Questions on Writing Family Stories

 

Crisp fall mornings will soon be here.

One of the questions I am always asked when I give a program on writing your family stories is this: Do I have to start at the beginning and write the stories chronologically? Maybe not those exact words but close enough. 

The answer is a great big NO! If you're writing a biography or autobiography, you would begin with the very beginning--when and where the person was born and to whom.

When writing stories about your family, the immediate and extended, you can begin with a story about your Uncle Jim that happened when he was 36 and you were a child. Then write a story about your grandmother and something that happened during WWII followed by one about you and your siblings during your teen years. There does not need to be any specific order when you write them.

That said, when you're putting your stories into a 3-ring binder, you can arrange them by the people or by the time or leave it helter-skelter. That's up to you. Notice that I mentioned a 3-ring binder to use for keeping your stories. I like them because you can easily add and rearrange your stories. You can also add dividers, although it's not necessary. 

Write the stories as the memories come to you. Maybe you hear a story at a family gathering that is new to you or one that has been repeated on a regular basis. Listening and enjoying is fine, but writing those stories soon after you hear them is better. 

Another question is: How long do the stories need to be? You can write one that is 100 words or 1000 words or more. There are no rules for this kind of story. You're the author. You decide.

Some who are beginning on the family story project might wonder if there are any rules for the actual writing. No, not a set of rules, but it would be helpful to keep a few things in mind as you write. If you do some of the following, your story will be more interesting.

1. Use active verbs--overuse of passive verbs like was, is, are, won't make for a rather ho-hum or boring story. When you use active verbs, you're showing what the person did rather than just stating or reporting. 
2. Use sensory details--show the five senses--hearing, sight, smell, touch, and taste
3. Give an idea of the place where the story happened. Instead of saying, 'It happened in Grandpa's barn, try something like I remember where it happened. Right in the middle of Grandpa Jones' big, red barn. That barn smelled of hay and cows and....  
4. Mix up the length of your sentences. A few short ones, a few longer. Watch out for overly long sentences.
5. Description helps bring your reader into the story. 
6. Put your name after the title so those in generations ahead will know who wrote the story.
7. Try to include the general time the story happened--'just before Dad left for Vietnam' or 'Elvis had died that day, and Aunt Ellen was beside herself with grief.' 
8. Don't be afraid to use some humor or emotions like sadness, anger or great joy.
9. Including a few personality traits will also bring your story to life.

All of the suggestions above are exactly that--suggestions. You write your family stories the way that is best for you.