Ten Prompts for Writing Better Family History Blogs
I often watch for innovative and engaging tips from other writers and course developers in my emails and social media. This morning I was delighted to see a message from Robert from Dabble in my inbox. In that post, he shared a batch of writing prompts for writers of fantasy, romance, mystery, sci-fi, thrillers, and horror. I have borrowed those ideas today to formulate a few prompts for family historians. I had a little help from Chat GPT to create the ten prompts below.
You may like to catch up with advice from Robert and his selected author interviews at The Story Craft Cafe, sponsored by my favourite writing tool Dabble
Family history blogs are more than just records; they are lifelines connecting us to our ancestors. They bring names and dates to life, transforming them into colourful stories. Lifeline to New Universe, Matchmaker for Grandma, Secret Auction, Dimensions of Time, Detective’s Discovery, and Forbidden Journal are just a few of the intriguing prompt topics that might help you write compelling family history blogs.
1. Begin with a Powerful Hook: Lifeline to New Universe
Tip: Begin your blog with an enticing opening paragraph that lures viewers in.
“In our family, a mystical thread connects us to our forefathers. I followed my thread and discovered a universe I was unaware of.”
2. Develop Realistic Characters: Matchmaker for Grandma?
Tip: Create real and relatable characters, even if they are centuries-old relatives.
“Grandmother’s love story was no ordinary tale! She dared to follow her love in an era of planned weddings.”
3. Construct Suspense: Secret Auction
Tip: Use mystery and intrigue to keep readers interested.
“Ancestors bid to keep their secrets hidden at a secret family auction.” “What were they concealing?”
4. Investigate Alternate Reality: Dimensions of Time
Tip: Don’t be scared to experiment with ‘what if’ scenarios or different realities.
“What if our ancestors had taken a different path? The solutions were provided by a gateway in time.”
5. Family History Detective: Discovery of Hidden Truths
Tip: Look into and expose surprising truths or hidden pieces of your family’s past.
“As I dug deeper into my great-grandfather’s past, I discovered a mystery that shook our family tree,” for example.
6. Add a Touch of Suspense: Forbidden Journal
Tip: Use suspense aspects to generate depth and emotion.
“A forbidden journal from the past held a chilling secret that I was about to uncover.”
7. Make use of visual imagery: Vivid Language
Tip: Use your words to paint vivid pictures that transport readers to different periods and places.
“The old homestead stood, like a silent witness to generations of laughter, tears, and dreams.” for example,
8. Include Historical Context: Explore its impact
Tip: To give authenticity to your narrative, mix historical facts and settings.
For instance, “The Great Depression shaped our family in ways that still resonate today.”
9. Interact with Readers: Use a call to action
Tip: Encourage readers to add their own personal stories or reflections.
For instance, “What family mysteries have you uncovered? Please share your experience in the comments.”
10. Revise and edit: for clarity and cohesion
Tip: Spend time editing and polishing your blog to ensure clarity and cohesion.
For example, “Read your blog aloud, and listen for awkward phrases, and revise for a smooth flow.”
Your Call to Action: Learn how to write better family history blogs
10 Tips for Writing Better Family History Blogs
Writing family history blogs is an exploration of time, emotion, and connection. You may write blogs that engage with readers and honour the rich tapestry of your ancestors by using these ten techniques, inspired by innovative prompts.
Your family’s stories are waiting to be told, whether it’s a lifeline to a new universe or a banned journal. Accept the challenge and have fun writing!
Find even more writing tips for family historians in the Free Preview section of this course: ‘Unlock Ancestral Storytelling‘. Look for the video lesson called Introduction to Story Writing Tips in the Bonus Extras Module. You can also download the free set of Writing Tips from the free preview lesson called:
Hero’s Journey: Story Writing Tips 1-10
Testimonial:
“I loved that there were three main concepts in the course:
- Creating the WeAre Family Archive to capture your genealogy research and family tree
- Using WeAre to create a blog and learn how to make interesting blog posts
- Learning how to use literary devices to actually write ancestor profiles, biographies, and narratives
I loved being introduced to CANVA, DABBLE, & CHAT GPT!”
Sincerely, Jan Wilhelmsen from Arizona, US
Your Next Call to Action: Explore the Blog tool in WeAre.xyz
Find out how to do next-generation blogging with help from the team at WeAre.xyz/blogs.
Testimonial:
“I am planning to move my ancestral story blog posts into my new blog pages at WeAre.xyz. The new blog feature is amazing. In fact, I love all the ‘story’ tools including profiles, articles, artefacts, occasions and places.”
Sincerely, Carole McCulloch @coachcarole2012
