5 Ways to Make Family History Books (That are not BORING!)

[@AncestryAimee]

Let me know what you think! ☕Send me some suport for the price of a coffee: www.patreon.com/aimeecross 📧 Join my email list ancestryaimee.com/get_emails

[@Turtelik]

Some time ago my grandmother died and my mum inherited some family photos from her. We scanned them and decided to make a photo book (in one of the popular photo book companies) - it wasn't the most elaborate (no text or anything, just pictures) and gave it to all 5 of my grandparents' children (my aunts and uncles) - they loved it :)

[@AncestryAimee]

That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

[@Meyersci]

These are wonderful options for books featuring the family trees! Just a word of caution: cursive writing is becoming a foreign language nowadays. I saw the loss of this skill over a career in teaching and know the frustration of trying to transcribe old German script into a readable form. If you want the new and future generations to read the book, you may want to transcribe old letters and records instead of just publishing scans of them.

[@AncestryAimee]

Thank you! Great suggestion!! That’s so true!

[@ytcarol]

Sad but likely the better advice.

[@marycervantes7059]

I know what you mean. It took time to learn to read Mexican cursive records plus, there are different centuries and different styles. Yes, I translate and transcribe them in screen captures so that "modern" English speaking people can understand them!

[@AncestryAimee]

@marycervantes7059 love it!

[@violinviolin]

I am in the middle of creating a book with the plug in for Family Tree Maker but hope to embellish it with some of these excellent ideas. Thank you!

[@AncestryAimee]

Wonderful!

[@OldestLady]

My sister has wanted me to do a book on our family for years, I just didn't know where to start. The grand kids art work along with the stories, is brilliant! I definitely want to try that. Thank you so much for sharing these ideas!!

[@AncestryAimee]

You bet! Love that idea too! My friend who did it is amazing!

[@fluffy_chim_chim]

I am just 13 but, this summer I am thinking to write a book😅 I don't know why? I am just curious to write a book I am not gonna publish I will just write and keep it with myself ❤

[@AncestryAimee]

That is so cool! Love it! Good luck with it. You know I was about 14-15 when I started really getting into family history. It’s really fun to learn about your family.

[@fluffy_chim_chim]

Thanks alot💗 I am researching alot about writing but not getting that satisfaction of the researches Could you please help me in .. How can I choose the title? How can I start a book? Etc.. etc...

[@AncestryAimee]

If your taking a family history book first you gotta research the family. Then a title may come to you that references the family you want to write about.

[@fluffy_chim_chim]

Thank you so muchhh💗✨

[@Spacereform3]

@@fluffy_chim_chim Since you're so young, and doing this just for hobby purposes - chatGPT can be a great tool for getting ideas (such as topics, titles, info etc).

[@carolfackler2339]

Ideas for a family group sheet with multiple marriages for both parents and children. Our family tree is complicated. My only thought is to record the only ones that count? My 1/2 siter and brother and I have different fathers but neither were part of our lives (not 100% sure where they are, alive or dead) our step-father adopted two out of three of us. It all gets a little convoluted. I was born with one surname, then adopted, then married and divorced twice (back to adopted surname).

[@AncestryAimee]

Most family group sheets have a space for smother spouses. You can make a note there and do another sheet. For a book I think I’d create my own.

[@AnthonyMiyazaki]

An interesting discussion of these options. Thank you. What are your thoughts on producing something as a PDF and then just using Amazon's self-publishing platform to print copies for family members?

[@AncestryAimee]

Actually, I was unaware of that option when I filmed this. My daughter has sold digital items on Etsy and recently started using that program on Amazon for those who want a printed product. I have ordered some of her stuff and it’s not bad at all! I think that would be a valid option. I don’t know much about their content requirements and any possible legal issues. But I’d sure look into it.

[@DavidWilliamsaz]

I like to do short stories high frequency. I like to share 1 paragraph stories or one Facebook or Instagram once a week. You can share an entire life story just in a different way. I also created on facebook group for my mom side and one for my Dad's

[@AncestryAimee]

That sounds terrific! Thanks for sharing it with all.

[@scrapperiam463]

I self-publish my books and do them in Word so they are totally in my control. I print them and bind them myself so I really do have total control. So far no one has complained they are boring. Guess I have polite family.

[@AncestryAimee]

I bet they are fantastic!!!

[@debbieharris1639]

Thank you, Aimee! Never thought of making family history books!

[@AncestryAimee]

You should!

[@kehenry1]

I appreciate this. I wanted to do a book and was struggling with putting it together. It was so overwhelming. I love the idea of putting it together in smaller pieces. Maybe multiple booklets. An earlier family member had written a 600 page book of which only a few are in print and only available on old book sellers for over $150. I wanted to make something more accessible to everyone while filling in the blanks.

[@AncestryAimee]

I’ve seen those rare books going for a fortune! What a gift to your family for you to take this on! Good luck with it! Glad the video helped.

[@bethbrewer6993]

I've never seen a video anywhere on the Draper manuscripts. I've found fascinating family info in these documents. While I can't always verify, they do make for great stories. I'd love to see a how to video on the Draper manuscripts.

[@AncestryAimee]

Good to know! I’ll put it on my list. For those that don’t know what the Draper manuscript collection is… Lyman Draper’s work covers about 1740-1830. The originals are held by the Wisconsin Historical Society, but you can view microfilm at the FamilySearch library in Salt Lake. Great idea for a video! Thanks!

[@bethbrewer6993]

@@AncestryAimee and a lot of libraries and historical societies have them as well

[@belindabuttigieg5151]

Thank you Aimee I found your video very helpful. Love the idea of the scrapbook with the childrens drawings. I look forward to watching more of your videos. thanks again for some ideas.

[@AncestryAimee]

Thanks for taking the time to comment! Glad this was helpful and I agree about those kid’s drawings! Hope you enjoy other videos too! Please subscribe so I’m in your feed.

[@janetroy2753]

Thanks for this inspirational and practical video for family history book Aimee.

[@AncestryAimee]

I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@lizbethlee3833]

Whew! I’ve got to get started-Now! Great ideas.

[@AncestryAimee]

Thank you! Good luck!!

[@pc4764]

Great examples. I'm working on a book myself, but instead of a straight genealogy book, I'm using my ancestors to tell history. I have a writing/publishing background so using standard publishing tools. Where I can't find photos, I'm doing my own artwork which has been an avocation. No little grandchildren to do the artwork but that was just delightful. And artwork, is, I think, essential. Love your videos.

[@AncestryAimee]

Thank you! I would love to see what you create! Great suggestion about creating your own artwork and using your ancestors to tell the story.

[@pc4764]

@@AncestryAimee I'd love to do that. My parents, coming out of the WWII generation were full steam ahead. Rarely looked back. When I did, I found connections to important stories throughout our history.

[@AncestryAimee]

@@pc4764 so true! Love that!

[@arlindanelson7928]

Aiiiimeeee, what have you done to my head today, lol? I am swimming in thoughts back and forth. These are beautiful books and very thought provoking. I have been struggling with how to do a book and unfortunately I don't have many stories because my seniors are no longer here to tell them. Any suggestions in that area would be helpful. I agree with you to make them interesting for those who have no interest in genealogy by adding images. I also love the tidbits of individuals. Thanks for sharing. I just don't know where to begin or how to present it now.

[@AncestryAimee]

Haha! Glad you liked the video! Even things like draft cards are helpful - photographs of houses if they still exist today or in archives -- even old photographs of others (not your ancestors) who resided in your family's place and time. It helps people see the time period - if your family were farmers in Kansas in 1850, find pictures of farmers in Kansas in 1850 (be sure to note they are not your family or people pass down pictures forever that are incorrect! :)

[@arlindanelson7928]

@@AncestryAimee Thanks again soooo much.

[@jayhawk405]

@@arlindanelson7928 One word, newspapers. They are a great source to create some stories

[@AncestryAimee]

So true!! Thanks for adding that @jay hawk!

[@72Crabadams]

Is your CROSS name from marriage? My maternal lineage is Cross

[@justinwhouarehappyhealthyb8]

oh my gosh i am putting together a book of our family history i am back 13 great grandparents and i am getting pictures of places they were born and died in and issues of the time period but getting pictures of people isnt easy

[@AncestryAimee]

so true about those pictures - way to go on your book!!!

[@KennethRushing-fu7jv]

Hi Aimee, we had some family mysteries. My grandma's mother was unwed and never knew who her bio. father was. Also, my husband's grandpa ran away from home at 14, and he never would speak about his previous life. We did not even know the names of his parents or siblings. So we took a DNA test to find out what we had come from. My husband only has one uncle left that is very excited about all we found, and I'm wanting to quickly make a book with a hardcover for him. (He is 82.) Are any of these options hardcover? I love all these ideas. It turns out that my great-grandfather was a bigtime bank robber in 1934. He was known for his machine gun and tuxedo during his robberies, but no one ever got killed. :) Since working on this, I am so interested in genealogy!

[@AncestryAimee]

Wow! What stories! You’ve got a great family history to tell! Yes. The book publishing company associated with Ancestry has hardcovers. You can really do a hardcover anywhere.

[@cogneurolove]

I love these! I put together scrapbook pages with the family photos that we have but was looking for a way to make the rest of the documents more attractive to family members.

[@AncestryAimee]

Yeah! So happy to hear that!

[@MsBuzy1]

I was curious how you were able to get the relationship tree in the book similar to one from ancestry..

[@AncestryAimee]

That program syncs with Ancestry. It names it easier.

[@dreamweaver4543]

Love the getting your grandchildren to draw especially for ones where you don''t have photos

[@AncestryAimee]

Me too! Doris is brilliant!

[@s.wilson6770]

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (LOC) is a great free source for high quality photos, images, & maps which you can download

[@AncestryAimee]

True! Thanks for adding it!

[@angelamiller4899]

Great ideas!! Thank you!!

[@AncestryAimee]

I'm so glad you liked them!

[@katytee1376]

I am taking a university course on family history and i stumbled on this video. Thanks for sharing the different layouts you have used to represent people's family histories. I am so inspired and can't wait to do my own for an assignment :)

[@AncestryAimee]

So glad to hear that! Let me know how it goes and how you end up doing things. 👍

[@TheMsualumni33]

Terrific video. I've been wanting to play around with My Canvas and you provided a good overview.

[@AncestryAimee]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MrBraindead101]

Really interesting video, thank you.

[@AncestryAimee]

You’re welcome!

[@bobbondi7191]

Aimee - Just found you while on my way to looking for something else. If you had to pick just one printer source, who would you pick? I can easily create patterns and backgrounds in Photoshop, so that's not an issue. I did subscribe and gave you a thumbs up.

[@AncestryAimee]

Thanks Bob! I really can’t pick one. It depends on how creative you are, what you want to accomplish, budget. If you like to create things, you can find a local printer to print. I’ve done that for a client. I’m sorry I’m not more help here.

[@suellenw561]

Last fall we were visiting family in another state about 700 miles away. The night before we planned to leave, my sister's husband died. She was our "family funeral photographer," but she asked me to do that. I ended up putting the photos & other info into a book using Publisher on 8 1/2 x 11" paper. Our brother had his made into a "real" book. Most of the rest of us printed the sheets individually,, put the pages into sheet protectors & a binder. Sinc my sister has assorted pictures from our parents' funerals, I'm now working on their funeral books.

[@AncestryAimee]

Thanks for sharing! That’s a good idea.

[@jandavis1362]

This is Awesome! I will start looking for a book pattern that I like.

[@AncestryAimee]

Wonderful!

[@12234nic11234]

For my father's side of the family I had quite a bit of information, I also had a lot of history and stories from the female ancestors families as well, so started with history of our main family line, starting from our 3rd great grandfather, and then added separate histories of the grandmothers starting from my third great grandmother and down to our grandmother. It actually turned out quite good and I tried to keep it easy to read and added family pedigrees and such to make it easy for people to see how everyone is connected For my mother's side there wasn't as much information so I just divided the book into histories of each of her four grandparents.

[@AncestryAimee]

That's a terrific idea! Thanks for sharing it with all!

[@Redberryfarm888]

If I ever would do a book, I would want to print one for each child... OR will the one copy to the most interested person, which seems to be only one person per generation who gets the family history 'bug'. It depends on the interest, or lack thereof which is sad. My great great grandchild would sure appreciate it, if everyone else in the line doesn't toss it out first... lol.

[@AncestryAimee]

I hear you! I wish more of my family was interested too.

[@Haylo545]

Thank you for your video! Inspiring and now the ideas are flooding through 🎉

[@AncestryAimee]

You are so welcome!

[@adorablecats9891]

This was great! Thanks so much for these great ideas. ❤

[@AncestryAimee]

So happy to hear they were helpful!

[@kimberlysavage112]

Thank you for the tips and tricks on creating these awesome books.

[@AncestryAimee]

You are so welcome!

[@ennasus5964]

Great examples! Thank you so much for showing!

[@AncestryAimee]

Glad you liked it!

[@Spacereform3]

Why can't I find the ''add military page'' option on mycanvas? I just don't seem to have it?

[@AncestryAimee]

I’m not sure. I created that so long ago. I think I created the page manually.

[@sheridrennan]

Love these ideas! Please tell me where Doris James created her book. I have already been toying with a similar idea to do with my own grandchildren.

[@AncestryAimee]

I think she created it in word but I’m not sure who her publisher was. There’s lots of little publishers out there. But I asked her and will add it when I hear. I love it too!!

[@hollyvincent7726]

Aimee, I have a serious question...I have been researching my family genealogy for several years and I have found a death record for my 4th great grandfather William Leahy who lived in Brooklyn, New York in the 1850's, in the New York genealogical records in the comments it says "Porter House", what was a Porter House? I can not find any information about what a porter house was?

[@AncestryAimee]

I honestly don’t know. Could it be he died in the home of a man named Porter House? Could have been some type of poor house or another type of facility with that name. I would do a census search for someone named Porter House and also check newspaper articles for that name. There may be something in the paper about it.

[@hollyvincent7726]

@@AncestryAimee Thank you so much for the help. I will definitely do that!!

[@Spacereform3]

''Thomas F. De Voe's 1867 book The Market Assistant details dishes sold at markets and restaurants in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia in the 1800s. Back then, restaurants and taverns were often called porter houses, as they served a style of beer called porter.Jul 30, 2021'' Maybe he died in a tavern type of place?

[@DavidNelsonATX]

1 . Make it interesting - don’t be limited by the facts. For example- my Viking ancestors killed William the Conqueror at Waterloo assisting George Patton. 2. Images - pictures of hot women like the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models is the direction you want to go. Say they’re of your great grandmother from Ireland, Sweden and Germany. Working on how I won the Korean War and I wasn’t born yet. It is a family history you won’t believe or want to put down! 😂😂😂

[@AncestryAimee]

Hahaha! That was good! 😂

[@anneoaks1420]

Ive learned so much from you thank you

[@AncestryAimee]

I'm so glad! Thank you.

[@Elke_KB]

I started writing down the stories my dad told me of his childhood in East Prussia and his memories of his parents. Comparing my grandfather's military unit, bombing of their city, the evacuation and Red Cross intervention, I'm getting a better picture of the timeline of dad's stories. With the backdrop of Nazi Germany and WW2, it's quite the story.

[@AncestryAimee]

Wow! So glad you are getting those amazing stories!

[@twilageorge3043]

Excellent as always. ❤️

[@AncestryAimee]

Thank you so much!

[@jillmccarthy8421]

Great video -- I'm still digesting! My mother wrote a draft of a book before she died trying to trace the family history back to the 1700s or earlier in Ireland. She spend 30 years researching this prior to the internet(!), and now I'm picking up the pieces and trying to finish it. I'm aiming to satisfy two different audiences: the family who wants to read about their ancestors and thus needs something fun and easy to read, and the genealogical research community who require citations to document/prove claimed relationships. I'm struggling with how to balance the two! Any suggestions? I also am not far enough along to know if Ancestry or Family Tree Maker make handling of source citations manageable in some way (I'm adding all kinds of sources in Ancestry, but I haven't tried to print a report of any kind yet)? Any advice would be appreciated.

[@AncestryAimee]

I’m not a super fan of how they handle the sources as far as printing them. Ancestry will end up just in a GEDCOM file that you have to put into another program anyway. I LOVE that you have such a wonderful information that you’ve inherited That’s wonderful! I think I would recommend endnotes that way it doesn’t break up your text so much. You might want to do the fun stuff in the front, and then have more of the other information in the back, the stuff for other genealogists. I love that you want to be thorough and source everything though!

[@kimhendrix4630]

What awesome ideas!!!

[@AncestryAimee]

Thank you! 😊

[@carolg3179]

These are great ideas ❤

[@AncestryAimee]

Glad you like them!

[@constancekimmel6847]

I couldn’t understand the name of the source you used to search for family history. Would you tell me please?

[@AncestryAimee]

I'm not sure what source you are referring to, but I did use the platform MyCanvas - www.mycanvas.com. If that wasn't it, let me know.

[@MrHarryreed]

I'm toying with the idea of writing a book about famous and or infamous ancestors of mine. I actually have quite a few of both. Any thoughts?

[@AncestryAimee]

That sounds terrific! I think you should do it. Maybe one of the styles in this video will give you some ideas on how to format it.

[@MrHarryreed]

@@AncestryAimee It definitely did. I think it would be fun! Thanks for the videos. They are such a help.

[@AncestryAimee]

You are very welcome!

[@marycollins4262]

Using a service that you have to purchase "your own" family history from, defeats the purpose. I don't want to give control over my hard work...to a third party.

[@AncestryAimee]

A lot of folks feel that way.

[@8848Red]

I was going to like and subscribe, until you said guns would not be socailly acceptable to pose with for a photograph today.

[@AncestryAimee]

Haha! I’m with you in the amendment right to bear arms but we don’t tend to see photos like that one today. Hopefully you’ll change your mind and subscribe! 😀 Have a great day

[@BonnieDragonKat]

It's hard to make a book interesting when you never knew the family you are writing about.

[@AncestryAimee]

It is definitely harder. But just learning about their occupations, finding them in newspaper articles or other records can tell you a lot.

[@robertsmiley2207]

I like your attitude and your energy I've seen other relatives family books 📚 that were boring 🥱 so I know exactly what u mean I plan on making a fun one that grabs everyone's attention and keeping it 😎

[@AncestryAimee]

Thank you Robert! You made my day!

[@lawandaknowles1930]

Goodmorning My name ks La Wanda De Creta Warrick Knowles i been on your channel to try and understand who i am i was born in California 1962 my parents was in there 40 when i came around my parents was up in age they really didnt talk about there background as much when growing up the only thing that i remember is that my mom mother pass away when she was 12 years old so she really dont remember much and her father came from Canada which i have a picture of him never saw a picture of my mom mother which they came from out of Hitchcock and Galveston Texas but when my mom mother pass she had move to Washington D.C at a ypung age .Now on my Father side o boy now this is the wall that im having a hard time with the only thing that i remember is that my father is from Pennsylvania where he was born 1916 and his parents is out of Virginia area so i been on Ancestry and i had a DNA taken and i do have my test results but some how it got lost on my Ancestry i still have the same boxs and card but it wont let me scan it again cause i dont have the tube that i sent in already so i would love for you to help me find some family members or the right ones that i have on my tree cause i would love to make a family book for my grandchildren's to have so that way they can see their History they Roots .

[@AncestryAimee]

Hello La Wanda. I hope you can determine your ancestry too! I’d love to help you through coaching (sign up here: www.patreon.com/aimeecross) or if you’d like to hire me to do a project for you (visit my website for more information: ancestryconsultingbyaimee.com)

[@lawandaknowles1930]

@@AncestryAimee Goodmorning Thank you so much i would love to hired you to help me out how much is your fee and when can we start ❤

[@AncestryAimee]

@@lawandaknowles1930 please email me at [e-mail] and if you could share your Ancestry tree with me, that would be great too.