Self-Publishing for the Family Historian, Is It For You?

I am no expert when it comes to the topic of self-publishing, but I know people who are.  It’s been a hot topic lately, both in the genealogical community and in general.  I’ve come across several articles that may help you decide whether self-publishing is something you want to pursue.

Biff Barnes, historian and writer behind the Stories to Tell Blog, kicked off the new year with a series of posts about self-publishing.  If you are considering publishing a book in the near future, these are must-read posts. 

• Publishing a Book in 2013? Self-Publish It!
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Traditional Publishing
• The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing Your Book
• Self-Publishing a Book: New Roles for a Writer
• Self-Publishing a Book: Choosing an Editor
• Self-Publishing a Book: What Does It Cost?
• Two Questions Authors Should Ask Before Self-Publishing a Book
• Self-Publish a Book: How We Choose a Printer
• Self-Publish a Book: Thoughts on Marketing Considerations

I’ve also run across several posts on the subject of self-publishing from various writers.  All of these posts offer general advice about self-publishing and do not relate to genealogy specifically.  Nonetheless, they are still worth the read.

• 5 Things I’ve Learned From Self-Publishing, James Calbraith
• The Top Ten Mistakes Writers Make When Self-Publishing a Book, Guy Kawasaki
• 10 Things I’ve Learned About Self-Publishing, Joel Friedlander
• Legal Issues in Self-Publishing: What Authors Need to Know, Bernard Starr
• 17 Things Self-Publishers Need to Know About Book Design, Joel Friedlander
• Great Reasons to Self-Publish: 7 Case Histories, Alan Rinzler
• 4 Obstacles to Self-Publishing Success, Joel Friedlander

The remainder of these posts come from the genealogy world and offer advice on making the most of self-publishing, as well as some insight on various tools.

• Publishing Your Genealogy—Traditional vs. eBook, James Tanner
• Self-Publishing For Genealogists, Kimberly Powell
• A Personal Publishing Primer, Denise Barrett Olson
• Self-Publishing with Blurb, Lynn Palermo
• Make Your Book Page a Cousin Magnet, Denise Barrett Olson
• Self-Publishing Tips (Part 1) – Preparing the Manuscript, Marion Woodfork Simmons
• Self-Publishing Tips (Part 2) – Preparing to Hire an Editor and Designer, Marion Woodfork Simmons
• Give Your Book a Page on Your Blog, Denise Barrett Olson

After reading some of these posts, do you think self-publishing is something you want to pursue?  Or do you think you’ll stick to the traditional route?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject, so be sure to leave me a comment and voice your opinion.

New Kindle eBook On Family History

My good friend Carol sent me an email this morning to let me know about a new Kindle eBook on family history that is currently FREE on Amazon (regular price is $1.29).  The book is Putting Flesh on the Bones: Bringing Your Ancestors to Life, by Mark W. Swarthout.

I have not read the book yet, so I can’t offer a review, but hey, it’s free (for now, and inexpensive at it’s regular price of $1.29), so why not take a chance.  The Amazon description reads:

How do you make the hundreds of dates and places in your family tree come alive?

The purpose of this article is to spark your interest in finding out the things that will make your ancestors become real people in your mind. It will provide thought starters and ideas to help in tracking down the information that can convert those names and dates on the genealogy chart into a real flesh and blood person, someone you can picture in your mind.

Have you read it?  If so, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it.

Start Writing Your Life Stories – A Free Webinar from FTU

Family Tree University is offering a free webinar entitled Start Writing Your Life Stories, “where Sunny Jane Morton, author of My Life & Times: A Guided Journal For Collecting Your Stories, shares tips and ideas for capturing the stories of a lifetime—whether they’re your own or those of a loved one.”

The one-hour on-demand webinar can be accessed here.

Excuses, Excuses

It’s time to stop whining and start writing!  Head over to Sharon DeBartolo Carmack’s article “Write You Family History:  Get Motivated” to see the top five excuses we use to put off writing our family stories and advice on how to defeat those excuses. 

Yes, I said “we” since I whine about #5 (not “finished” researching) all the time!  But Sharon reminds us that the best way to find the gaps in your research and ultimately those pesky to-do items is by writing out what you’ve already researched.

Read her article to learn about the other four excuses and how you can overcome the whining and start writing!

The Future of Memories

Denis Barrett Olson put together a digital book that offers up advice and ideas for digitally publishing your family stories.  The Future of Memories “introduces you to these new technologies and shows you how to take advantage of the opportunities they offer to produce quality histories at a reasonable price.”

Currently, you can purchase the book for $2.99 in PDF format through Scribd or as an Kindle eBook through Amazon.  eBook versions for iBook and Nook will be available soon.

Pre-Order: My Life & Times

My Life & Times: A Guided Journal for Collecting your Stories is available for pre-order from shopfamilytree.com at a special price of $19.79 (special offer good until October 31, 2011).

Part journal, part keepsake, the prompts on the fill-in pages allow you to “write down key moments from childhood to adulthood.”  This journal is a 3-ring binder and includes a bonus CD with additional refill pages that can be printed as needed.

4 Resources for Writing Your Family History

Following are four great resources that can assist you in writing your family history.

You Can Write Your Family History

A great book to set you on your course is You Can Write Your Family History, by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack.  One of the questions I struggle with the most is answered in this book:  How much research is enough?  Sharon also defines the various types of family histories and provides creative strategies for the writing process.  This book can be purchased on Amazon for under $20.

Producing a Quality Family History

Patricia Law Hatcher gets into the nitty-gritty of writing and publishing a book in Producing a Quality Family History.  While Patricia does discuss the writing aspect, the most valuable piece of her book is the several chapter dedicated to putting the book together in terms of what elements to include, the layout and design of the book, and publishing considerations.  I’m glad I got this book awhile ago since it appears to be out of print; it’s certainly worth checking to see if your local library or genealogical society has a copy.

Ready, Set, Write! Share Your Family’s Story

Lisa Alzo did a great webinar in June called Ready, Set, Write! Share Your Family’s Story.  The webinar was done through Legacy Family Tree.  Lisa’s presentation was very informative and extremely inspirational.  A 13 minute preview is available here.  You can also purchase the CD from this link as well; it’s worth the $9.95 price tag!

For All Time:  A Complete Guide to Writing Your Family History

For All Time:  A Complete Guide to Writing Your Family History, by Charley Kempthorne takes a different approach than the previously mentioned books.  Charley really focuses on the writing and shows you how to make the story interesting.  He gives a lot of examples and even has small challenges throughout the book to put what you’ve learned into practice.  There are also chapters on the types of family histories and publishing.  This book can be purchased on Amazon for under $15.