, a paragraph in the simple contract covers this.

If you plan to include in your book more than a short quote from another book, if it is copyrighted, ask for permission from the publisher. If the book is old enough, it may be considered Public Domain and you do not need permission.

It is difficult and risky to provide a general rule of thumb about these matters. If you are in doubt, seek the advice of an attorney. You can also access general information on the Internet.

CONCLUSION

Our clients who do books work hard to include stories and photos they feel their family or group will like. Then when they are finished and we begin (the project is finally out of their hands), they begin a serious case of worrying they have made errors. We explain to them that no book is error free and they need to begin making peace with that. We explain that all authors go through this short process. It is natural.

Then low and behold, when they and their family or group finally hold the finished beautiful book in their hands, everyone is so impressed and pleased. Only then does the author heave a sigh of relief. 

If you have questions or concerns, please  call us: 1 800 360-5284 or tell us on our Question Form. 

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