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Family History Essay | How to Write? and 400 Words Essay on Family History

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Family History Essay: A family involves individuals living respectively that structure a gathering of people inside a local area. Individuals making this gathering are dependent upon connections either by birth or blood, and it involves at any rate two grown-ups as guardians and grandparents, along with little youngsters. The relatives have a common association between them. Thus, an exposition about family ancestry is a rundown of a person’s social personality and the equal relationship(s) he/she imparts to individuals living respectively.

Adapting family ancestry is indispensable to comprehend our economic well-being, mankind, and variety. History saves our recollections for ages to comprehend what their identity is and their geographic beginning. Having decent information on family foundation allows you to see the value in the things or penances made before by grandparents to encounter better things throughout everyday life. A person’s underlying foundations and beginning bring a self-appreciation revelation. Likewise, expounding on your family ancestry is one method of protecting its legacy for people in the future.

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How to Write a Family History Essay?

When composing a, there is a consistent construction you should continue in giving out your contentions. An appropriate diagram will deliver an energizing show of each segment, and it will interest the peruser. The standard design of an article has a presentation, body, and end. Here is a magnificent illustration of a layout for a family ancestry article:

• Topic: My Family History
• Introduction (Outline): Write a short brief about your family background and why your family is important
• Body: Write about your family members, how you live together and who your neighbors
• Conclusion: Rehashing your conflict, Sum up your key thoughts, and Give a last remark or reflection about the paper

Essay on Family History 400 Words in English

Would you need to know how everything began until here? My grandpa disclosed to me that he met my grandmother at a show where probably the best craftsman was performing during one of the late spring occasions in London. As he was moving alone, my grandpa moved toward a wonderful woman (who might turn into his perfect partner) to request that she dance together. They later consented to meet for a supper date. Our family lives in London. Without a doubt, this is the best family, and it’s an honor to be essential for it.

Each individual includes different sides inside his/her family; my fatherly side begins from Canada, while the maternal side is from America. Despite the fact that my extraordinary granddad comes from Spain, my grandpa and grandmother live in London. My granddad is Indo-British who functioned as a barkeep, no big surprise he adored shows! My dad fills in as a traditionalist for amphibian fauna while my mom works in the bread kitchen. My mom and father met in a store when they were both shopping.

Despite the fact that we live in a similar city, my grandparents have their loft, a separation from our own. We live as a group of five; father, mum, and three youngsters. As we as a whole live in a similar city, we (me and my two sisters) incidentally visit our grandparents during the end of the week to invest some energy with them; grandpa and I were doing some planting while my sisters and grandmother do cook and other house tasks. The connection between our extraordinary guardians and our own is extremely phenomenal.

At Christmas, every one of my youngsters, mum, and father travel to our grandparents for an entire week. During the new year, we get together at our home, my parent’s home, to invite the year as a whole family. Now and again during the end of the week, we normally invest the majority of our energy on the seashore swimming, besides on chapel days. As a family, our number one food is rotisserie fish, rice, and vegetables. In any case, my grandpa likes chicken hash.

All in all, the social conjunction between us is fantastic, which has made a powerful common bond for the family. From visiting one another, investing energy in the seashore, getting together suppers to usher in the new year, and observing Christmas as a family, the bond continues to develop. I’m favored to be essential for a particularly incredible family.

FAQ’s on Family History Essay

Question 1. Why is it important to know family history?

Answer: Knowing your family ancestry is vital. It empowers one to self-find himself inside the general public and like the heredity. At the point when you find out about your family’s past, you will comprehend the things you see and experience today. Composing an article on family ancestry requires a ton of comprehension and consideration regarding the viewpoints you need to depict. The basic factor being the family foundation, at that point seeing how you need to design and scribble down your thoughts.

Question 2. What are the points that can be mentioned in a family history essay?

Answer: You can write about family members, relations, values and traditions of your family. Write down the places from where your ancestors belong or the origin of your family. Also, mention the family reunion or gatherings or the occasions when you all get together.

Question 3. What family really means?

Answer: Family implies having somebody to adore you unequivocally disregarding you and your weaknesses. Family is cherishing and supporting each other in any event when it is difficult to do as such. It’s being the best individual you could be with the goal that you may motivate your adoration ones.

Question 4. Why do we need family?

Answer: Family is the absolute most significant impact on a youngster’s life. From their first snapshots of life, kids rely upon guardians and family to ensure them and accommodate their necessities. Kids flourish when guardians can effectively advance their positive development and improvement.

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How to Write an Essay About My Family History

A family comprises of people living together that form a social group within a community. The people creating this group are subject to relationships either by birth or blood, and it comprises at least two adults as parents and grandparents, together with young children. The family members have a mutual connection between them. Therefore, an essay about family history is a synopsis of an individual's social identity and the reciprocal relationship(s) he/she shares with the people living together. Learning family history is vital to understand our social status, humanity, and diversity. History keeps our memories for generations to understand who they are and their geographic origin. Having a good knowledge of family background lets you appreciate the things or sacrifices made before by grandparents to experience better things in life. An individual's roots and origin bring a sense of self-discovery. Also, writing about your family history is one way of preserving its heritage for future generations.

How to Start A Family History Essay

Outline writing, tips concerning writing a family history essay introduction, how to write body paragraphs, how to write a conclusion for a family history essay, essay revision, essay proofreading, make citations, catchy titles for an essay about family history, short example of a college essay about family history.

• How to Get the Best Family History Essay

Buy Pre-written Essay Examples on The Topic

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When writing an essay, there is a logical structure you must follow in giving out your arguments. A proper outline will produce an exciting presentation of every section, and it will fascinate the reader. The standard structure of an essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is an excellent example of an outline for a family history essay:

• Introduction
• Short family background information
• Importance of writing about the family
• Body (paragraphs)
• Family members; grandparents, parents, and children
• The community in which family resides
• Form of livelihood
• Conclusion (a summarizing paragraph)
• Restating your contention
• Summarize your key ideas
• Provide a final comment or reflection about the essay

When writing a presentation about family history, you need to provide a hook to the readers, to make them interested to know much about the family. You can start with facts or anecdotes about grandparents; for example, how they met on the first date and opted to make a family together, you can as well describe the circumstances. You can also provide an insight into a situation by your ancestors that impacted your life experience—the other thing to include in the short background information about your family. Remember to provide a clear and debatable thesis statement that will serve as the roadmap for your discussion in the paper.

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The body paragraphs contain the arguments one needs to discuss the subject topic. Every section includes the main idea or explanatory statement as the first sentence; the primary purpose is a debatable point that you need to prove. The length of a paragraph depends on the accurate measurement of ideas. In most cases, a section has about five sentences; but it can be as short or long as you want, depending on what you discuss. A paragraph has the main statement, supporting sentence(s) with evidence, and concluding sentences. When crafting the body, ensure a clear flow of ideas, connecting from one argument to the other. Transitional words, when used accordingly, can provide a nice transition and flow of ideas from one paragraph to the other. The commonly used transitional words or phrases include moreover, also, therefore, consequently, hence, thus, finally, etc.

A conclusion is as crucial as the introduction; it is the final recap of what your essay entails. The ending paragraph contains three main parts that form a full section. First, remind the audience of your thesis statement and show its relation to the essay topic. Second, provide a summary of the key arguments that you discussed in the body paragraphs. Third, it is advisable to add a final comment or general reflection about the essay. It's important to state that you should use different wording in the conclusion when restating statements and arguments. Also, remember to use signal words at the start of concluding paragraphs like in conclusion, finish, etc.

Revision is an opportunity for a student to review the content in his/her paper and identify parts that need improvement. Some students start revising as they begin drafting their essays. During revision, you need to restructure and rearrange sentences to enhance your work quality and ensure the message reaches your audience well. Revising gives you a chance to recheck whether the essay has a short main idea and a thesis statement, a specific purpose, whether the introduction is strong enough to hook the audience and organization of the article. Also, you check if there is a clear transition from one paragraph to another and ascertain if the conclusion is competent enough to emphasize the purpose of the paper.

Nothing is more frustrating than submitting an essay to earn dismal grade due to silly common mistakes. Proofreading is an essential stage in the editing process. It is an opportunity for reviewing the paper, identifying and correcting common mistakes such as typos, punctuation, grammatical errors, etc. Since proofreading is the final part of the editing, proofread only after finishing the other editing stages like revision. It is advisable to get help from another pair of eyes; you can send the paper to your friend to help you in the same process. There are online proofreading tools such as Grammarly and Hemingway, which you can use to proofread, but you should not only rely on grammar checkers. Remember to proofread the document at least three times.

Making citations is an essential way of keeping references for the sources of content you used. As you are editing, you may make several changes to the document. Do not forget to correctly provide citations for every fact or quote you obtained from other sources. There are different citation formats such as APA, MLA, etc.; therefore, you need to ensure correct usage of quotes depending on the requirement by your professor. The sources you cite present the list of references or bibliography at the end of your essay for easy reference.

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• Our Circle and Family Heritage
• A Lifetime of Love
• Because of Two Lovebirds, I Am Here
• The Family Archives
• The Family Ties
• Branches of The Family Tree
• The Generational Genes
• Forever as a Family
• It All Started with a Date
• Bits of Yesteryears

Would you want to know how it all started until here? My grandpa told me that he met my grandma at a concert where one of the greatest artists was performing during one of the summer holidays in New York City. As he was dancing alone, my grandpa approached a beautiful lady (who would become his soulmate) to ask her to dance together. They later agreed to meet for a dinner date. Our family lives in New York. Undoubtedly, this is the best family, and it's an honor to be part of it.

Every person has two sides within his/her family; my paternal side originates from Canada, while the maternal side is from America. Although my great grandfather comes from Canada, my grandpa and grandma live in New York. My grandfather is Afro-American who worked as a bartender, no wonder he loved concerts! My father works as a conservationist for aquatic fauna while my mother works in the bakery. My mother and father met in a supermarket when they were both doing shopping.

Although we live in the same city, my grandparents have their apartment, a distance from ours. We live as a family of five; dad, mum, and three children. As we all live in the same city, we (me and my two sisters) occasionally visit our grandparents during the weekends to spend some time with them; grandpa and I were doing some gardening while my sisters and grandma do cook and other house chores. The bond between our great parents and ours is very excellent.

At Christmas, all my children, mum, and dad travel to our grandparents for a whole week. During the new year, we get together at our house, my parent's house, to welcome the year as an entire family. Sometimes during the weekends, we usually spend most of our time on the beach swimming, except on church days. As a family, our favorite food is deep-fried fish, rice, and vegetables. However, my grandpa likes chicken hash.

In conclusion, the social co-existence between us is excellent, which has created a robust mutual bond for the family. From visiting each other, spending time on the beach, having to get together meals to usher the new year, and celebrating Christmas as a family, the bond keeps growing. I am privileged to be part of such a great family.

How to Get the Best Family History Essay?

Every student would want to produce the best essay possible to earn a better grade. One way of getting information is through previously written materials such as essay samples. Pre-written essay samples have become popular recently among college students due to the vital information they offer. There are several sites, such as Essay Kitchen, that provide pre-written essays on family history at affordable prices. Students can use the essay samples to obtain enough content and idea about paper outline the professor expect; thus, producing a quality article.

Essay writing is a daunting experience for most college students. The academic pressure, coupled with a lot of other activities, makes the whole experience an ordeal. Some students have a lot of responsibilities and find themselves with limited time to handle their academic essays. Consequently, the students use online essay writing service 12 hours at Edu Jungles to write my essay for me at an affordable rate.

Knowing your family history is very important. It enables one to self-discover himself within the society and appreciate the lineage. When you learn about your family's past, you will understand the things you see and experience today. Writing an essay on family history requires a lot of understanding and attention to the aspects you need to describe. The critical factor being family background, then understanding how you need to structure and jot down your ideas.

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How to Write Your Family History

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Choose a Format

Define the scope, set realistic deadlines.

• Choose a Plot and Themes

Do Your Background Research

• Don't Be Afraid to Use Records and Documents

Include an Index and Source Citations

• Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston University
• B.A., Carnegie Mellon University

Writing a family history may seem like a daunting task, but when the relatives start nagging, you can follow these five easy steps to make your family history project a reality.

What do you envision for your family history project? A simple photocopied booklet shared only with family members or a full-scale, hard-bound book to serve as a reference for other genealogists? Perhaps you'd rather produce a family newsletter, cookbook, or website. Now is the time to be honest with yourself about the type of family history that meetings your needs and your schedule. Otherwise, you'll have a half-finished product nagging you for years to come.

Considering your interests, potential audience, and the types of materials you have to work with, here are some forms your family history can take:

• Memoir/Narrative: A combination of story and personal experience, memoirs, and narratives do not need to be all-inclusive or objective. Memoirs usually focus on a specific episode or time period in the life of a single ancestor, while a narrative generally encompasses a group of ancestors.
• Cookbook: Share your family's favorite recipes while writing about the people who created them. A fun project to assemble, cookbooks help carry on the family tradition of cooking and eating together.
• Scrapbook or Album: If you're fortunate enough to have a large collection of family photos and memorabilia, a scrapbook or photo album can be a fun way to tell your family's story. Include your photos in chronological order and include stories, descriptions, and family trees to complement the pictures.

Most family histories are generally narrative in nature, with a combination of personal stories, photos, and family trees.

Do you intend to write mostly about just one particular relative, or everyone in your family tree ? As the author, you need to choose a focus for your family history book. Some possibilities include:

• Single Line of Descent:  Begin with the earliest known ancestor for a particular surname and follows him/her through a single line of descent (to yourself, for example). Each chapter of your book would cover one ancestor or generation.
• All Descendants Of...:  Begin with an individual or couple and cover all of their descendants, with chapters organized by generation. If you're focusing your family history on an immigrant ancestor, this is a good way to go.
• Grandparents:  Include a section on each of your four grandparents, or eight great-grandparents, or sixteen great-great-grandparents if you are feeling ambitious. Each individual section should focus on one grandparent and work backward through their ancestry or forward from his/her earliest known ancestor.

Again, these suggestions can easily be adapted to fit your interests, time constraints, and creativity.

Even though you'll likely find yourself scrambling to meet them, deadlines force you to complete each stage of your project. The goal here is to get each piece done within a specified time frame. Revising and polishing can always be done later. The best way to meet these deadlines is to schedule writing time, just as you would a visit to the doctor or the hairdresser.

Choose a Plot and Themes

Thinking of your ancestors as characters in your family story, ask yourself: what problems and obstacles did they face? A plot gives your family history interest and focus. Popular family history plots and themes include:

• Immigration/Migration
• Rags to Riches
• Pioneer or Farm Life
• War Survival

If you want your family history to read more like a suspense novel than a dull, dry textbook, it is important to make the reader feel like an eyewitness to your family's life. Even when your ancestors didn't leave accounts of their daily lives, social histories can help you learn about the experiences of people in a given time and place. Read town and city histories to learn what life was life during certain periods of interest.  Research timelines  of wars, natural disasters, and epidemics to see if any might have influenced your ancestors. Read up on the fashions, art, transportation, and common foods of the time. If you haven't already, be sure to interview all of your living relatives. Family stories told in a relative's own words will add a personal touch to your book.

Don't Be Afraid to Use Records and Documents

Photos, pedigree charts, maps, and other illustrations can also add interest to family history and help break up the writing into manageable chunks for the reader. Be sure to include detailed captions for any photos or illustrations that you incorporate.

Source citations are an essential part of any family book, to both provide credibility to your research, and to leave a trail that others can follow to verify your findings.

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9 Writing Prompts for Your Family History Stories

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• Storytelling & Writing
• family history , family stories , preserving discoveries , story crafting , storytelling , writing prompts

“I can’t write my family history stories because…”

How would you finish that statement? Would it be that you can’t write your family history stories because you:

• Aren’t creative or a writer
• Don’t know where to start
• Have research discoveries but no stories
• Are overwhelmed by what’s required.

Or maybe it’s all the above?

You aren’t alone. Each of those points is something that thousands of family historians think or say when they contemplate writing their family history stories. I get it. Writing about your ancestors is a lot. You have to leave your happy place of digging through the archives to learn new skills or sharpen up rusty old ones. It’s much more fun to keep researching, isn’t it?

Now for the good news. Crafting your family history stories is less writing and more compiling what you know in your own words. After all, the story already exists, so your job is to give it a voice. Using the information you know and have discovered as writing prompts will help you make it happen.

Writing prompts come in all shapes, sizes and types. They can be questions you answer, pictures you describe or theories you have. You collect them with every discovery, interview or question you ask yourself. And right now, you have several different types ready for use. That’s not a general statement, either. I’m talking to you when I say that you have multiple writing prompts at your fingertips.

Curious? Let’s unpack 9 prompts you can use to start writing your family history stories.

Writing prompts for your family history stories

1. research discoveries.

The first writing prompt on the list is one you’ll recognise immediately. After all, these are a cornerstone of your genealogy research. Yes, I’m talking about the historical records you discover on your journey.

You can capture the foundation of your ancestor’s story through vital records such as birth, death and marriage certificates. Then, use other documents to build on that base to show more life experiences such as education, employment, military service, property ownership, and places they lived or visited.

Each historical record prompts you to write what you know about it. You don’t want to simply transcribe the document but put the story it tells into your own words. For example, a birth certificate will tell you where, when and who was involved in the event. While a census record will tell you about their living situation, employment and household relationships.

2. Family photos

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” or so the saying goes. And when it comes to family history stories, that’s true. Photos are your window into the past. Not only can you see what your ancestors looked like but also the areas where they lived and travelled.

“Show, don’t tell” is popular advice from writing coaches to create vivid and engaging narratives that transport your reader into the story. Using photos, paintings or sketches as writing prompts helps you to achieve this goal.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have family photos, look for streetscapes or pictures that capture people from the era and area where your ancestors lived. You’ll then be able to describe what people wore, how they got around, plus what the towns and countryside were like.

3. Local newspapers

Until time travel is possible, the best way to step directly into your ancestor’s world is through the newspaper. Specifically, the same paper that your ancestors would have read or had access to during their life.

Newspapers aren’t only for the social column or birth, death and marriage notifications. They’ll give you a picture of your ancestor’s community, including:

• Local and global events
• Weather reports
• Store advertisements
• Government notifications
• Employment opportunities
• Property prices
• Accommodation options
• Letters to the editor.

And so much more.

Newspapers allow you to immerse yourself in a different era’s social and cultural framework. They’re a wealth of writing prompts enabling you to add depth to your ancestor’s story. Plus, there is the fantastic bonus that you may get lucky and come across a previously undiscovered clue about your family.

4. Family lore

Tales, legends, and rumours passed down through generations are the start of many a genealogy journey, including mine. These are the stories that spark imagination and can invoke curiosity to prove or disprove the tale.

While these legends may not always be entirely accurate, they are fantastic writing prompts for your family history stories. Recreate them in your own words or build a story around them. One way is to include all the versions you’ve heard of that story to show the multiple perspectives that filtered down through the generations.

Or dissect the rumour and dive into how it impacted your genealogy journey. Then, take your reader on the adventure through how you worked to prove or disprove the tale. Of course, don’t forget to let them know what you determined as a result of all that research!

5. Your speculation and insights

No matter how determinedly you research or how vast your treasure trove of family photos is, you’ll still be left with gaps. This space is an opportunity for creativity, intuition, and analytic thinking. As the author of a non-fiction piece, you can offer insight or speculate on what happened and why.

Using your insights as writing prompts is a way to give your readers clarity and reasoning instead of leaving them hanging with unanswered questions. Including your speculation offers emotional depth, dialogue reconstruction and cultural immersion to your written work.

Kick things off with the general notes and questions you’ve jotted down during your research journey. Why? Because including your questions in your narrative gives voice to what your reader might be pondering too. Next, let your analytical thinking take the lead as you speculate on what might have happened. Remember to make it crystal clear that these are your thoughts and hypotheses based on other events happening at the time. 

6. Heirlooms

Heirlooms are hidden gems waiting to be discovered by anyone passionate about history. Each of these items carries with it not just one story but potentially multiple tales. After all, they’re not just relics of a time long past; they’re a part of the family.

They’re helpful as writing prompts because you can approach their story from multiple perspectives, such as:

• Historical value
• Original purpose
• First owner
• Current caretaker. 

And even the future of the item. 

These tales will help your reader understand the emotional and financial value as well as the journey it’s been on with the family members who have cherished it over the years.

Always start with what you know to create a foundation for the story, whether proven or unproven. That can be a description of the item, stories your family shares about it or a recollection of your earliest encounter with it. 

7. Family recipes

Kitchens are often the heart of the family home, especially in the past generations. So, it’s little wonder that food plays such an essential role in preserving memories and traditions no matter our nationality or location.

Family recipes make an incredible writing prompt because they are a treasure trove of memories and cultural heritage. They trigger vivid recollections of family gatherings and special occasions. Not to mention that they engage multiple senses, making for some descriptive storytelling.

Writing about family recipes or gatherings can be a creative outlet, a source of reflection and healing, and a means of preserving personal history. Start with your own memories of recipes and celebrations, then use these as interview questions to build out the story with your relatives’ recollections. 

8. Traditions

Any recurring and meaningful practice, custom, or ritual passed down within a family can be considered a tradition. They typically hold great sentimental value and can provide a sense of continuity and connection across generations.

Using traditions as writing prompts is a powerful approach to storytelling because they encapsulate the essence of family life, culture, and identity. They can be:

• Cultural traditions
• Based on a holiday or celebration
• Family rituals
• Skill-based education such as cooking, woodworking or mechanics.

Exploring the origins behind your family traditions is also a valuable creative outlet. Capture the emotion and memory of yourself and other relatives as you identify why and how these acts became such unifying moments. Another approach is to focus on who the tradition keepers in your family are and, where possible, share why they chose to continue the practice.

9. AI-generated prompts

For a modern twist on storytelling, try AI-generated writing prompts for your family history stories. So, you won’t have these at your fingertips ready to use, but you can in a matter of seconds. AI-generated prompts from apps such as ChatGPT allow you to explore your family history from new perspectives.

Using ChatGPT to generate prompts is a way to take a diverse and creative approach to your family history stories. It’s:

• An opportunity to see your information from different perspectives
• To explore fresh angles 
• To engage readers in new ways.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all process, but it can be adapted to suit the way you work. For example, generate personalised prompts based on your knowledge and discoveries. Or get generic questions based on an era, occupation, or location. You’re limited only by your imagination and how you frame your requests.

Craft your family history stories

That wraps up the list of writing prompts you can use to craft your family history stories. You don’t have to spend hours determining an approach to take because you can use the knowledge and materials at your fingertips to start crafting stories. Are you feeling inspired by all the possibilities?

Family history is like a jigsaw puzzle. One where you don’t know how many pieces there are or what the final picture looks like. You research to discover the pieces, create a framework and write the story to see the picture.

Therefore, crafting your family history stories is less writing and more compiling what you know in your own words. After all, the story already exists, so your job is to give it a voice. Using the details you know and have discovered as writing prompts will help you make it happen.

Next steps in writing your family history stories

Are you looking for help to convert your writing prompts to stories? Check out my non-writers mini-class on  Writing Family History Stories with ChatGPT . It’s a crash course in getting started with ChatGPT to generate writing prompts and stories. 

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Does the thought of writing your family history send you straight back to bed to hide under the covers? You’re not alone. Most family historians agree that they enjoy research the most. What if there was an easier, more manageable way to share your family history, while telling the life stories of your ancestors in an interesting and factual way? There is. 

Tell It Short: A Guide to Writing Your Family History in Brief comes to the rescue, guiding and inspiring you to craft family history essays—the nonfiction version of the short story. Tell It Short gives those interested in writing their family history an alternative to the all-encompassing book by exploring the creative nonfiction essay form. This guide will show you how to share the stories of your ancestors’ lives in a completely factual yet compelling manner. You will learn about 

• key elements of effective nonfiction storytelling 
• ways to put ancestors into historical context without fictionalizing 
• methods for using appropriate speculation 
• several categories of family history essays: memoir, personal, humor, travel, food, and literary journalism 
• strategies for revising, editing, and proofreading.

Tell it Short contains helpful instruction, examples, and ten sample family history essays by Dinty W. Moore, Rebecca McClanahan, Sonja Livingston, and more. This guide will help you take your family history writing beyond the traditional begats into short works your family will enjoy reading.

Carmack is a professional genealogist of the highest caliber and has long focused on teaching that craft…. She organizes her book in two balanced parts: (telling) writing instruction and (showing) example essays. While much of her writing advice will appear as chestnuts to those in MFA programs (‘A story needs conflict.’), her advice is well-spoken to the would-be family historian. To this, she adds concerns from a genealogical perspective (cautions about speculative writing, about revealing details of the living) which is apt for any creative nonfiction work. She focuses in on subgenres: the literary journalism essay; the personal essay; and essays focused on humor, travel, or food. In each case, she illustrates her points using specific examples from the included essays. Readers will flip back and forth between the sections as they read. Brief chapters on the mechanics of writing (overcoming writer’s block, revising) conclude her first section. The second half of Tell It Short includes 10 previously published essays from six authors. All are enjoyable and one, “Switched at Midlife,” originally appeared in Hippocampus Magazine . Two of the other essays, authored by Carmack, are distinguished by the extensive footnoting characteristic of a certified genealogist holding to a higher standard than traditional creative nonfiction requires.

—Tony Kapolka, Hippocampus Magazine

Meet Sharon

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack is an independent scholar who writes historical biographies, family histories, and guidebooks. The author of twenty-eight books, she holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing and is part of the English adjunct faculty for Southern New Hampshire University. After thirty-five years, she is a retired Certified Genealogist who is now pursuing an MA in History. Her work has appeared in almost every major genealogical journal, as well as Brevity , Creative Nonfiction , Portland Review , Hippocampus Magazine , Phoebe: A Journal of Literature and Art , Steinbeck Review , and Literary Hub , to name a few.

• Essay Editor

How Should I Go About Writing My Family Essay?: Examples and Tips

Family is an integral part of every individual's life. Delving into the intricate layers of family relationships and dynamics can yield a captivating essay. Here's a comprehensive guide with examples and tips to guide you through the process.

What Topics Should I Write About for My Family Essay?

Choosing the right topic is essential. Here are some suggestions:

Writing a Family Tree Dive into your roots! A family tree can be more than names and dates; it can narrate stories of ancestors, their challenges, achievements, and legacies. For instance, "When I looked into our family tree, I discovered that my great-grandfather was a sailor who traveled the world and had countless tales of adventures, some of which have become legendary bedtime stories in our family."

Describing My Family in My Essay Discuss each family member in detail. "My sister, with her fiery red hair and matching temper, is the exact opposite of my calm and analytical brother. Yet, when they come together, they create the most amazing music, with him on the piano and her singing."

Writing About a Personal Memory Share a poignant memory. "I remember the time when our cat, Whiskers, went missing. The entire family turned detectives overnight, searching for clues, putting up posters, and even setting up a 'cat trap' with her favorite treats. The adventure ended with Whiskers found sleeping peacefully in the neighbor's shed, unaware of the chaos she had caused."

Dos and Don’ts When Writing a Family Stories Essay

• Be authentic.
• Use vivid descriptions and dialogues.
• Respect privacy; ask permission if sharing personal details.
• Avoid making generalizations.
• Refrain from being overly negative or critical.
• Don't plagiarize; every family's story is unique.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a good hook for an essay on my family? As Tolstoy once said, 'All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.' Our family, though, has found its unique shade of happiness.
• What should I include in an essay about me and my family? Descriptions of family members, memories, traditions, challenges, and lessons.
• How should I start an essay all about my family? Every time I think of the word 'home,' an image of our old cottage, Sunday dinners, and loud family debates comes to mind.
• How long should my essay about my family be? Length depends on the requirement; academic essays typically range from 500-1000 words, while personal essays can vary.
• How do I make my family essay engaging? Incorporate stories, memories, and emotions.
• Is it okay to discuss family challenges in my essay? Yes, but be sensitive and respectful.
• Can I add humor to my family essay? Yes, as long as it's in good taste.

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How to Write a Family History Narrative in 30 Days

Is writing a family history one of the items on your to-do list? Perhaps you have self-doubts and fears about how to get started, what to write, and how to put it all together in a compelling way? The only way to overcome the obstacle of facing the blank page is to make a commitment and start writing! Here are seven tips to help you write a family history narrative in 30 days.

1.   Give yourself a deadline. Since 1999, National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO) has served as an online writing forum where registered participants begin working on November 1 towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30. See https://nanowrimo.org/press#nanofacts . I have participated in NANOWRIMO twice. If this sounds intimidating, you can create your own version of NANOWRIMO for your family history writing project. While you don’t have to write 50,000 words, you can commit to producing a draft of your narrative using the November 1-30 deadline as a guide. The pace you set is entirely up to you.

2. Find your focus . Many family historians mistakenly think they have to write one large manuscript in their first attempt. It is much easier to focus on a smaller project such as ancestor profiles, or on one event or time period of an ancestor’s life (immigration story, military service, work history, etc.). You will feel less overwhelmed working on a smaller project and more likely to finish what you've started.

3. Set SMART writing goals. One way to focus your project is to set SMART Goals. SMART is an acronym giving criteria to guide in the setting of objective. There are a number of interpretations of the acronym's meaning, the most common designations are: Specific, Measurable, Relevant (Realistic), Attainable (Actionable) and Time-Bound. Here is an example of a SMART writing goal for writing four ancestor profiles in 30 days.

• S pecific – I will write a profile for each of my grandparents (4 profiles). I will work on one profile per week.
• M easurable – I will write a profile for each of my grandparents. I will write 1200-1500 words for each profile.
• A ttainable (Actionable) – I will write a 1200-1500-word profile for each of my grandparents. For each profile, I will write 250-300 words per day for 5 days.
• R elevant (Realistic) – I will write a 1200-1500-word profile for each of my grandparents. I will work on one profile per week. I will do this by writing 250-300 words per day for five days.
• T ime-Bound – I will write a 1200-1500-word profile for each of my grandparents. I will work on one profile per week. I will do this by writing 250-300 words per day for five days. I will have all four profiles completed by 30 November 2018.

By breaking your writing tasks into smaller daily or weekly goals the process becomes less overwhelming and you are more likely to stick to your writing routine.

4. Craft a storyboard. A storyboard is a way to visually outline or map out your writing project. It helps to plot out your family history writing project using index cards or a project management tool like Scrivener .  (To learn more about Scrivener, watch my five-part Legacy Family Tree webinar series ). The objective of the storyboard is to jot down the main events of the story you are telling, then arrange them in chronological order (first to last). If you need to, you can then move them around to create another structure that makes sense for the story, such as a flashback. Virtual index cards created with a program such as Scrivener make this task much easier. The index cards should be used to describe your scenes or write down key points you want to include, but should not contain long sections of text.  Try to stick to one scene, event, or major point per card. For storyboarding tips, watch the Legacy Family Tree Webinar “ Storyboard Your Family History .”

5. Write daily. The premise of NANOWRIMO is to write every day. It is important that you schedule time to write. Block out writing time on your calendar and make every effort to adhere to that appointment just as you would any other commitment. To succeed at finishing your family history narrative you must be willing to put in the time and effort. If you need to block out distractions (social media, e-mail, etc.) choose a quiet place to write where you can shut the door and turn off all electronic devices, or if you need to leave the house, consider going to a library or coffee shop to write. If you are really serious about distraction-free writing, edit lock tools such as The Most Dangerous Writing App or WriteorDie force you to set parameters and stick to them otherwise your words will disappear!

6. Rest and revise. Once you have a draft, it is a good idea to let your writing rest. Put your draft aside, and have someone you trust read your prose and provide feedback. Then, go through your narrative and fix the punctuation, grammar, and any other problem areas. When you finish, you can decide whether to create a book (print or electronic) using a print-on-demand service such as Lulu , or share your stories on a blog. 

7. Remember: You Can’t Edit a Blank Page!  You don’t have to write the perfect narrative the first time you sit down at your keyboard. Avoid the paralysis of perfectionism. Just write something. Once you start you will build up a momentum to finish the story.

While November is a great time to start that family history narrative (just in time for holiday gift-giving), you can follow these seven steps during any 30-day time period.

No more excuses! Stop procrastinating and start writing!

For over two decades, author and instructor Lisa A. Alzo has been educating and inspiring genealogists around the world to research and write about their ancestors. She has presented 44 webinars for Legacy Family Tree Webinars, include nine on Writing and Publishing. Lisa coaches aspiring family history writers through her online courses at Research, Write, Connect  https://www.researchwriteconnect.com  

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Years ago I started writing a bio for each of my ancestors that I had researched. later, I chose one each and began expanding them with help from local histories and local newspapers. Each time I read the bio, I would create new stories with information from each area. I have done this since 1985 when I found the LDS Family History Library and on line data from each area where my ancestors lived. https://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/2018/10/how-to-write-a-family-history-narrative-in-30-days.html

Judith, Please ask permission from Lisa Alzo. Use the contact section of her webpage, https://www.lisaalzo.com/ Marian

Am I able to print this in our family research newsletter for our members, with acknowledgement of course? Thank you Judith – [email protected]

Years ago I started writing a bio for each of my ancestors that I had researched. later, I chose one each and began expanding them with help from local histories and local newspapers. Each time I read the bio, I would create new stories with information from each area. I have done this since 1985 when I found the LDS Family History Library and on line data from each area where my ancestors lived. Then I decided to write a book about my husbands ancestors and family. After doing a lot of research, I began writing and editing. I contacted some of the descendants and soon I had a book.

Hi, Lisa! Thank you for sharing your recommendations with us! They’re useful. You are right to write a good story first you need to make a writing plan and write daily. This is the only way to invest in all deadlines. Indeed, if you set a goal or a deadline it will be much easier to write your story to the end. When I wrote my narrative stories, I used various articles about the themes of this writing. Most of all I liked the selection of topics here- https://writercheap.com/blog/narrative_essay_topics , so is the easiest find achieve escape you subject. And don’t forget to enjoy writing! All the best!

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How to Write a Family History

Writing a family history is an enlightening process that will help you form an appreciation of your heritage and the characters who helped forge it. On one hand, you’re playing detective: immersing yourself in research and stumbling upon discoveries. On the other, you’re a storyteller: gold mining for the ingredients of a rich narrative through the lives of your ancestors.

It is a highly rewarding exercise both for you and for your next of kin, who will benefit from your findings. That said, the act of writing your family history isn’t all glamor. Not all genealogists have a natural knack for storytelling. In unpacking how to write a family history, we wish to present a simple structure to serve as a guideline for what we promise will be a worthwhile process.

Do Your Research

Before you can start the process of writing your family history, you must immerse yourself in family research. Depending on the amount of ancestral data that you have access to, you may want to grab from a number of sources and throw yourself into a variety of records, archives, and articles in order to piece together the puzzle of your heritage. Genealogy records that you might want to search when tracing your family history include:

• U.S. Census records
• Newspaper archives
• Family stories and diaries
• Court records
• Congressional records for private claims
• Military records
• Passport applications

Newspaper archives are an invaluable resource for finding facts and stories about your ancestors that have been lost over time. From marriage and birth announcements to long-lost family photos to articles about local events, you’ll learn more from old newspapers than just names and dates. In newspaper archives you can also find obituaries to learn more details about your ancestors’ lives, and many obituaries include photos and mentions of related family members.

Another powerful genealogy resource for compiling data for your family story are U.S. Census Records . The Federal Census can help track down valuable information and serve as a direct tool connecting you to deceased relatives.

Additional Records for Writing a Family History

Government records are another centerpiece to tracing your family history. Understanding your family timeline through clues deducted from land deeds or cemetery maps is a key research tool. Also, finding widows’ claims or war pension records can help to decipher accurate dates and length of life.

Choose a Writing Style

When documenting family histories, writers tend to adopt one of two major writing styles: descendancy or ahnentafel. Descendancy (otherwise known as register style) is the most common. This is a linear chronological story starting at the point of immigration to the United States, documenting through generations until reaching your contemporaries.

Alternatively, some family historians prefer ahnentafel style as their methodology: a reverse documentation starting with the most recent generation and tracing the lineage of couples back in time. This follows a numeric system that increases per generation. For example, where you might be “1,” your parents would be “2,” grandparents “3,” and so forth.

Consistent Use of Abbreviations

Ease tedious repetition by adopting commonplace genealogy abbreviations. This will greatly increase the flow of your writing and allow you to quickly work through laborious details and organize your thoughts. Use our guide explaining family tree relationships to help make sense of who is related to whom.

• Div. – Divorced
• Bap. – Baptized
• D.Y. – Died Young
• unm – Unmarried

Write Your Family Story

When writing your family history, be sure to document the facts, details, and stories that captured your attention. Chances are, they will interest your wider family too. Quirky details or anecdotes of relatives are always a pleasure to discover. Stories breathe life into the endless cycle of dates and statistics; the great responsibility of genealogy enthusiasts is to be accurate, and to make sure we treasure and value these stories for generations to come.

• Resources for Genealogists, The National Archive – retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/census/online-resources

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How to write up your family history

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Are you looking for a way to share your family history findings with family and friends? Writing down your discoveries is a timeless way for family to enjoy your family history now, and in the future. Our step-by-step plan takes you from the planning stage through to a written family history you can be proud of! You can do it!

So, you’ve made a good start on tracing your family tree and found some fascinating ancestors, what next? Now's the time to (metaphorically) put pen to paper, and write up  your family stories. To follow we have steps to help you plan, write and publish your family history.

With our handy check list and step-by-step guide you will probably be pleasantly surprised and find that this seemingly daunting task is very doable - and actually enjoyable. So, grab a 'coffee' and let's begin.

How to write your family history: the check list

• How to plan your family history writing
• Thinking about your audience
• Thinking about the historical context
• Creating a timeline
• What images are available to you? Postcards, documents, maps, your family tree.
• Stuck on where to start writing your family history? Just pick a point
• Starting to write your family history
• Chronology versus themes

A good example of how to start a family story

• Remember that context
• Keep thinking of your reader
• Include quotations
• Thoughts on possible difficult aspects
• Don't forget yourself
• Your finished family history
• Fact-checking & proof-reading
• Back to images - now is a good time to choose
• Publishing & printing

Tips to keep helping your reader

• Finding out more

1. How to write your family history - How to plan it

Whether you’re aiming to produce a a series of short accounts, a small booklet or a complete family history tome, the basics are the same: make a plan before you start to write. What elements should your plan include?

• Think about who your intended audience is.  This will impact on the extent (ie how long your written piece is) and your voice (colloquial, friendly, aimed at children, or for storage in a repository.
• Consider the context.   If you’re writing for relatives, you can stick largely to featuring your own ancestors and their immediate environment, however in most instances (whether your audience comprises relatives or a wider readership), context is important for your story. By including the historical context you will help your readers understand the time period covered more fully. Context can take the form of written coverage of, for instance, major events or developments in the local area, items of national news, or information as to the life experiences of people in particular lines of work for instance.

Timeline tip!  You may find it helpful to start drawing up a timeline. On this you can include key dates from your family history, and key dates from local and national history too. You could use Excel, a simple list in Word, or even a large piece of paper to accomplish this.

• What images are available to you?   We all know that a 'picture tells a thousand words' and when writing family history material, images are no less important. You may be fortunate to have photographs of the relevant family members to include in your account. What do to if you don't, however? There are many other sources of images which will definitely engage the attention of your reader.
• Source old postcards of the area, to see it as it was in times gone by.
• Include  historic documents  that you have found. Remember that your reader may very well not be as familiar as you are with the records we use for family history, so be sure to include explanatory captions and annotations to help them understand what you're showing them.
• Maps  are always fascinating to pore over and provide evocative clues too, showing for instance how rural an area was in the past, perhaps.
• Your family tree!   Don't forget to include your family tree in your family history writing. If possible you could include the entire tree, or a link to an online version. If not possible, due to space restrictions, then don't worry. You can easily include excerpts from your tree of the relevant people and branches. While you are familiar with your ancestors' names, many of your family members may not be. A tree will help them to keep track of the 'characters' in your account. As with the other images, include a helpful caption to help your readers orientate themselves and understand the way in which they are related to the people shown in the excerpt of the tree.

When choosing images, be sure you have permission of the image owner. Very often images online will state the copyright status. If you're unsure you can always make contact with the owner.

Stuck on where to begin writing your family history? Just pick a point

It may be that you have a family story that you're burning to write. If so, make a start with this. It's your family history, for you to write in the manner and order that suits you.

If you're feeling a little flummoxed as to where to begin, you may decide to tackle the writing methodically. For instance, for simplicity, you may wish to concentrate on either your maternal or paternal line. Alternatively you may wish to concentrate on a particular family line. Or you may wish to start with the most recent generations and work backwards.

You may find it helpful too, to look through your research notes. You may find that doing so will help you decide on a timeframe, a theme and the ancestors or branches to focus on.

Remember that writing up your family history is your project to do in the way that you want. Once you make that start you will find that it gets easier!

2. Starting to write up your family history

Deciding where to start: Before you begin, take a moment to consider your reader. You’re going to be taking the bare facts from certificates, censuses, directories, etc, and weaving these into an appealing account.

A good way to start your story is to begin at an exciting moment.

Opening with words such as ‘Alice Hemingway was born on 1 October 1940’ will do little to engage your reader. Instead, a few extra words to put that fact into context could make all the difference: ‘Alice Hemingway made her entry into the world on 1 October 1940, in a busy hospital which was struggling to operate during the London blitz'.

Chronology versus themes -  You don’t have to write your family history as an exact chronology; consider whether the tale of your ancestors might be better arranged into themed chapters such as marriage, childhood, working life, etc.

Remember that context  - As mentioned above, you could also include details of local or national events to put the lives of your ancestors into context.

For example, say which monarch was on the throne when an ancestor was born, or how many people lived in your home village at the time your great-grandparents set up home there.

Top tip! Keep thinking of your reader! - Remember, not all of your readers will share your enthusiasm for dates, so ‘softer’ details such as local news, popular songs of the time and styles of dress will enliven the text.

Include quotations.  You could also include excerpts from sources such as letters and diaries – allowing your ancestors to speak for themselves.

Thoughts on possible difficult aspects... Don’t be afraid to include the ‘black sheep’ among your ancestors – people’s faults and failings are another way of bringing the story to life. IT can also be comforting, realising and remembering that our ancestors experienced difficulties, just as we do today.

Having said that, while there are many benefits of telling a 'warts and all' account, beware of including information which affects people who are still alive and could be upset by the family’s story. Very often the passing of time makes difficult chapters in the family story easier to hear. The right of living people to privacy and respect is paramount, however, particularly if you are writing your family history for wider dissemination, for instance on your blog or published in a family history book or article.

Top tip - don't forget yourself!   We mentioned above that one of the places to begin your family story is with yourself. We're mentioning it here again, as many family historians can tend to overlook their own lives. However your chapter is clearly important, for future generations.

3. Printing your finished family history

Fact-checking & proof-reading. Once you’ve completed your story, if possible pass it on to a friend or relative who can check it for grammatical errors.

Back to images - if you've not already chosen your images, now is a good time to. Consider which illustrations would help bring the text to life. Photos, letters, tickets and certificates can all help brighten up the pages and allow your reader to literally picture the family’s story, as to maps, documents and excerpts from your family tree.

Printing & publishing.   When you’ve printed your final version, consider depositing a copy with your local family history society, particularly if you’ve included a large number of ancestors, as your work may help someone else researching the same surname.

You may also like to publish it on your family history website, or include excerpts in the life story fields of your online family tree, for instance on Ancestry, or as memories on your Family Search tree. There are numerous ways in which to help to spread and share your family story, both with your known family members, and more distant kin with whom you've yet to make a connection.

• The index:   Consider using an index to help readers locate a particular topic. Useful details to include names, places, occupations, events, topics.
• Sources: List your sources. Depending on the formality of your family history, you may have included your source citations as footnotes or endnotes. Alternatively you may have provided a list at the end of your work. Sources will help future researchers to follow up on your research steps.
• Finding out more.   Have a ‘further reading’ section for books, blogs etc you found helpful.

Originally published March 2020. Reviewed August 2024.

It can be intimidating to write a paper about family. Essay writing is difficult enough on its own, but you may think, “When writing about my family, essay research and writing will feel so personal.” Our family memories are some of the most personal we have; they shape how we see and interpret the world. How can something so intimate be distilled into a meaningful piece of writing?

In this article, we’ll cover tips for writing an essay about family. We’ll also offer an example essay about family.

Writing a family essay, whether for a class, a personal essay contest , or a memoir, may be a challenging task. So, let's figure out how to write this specific type of essay, and if you need a simple how-to write any essay guide, check out our article.

How to Write an Essay About My Family in English

What topics should i write about for my family essay, 1. writing a family tree, 2. describing my family in my essay, 3. writing about a personal memory, example: my family and i essay in 500 words, describe your family: essay example in ten lines, dos and don’ts when writing a family stories essay, what is a good hook for an essay on my family, what should i include in an essay about me and my family, how should i start an essay all about my family, how long should my essay about my family be.

Why would someone want to write an essay about family? It could be for a variety of reasons. Perhaps it's for a school project. Perhaps it's a personal essay competition entry. Maybe it's for a memoir. Whatever your motivation for creating a piece about family, essay writing can be difficult, and you may be unsure where to begin.

If you’ve ever wondered, “How can I write an essay about myself and my family?” this section is for you. Read on for some essential steps:

• Research and brainstorm. The first step for any piece of writing should be research. Take some time to interview your family members, or even do some introspection before you start the writing process. If you are writing about an event, you personally experienced, you could read old journal entries or look through old photos to jog your memory.
• Outline your paper. Once you’ve researched and decided on a topic for your essay, it’s time to start working on an outline. Decide how you will present your topic to the reader in the introduction and give some thought to the material that will go into the main paragraph. You should write about memories or family members that relate to your theme.
• Begin writing. With your outline prepared, you can now start writing. Your first draft isn’t going to be perfect, so just try to get everything down on the page. Multiple drafts of your paper are an excellent approach to polishing your work.
• Proofread and edit your work. Once you’ve completed the final draft of your essay, carefully read through it for mistakes. Make whatever edits are necessary, and take the time to see if there are any finishing details you could add to your paper to really make it shine.

Papers about your family can be a useful space to explore your relationship with them and to reflect upon what they mean to you and what they’ve taught you.

So, what comes to mind while considering an essay topic about family? Whatever you choose should be something that you feel strongly about. Personal essays are more than just dry, factual accounts of events; they should also have a deeper meaning or message.

Here are a few examples of the types of topics you can focus on when composing an essay about a family or family event:

A conflict. Conflict can provide us with a greater insight into our relationships. In fiction, all interesting stories are based on some type of conflict. So too personal essays that deal with conflict can be some of the most interesting works of reflective writing.

Example: My father and I get along great for the most part, but we sometimes struggle to reconcile our political differences. He has always been a staunch Republican whereas I am a Democrat; we just can’t seem to agree to disagree. After a particularly bad fight one year at Christmas, we’ve decided it’s better if we stay away from the topic of politics.

An influential family member. Perhaps you have an uncle who helped shape your career or introduced you to a hobby that you’ve grown to love over time. Perhaps a favorite grandparent gave you a life-changing piece of advice that you still carry with you years later. Perhaps one day you got into a fight with a sibling that forever changed the trajectory of your relationship. Essays that talk about your family’s influence on your personality, life, and decisions can be very compelling.

Example: My uncle is a dentist. No one likes going to the dentist, but Uncle Mark can instantly put people at ease, even kids. He heals with a smile and helps the people who come to his office leave feeling confident. It was his attitude and effect on people that inspired me to follow in his footsteps and become a dentist.

Values your family has instilled within you. You might also choose to write about particular values your family placed in you. Our families help shape the fundamental building blocks of who we are and how we think. Exploring this through writing can produce an interesting paper.

Example: My mom has always believed in broken windows theory. As a result, we were taught from a young age how to keep our home clean and safe and were shown how important it was to take care of our surroundings. I may have rolled my eyes at her sometimes when I was young, but now that I’m older and more sensible I appreciate those lessons.

This is just a small handful of ideas to help get you thinking about your essay, but there are many more topics you could choose to write about.

If you’re writing a piece that deals with your lineage, composing a family tree can be a useful exercise before you start writing. You might choose to conduct research on your own or reach out for help. It’s entirely up to you. Just make sure your work is accurate and thorough.

You might choose to build this chart using an online tool. Once it’s completed, you can print it off so that you have a physical copy. You might even write it out by hand. It can be useful to map it out on a large piece of card and pin it to your wall, ideally near where you’ll be doing your writing.

Once your chart is drawn up, you can use it to inspire your essay. Try to come up with stories involving different people that somehow connect to the main theme of your piece. If it’s helpful, you could brainstorm ideas using spider diagrams, making lists, or whatever other option works for you.

When you’re raised in a group of people, it may feel like you know everything about them there is to know. But you’d be surprised to find out all you don’t know! Older ones can be a font of experiences and memories. If you’re comfortable approaching them, and if they’re happy to have their experiences recorded in your work, you might interview them to help flesh out your essay. You could even quote them in your paper.

Once you’ve done all the research you need—assembled your family tree, carried out interviews, consulted public records—it’s time to start writing. But you might wonder how to describe your family in an essay.

Consider the following tips for selecting details about your relatives to add to your family article:

• Remember, your essay should serve a particular theme or idea. Keep this in mind throughout the whole writing process, but especially during the planning phase when you're deciding which details to add.
• Don’t clutter your essay with lots of irrelevant details. For instance, if you’re writing about how your mother motivated you to pursue a career in medicine, it makes more sense to talk about how she influenced you—for example, by being passionate, compassionate, and helpful—rather than having a random piece about an unrelated hobby she has.

Furthermore, how do you know what level of detail is appropriate for your work? Here are some suggestions:

• Especially if you intend for your essay to be published, whether online or in a physical format, you should consider your family’s feelings. Hopefully, you’ve already asked for consent from them to talk about the personal details of your life. But you should also be conscientious during the writing process. If you’re discussing a sensitive part of your family history, make sure to use tact.
• You should also consider how much detail you include from a writing perspective. Think of fleshing out your family members as you would think of fleshing out characters in a novel. You should describe their sensibilities and the personality traits that define them. You could also include physical descriptions if you thought that might add something to your essay.

When you’re writing an essay about the family, or indeed any other kind of personal essay, drawing on personal memories is an invaluable way of bringing your writing to life and making your paper resonate with your reader. Even if you’re writing about a rather unique sequence of events that your reader hasn’t been through, a well-written personal memory can help place them in your shoes.

So, how can you effectively write about a personal memory? Here are some tips to get you started:

Consider how the memory services the overall themes of the essay. Our lives are composed of countless little moments, interspersed with grand, life-changing events. Whether you’re writing about something small and apparently inconsequential or something big that forever altered the trajectory of your life, make sure it’s relevant to your theme.

Example: Pursuing a career in music is not easy, but it’s something I’ve always felt meant to do. Perhaps that’s because I was always surrounded by musicians growing up. My parents both played piano, and I remember coming downstairs on a Saturday morning to the smell of brewing coffee and the sound of my parents dueting on the piano.

Make use of memory triggers. When you’re getting ready to write, make use of memory triggers to put you back in the moment. What do we mean by memory triggers? This can be anything from the music you associate with the memory, photographs taken at the time, or even smells or foods linked with the event.

Example: When I was a young girl, I went on a trip to the beach with my family. I was very young at the time, so I don’t have a very clear memory of it, but I will always associate that seaside visit with the taste of pink lemonade. We passed around bottles of it as we made castles in the sand. To this day, that drink always reminds me of summer.

Use sensory descriptions. To carry on from our last tip, use sensory descriptors when you’re writing personal memories. Always keep the five senses in mind: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. A useful exercise before working on your essay can be to write a couple of paragraphs just focusing on the sensations you remember. Don’t worry about telling a story or recording dialogue. Just place all your focus on remembering how you felt at the time and describing these sensations as vividly as possible.

Example: My uncle and aunt often took my cousins and me hiking when I was growing up. Once, we climbed Ben Lomond. I still remember the view from the top: Loch Lomond lay blue and sparkling below, as smooth as glass. I could smell the fresh grass and taste the salt of my sweat on my upper lip, my legs burning from the climb. But more than that, I remember a feeling of triumph.

Family plays an important role in our development. We are not always cognizant of the wide-reaching impact our parents, siblings, and extended family have on us as we grow—for good or ill. So, in this essay, my family and their impact on me is my chosen subject. It’s difficult to sum up all of my feelings in just one article on my family, but I hope that I am able to do them some small amount of justice.

In an ideal world, everyone would have supportive, unconditionally loving families to hold them up and help them through life. Unfortunately, this is not the case. And this is why I feel so blessed to have grown up in the environment that I did.

When I was younger, everyone used to tell me how much I reminded them of my dad. At the time, it only provoked me; what growing girl wants to be told she reminds people of her stuffy, academic father? But, as time has gone on, I’ve realized what a compliment that is.

Most of my childhood memories of Dad are of him in his study. He is a professor and a historian, and even to this day, he always seems to have his head in a book. I was always a quiet kid, so he didn’t mind it when I sat with him while he read. His study had a window seat that looked over the garden, and I’d curl up there with a blanket and a book and keep myself busy.

We didn’t spend all of our time in silence. He’d tell me about his book and would encourage me to do the same, asking me about my favorite parts and why they stood out to me. More than ten years have passed since those days, and now I find myself with a Master’s in English Literature. I can’t help but think that I owe it all to him. Dad taught me to think for myself and showed me that knowledge is its own reward.

My mom couldn’t be more different from my dad. Where he is quiet and reserved, she is bubbly and extroverted. Where he prefers to stay at home with a good book, she likes to be out and about and gets antsy if she’s left sitting around for too long. Mom retired recently, but before that was a teacher. She complained about the long hours and pay, but she loved the kids she taught and gave them her all.

That’s what I’ve learned from her: if you’re going to do something, give it all you’ve got, even if it’s hard. Despite all their differences, that philosophy is one my parents share and one they impressed upon me from a young age. Even if you fail, so long as you can honestly say you tried, that’s all that matters. I’ll always be grateful to them for showing me that.

I feel lucky to have parents as supportive as mine, as I hope I’ve shown in this essay about our family.

For more essay examples and ideas on family related topics, check these pages:

• Childhood Years in Calamba
• The Power Of My Mother Tongue
• Describe Your Personality
• Family bond/relationships
• Become better human being

Now that we’ve given an example of a short essay about family, we’ll now show you how to simply sum up your family in ten sentences.

• I’m lucky to have a large family with whom I’m very close.
• My family composition includes twelve people besides myself: my grandparents, my parents, my aunt and uncle, my three cousins, and my older brother.
• My mother used to be an air hostess but retired a few years ago to help my father run their B&B.
• My aunt and uncle are both teachers at the same school where they have worked for almost ten years.
• I see both sets of grandparents regularly, as we often have them around for dinner or Sunday lunch.
• I sometimes play football with my brother and cousins in the fields by our house and it’s always a good time.
• For as long as I can remember, we’ve all gone away on an annual trip to a cabin in the mountains where we get to relax and get away from school and work.
• If I ever need assistance with something, no matter what it is, someone can always help.
• My family members love and support me, so I never feel lonely knowing that I have them around.
• I make sure that I never take my loved ones for granted and that I spend as much time with them all as I can.

Now that we’ve considered some tips and essay examples about family, let’s put together a checklist of essentials for writing an essay about your family:

• Do interview family members for more information regarding your lineage or important past events.
• Do brainstorm for ideas and memories you can write on. Dedicate a good portion of time to figure out what you can talk about that will support the theme of your essay.
• Do be honest. When writing a personal essay or memoir, it’s important to stay as honest as you can if you want to craft a meaningful paper.
• Don’t include random facts or bits of information just for the sake of padding out your paper.
• Don’t publicly publish a piece about your family without first having a conversation with them about it.
• Don’t forget to write with respect when you’re writing an essay on your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Coming up with a strong theme for your essay will draw your readers in. You can also begin your piece with an interesting family story. Essay writing is about capturing the reader’s attention, so focus on saying something unique and interesting.

You may be wondering, “What should I include about my family in my creative writing?” Ultimately, it depends on what you’re comfortable sharing and what best suits the themes of your paper. If your work is going to be published, it would be wise to ask the involved parties for consent first, or at least run it past them.

You might be asking yourself, “How should I begin my article on my family?” Writing a compelling personal essay can be difficult, but you can begin by introducing your subjects. You should also make it clear in the first paragraph of your essay what your theme will be.

The length of your essay depends on what audience you’re writing it for. If you’re writing it for a class, your teacher will likely issue you a word count somewhere between 500 words - 1000 words .

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Despite my relatively young age, I am a professional writer with more than 14 years of experience. I studied journalism at the university, worked for media and digital agencies, and organized several events for ed-tech companies. Yet for the last 6 years, I've worked mainly in marketing. Here, at Studybay, my objective is to make sure all our texts are clear, informative, and engaging.

Add Your Comment

We are very interested to know your opinion

Thank you very much. Its great!

Love Angelina Grin and all her blog posts! Writing a family essay is hard but with this article, I took my basic knowledge of my first school and spoke about my world doubts and what I have a keen interest in.

Kity-porshel

I wrote an essay on my family titled Birthday Parties: How I'm a better person when my cousins visit. Thank you for the inspiration.

I spend quality time with my elder sister and parents, but I found that not everyone is able to write about a complete person easily. In my family essay, I wrote about house parties and what I'm proud of. I made my own based on your example.

Once I read the example, I knew I needed to ask for help. My family is a group of loving people who run a successful business together, but they're always busy. However, my cousins visit whenever my younger brother and I have birthday parties (uncommon occurrences??).

A family essay shows the importance of family and with these tips, I was able to talk about the professional lives of my grandparents and how my mum was a housewife.

Mindy in City

Thank you for the example it really helped. We weren't taught in school but were to write about someone asides from our nuclear family that teaches us values. I've never met an uncle, aunt, or cousin in my entire life.

It's hard to talk about my small and lovely family and everything they taught us. I wanted to write about my mother and father with love and respect, and this article helped me =) thanks!!

Thanks for this I made my own essay off the example. I'm an only child, and I love my family so much. I pray to God daily to become a better person like my parents

Helped with my wonderful family essay. They mean the whole world to me! They spent their entire life building a successful business and made me a better human being.

Mary-Annette

To avoid writing about a random group of people, I asked all my family members' permission; not everyone wanted in🥺.

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How to Create an Outline for Writing an Interesting Family History

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You might approach writing with a mixture of caution, excitement and dread. On one hand, you look forward to sharing sweeping tales about your ancestors, the journeys they have taken and the triumphs and trials they have faced.

On the other hand, though, writing can be downright hard. The saying goes that the pen is mightier than the sword (or, in our digital world, the laptop or other electronic device). But when you struggle to find the right words to describe a person who means a great deal to you, the pen might feel like little more than a blunt stick.

In fact, because family stories are so personal, writing about them can be harder than writing about something more scientific or technical. You may know more about Grandma Ethel and her childhood than anyone else—but you know so much that you fear you will gloss over something important. Every time you sit down to write about her, nagging thoughts arise: what if I’m not doing her story justice? What if I’m leaving out important details or homing in on the wrong details? What if I’m just not the writer for the job?

Fortunately, writing doesn’t have to feel like a long, uncertain battle. You can break the writing process down into manageable parts, turning it from stressful slog into an illuminating journey.

Creating a handy outline can help. Below are some strategies to guide you in creating an outline that covers all you want to share about your family history.

What Is a Writing Outline?

A writing outline is a tangible plan in which you lay out:

• what you are writing
• about whom or what you are writing
• the structure or organization of your work

Outlines take many different forms. Some may be linear, plotting out exactly what happens from the beginning to the end. For example, a story of your grandfather’s immigration to America may begin with the moment he left his homeland and end with him stepping foot on unfamiliar land.

Other outlines have a more stream-of-consciousness structure; you simply write whatever comes to mind as you brainstorm and use your notes as your guide. In this case, you might highlight specific descriptions or moments of your grandfather’s voyage, but don’t connect the dots, at least right away.

This article focuses mostly on structured outlines. But the “right” outline is whichever feels the most useful to you.

And whatever outline you create, nothing in it has to be set in stone. Even if you map out Grandpa’s life perfectly from its humble start to its glorious conclusion, you may decide as you write to change some parts around, to add details or to omit entire swaths of time and text altogether.

That’s okay. What makes the writing process so rewarding is uncovering old fond memories that you thought had turned to dust or making new, startling epiphanies that enliven your story.

Every time I write something new, be it a story or article or essay, I end up writing something very different than what I had initially envisioned. Even the final draft of this article looks quite different from my outline. I embrace these differences, and I also embrace my outlines for carrying me to the end.

Types of Outlines

What does an outline look like? Below I highlight several common types and provide examples of each. Your outline might look entirely different, or blend elements from several varieties. What’s important is that you find an outlining strategy that helps you write your family history the way you want.

The Alphanumeric Outline

The alphanumeric outline is exactly what it sounds like: It uses a combination of letters (lowercase or uppercase) and numbers (Arabic or Roman numerals) to denote hierarchies in your thought process.

For example, you might identify three main topics you want to highlight in your family history and number them 1, 2 and 3. Then you can expand upon a main topic with supporting, more-specific “sub-topics” that you label a, b and c under the main idea. To put it another way, the main topic serves as an “umbrella” over those sub-topics.

You’ve probably used this outline to write structured essays in school—ones with a clear introduction and thesis statement, a cohesive body and a compelling conclusion. The alphanumeric outline is ideal if you’re looking to write a chronological family history that has a clear order to your thoughts.

Below is an example of an alphanumeric outline I drafted up to write a piece on my own family history:

Note that my topics have different numbers of sub-topics beneath them. Your outline, too, might not look completely balanced. Some subjects might simply spur more inspiration or warrant a more-detailed discussion. I also gave my outline a temporary, working title to differentiate it from other outlines.

The Sentence Outline

Like the alphanumeric outline, the sentence outline sorts ideas and subjects into subject groups. However, each topic and sub-topic is written as a complete sentence. Sometimes, I’m so overflowing with ideas that I break the rules and end up creating a (short) paragraph outline.

While it may seem like extra work, this outline is useful. It forces you to engage with your ideas just as you would while writing your actual family history. As a result, you can potentially identify at the outline level what you need to expand upon and what you could possibly pare down. For instance, if you struggle to write even one sentence to sum up the topic, you may consider reworking the topic altogether.

Another thing I appreciate about the sentence outline is that it allows me to play with language and tone. Most sentences from the outline won’t survive to the actual written family history, but they do help me uncover sensory images and valuable details that I might otherwise overlook during the writing process.

I also may notice certain themes that emerge organically and tie my story together. For example, I found that the concept of myths and mythologizing the past threaded many of the topics in my outline together. This revelation helped guide my narrative throughout the entire piece.

Here’s a sentence outline for the first topic I laid out in my alphanumerical outline:

The Mind Map

If the outlines mentioned above feel too academic or rigid for you (or you just want something more visual), then the mind map may be right for you. The mind map usually begins with a single “seed” of a topic—something general, like “My Family History”—then branches off into many separate topics that intersect or sprout their own “sub-topics.” (It goes without saying, then, that a tree is an apt metaphor for the family history mind map!)

The mind map can help you visualize where your ideas are in relation to one another. As you add new ideas to your mind map, it grows, as does your understanding of what you are writing about.

Here’s a mind map outline that I created using a free version of Coggle:  

Most mind-mapping tools allow you to create several free mind maps and use basic mapping capabilities. The paid versions of these tools offer unlimited maps and more complex features (for example, color-coding, more bubble shape options, etc.).

Here’s a quick breakdown of five different mind-mapping tools: Coggle , GitMind , Microsoft Visio , MindMeister and Miro . You can review this chart for number of free maps, free features offered, paid features offers and price.

Beyond the Outline: Family History Writing Organization Strategies

You might want jump right into writing once you’ve got an outline. By all means, go ahead! But if you’re still apprehensive, here are tips that will help you ease into the writing process, both before and after you start drafting an outline.

Before the Outline

Determine the form and length of your project.

Few writers can accurately predict how many words a piece will be, so it’s okay if you’re unsure about the length of your family history. However, your outline will be more helpful if it reflects the scope of your project: how deep you plan to go into your family history and what kind of form it’s going to take.

For example, are you writing a book-length memoir that captures snapshots throughout an ancestor’s life? Or are you weaving a narrative that has a clear beginning, middle and end? Is your family history going to be a cohesive narrative, or (like mine) a collection of shorter essays or stories tied together by a theme?

Determine Who You are Going to Write About

This might go without saying, but you’ll need to know who is going to appear in your written family history before you start outlining it. With that decided, you can spend the outlining stage sketching an accurate portrait of the person(s).

Determine Where You Fit into the Story

When you read a book (especially a work of fiction), the narrative point of view is usually one of the first pieces of information you receive. Who is telling the story?

Your family history isn’t fiction, of course. But you’ll want to decide how personal your storytelling will be. Will you let readers get a closer look at who you (the author) are, through personal memories? Or will family stories be told from the point of view of an omniscient, impersonal narrator? There’s no right or wrong answer, but deciding on an approach will help you build your outline.

After the Outline

Organize and integrate research.

Once you have your outline in hand, you can start incorporating your research into it. This is more challenging than it first seems, since you probably have decades of research and plenty of facts that you want to share. It can be tempting to dump all of that information on the page during the outline stage, but I get less overwhelmed if I write my outline first , then match details and facts to specific topics mentioned in my outline.

Make sure that the research you include is relevant to the story and reflects your overall vision. You don’t want your narrative to be bogged down in unrelated details.

Identify Common Images and Narrative Threads

I mentioned above how, during the outlining process, I recognized and embraced the theme of mythology that had emerged from my outline. As you study your own, look out for those such motifs. They might not be broad (such as connections to mythology) or subtle (such as memories of the sky, sea or birds).

Of course, you shouldn’t force such imagery into your writing if it feels unnatural. But concrete images can enrich your story and provide an emotional connection that your readers will respond to.

Find Photos, Heirlooms and Other Items That Can Help Strengthen Your Story

Consider looking through your family photos and keepsakes to find any objects that will help bring your story to life. While colorful descriptions of Grandma’s kitchen at Christmas can help readers visualize the scene (a flour-covered counter, or the smell of freshly baked cookies), an actual photo can transport them there.

For example, my Yia Yia kept a journal that dates to when I was just a baby. In it, she recorded notable milestones, stowed away some fun projects we did together and described some of our trips to church. I could describe this journal to you in great detail, but that probably wouldn’t be as interesting as seeing it for yourself!

Final Thoughts

Outlines don’t force your family history into a prescribed, write-by-number template. Instead they guide your thoughts, spark memories and move you through years of joys and sorrows. You can always deviate from your outline—you don’t have to commit to a certain topic just because your outline says so. The outline is only a foundation that you can build higher or reshape as you see fit. Keeping that in mind will leave you open to your own treasured memories: how peaceful you felt when you walked with your grandpa through the woods; the touch of his weathered hand in your own; the sound of his wise, booming voice; how his shadow disappeared into those of the trees.

A version of this article appeared in the May/June 2023 issue of Family Tree Magazine .

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150 Creative Ideas for Writing My Family Essay

A family essay is about understanding all the ins and outs of what makes families tick, and you’ve got a ton of room to explore some dope topics. So, get ready to dive in and break down what family really means in today’s world!

• What Is A Family Essay?

Alright, listen up, mate. A family essay dives into the concept of family from various angles – think social, cultural, historical, and personal vibes. You can explore how families have evolved over time, the roles each family member plays, and the different types of families out there – like the nuclear crew, extended fam, single-parent setups, or blended units.

Dig deeper into family dynamics, peep the relationships between members, and check out how family life ticks. Some topics to consider could be why family is crucial, how it shapes who you are, its impact on mental health, the significance of family traditions, and how it brings support and a sense of belonging.

• Requirements for Writing An Essay About My Family

When it comes to penning down an essay about your fam, there are a few things you gotta keep in mind. First up, figure out why you’re writing this thing – what’s your goal? You aiming to inform, persuade, or reflect? Knowing this sets the tone for your essay and helps you shape it up.

• Pick a topic that speaks to you from the list we got here – could be about your family history, traditions, relationships, or how they’ve influenced your life. Then, nail down a crisp thesis statement that sums up what your essay’s all about.
• Do your homework. Depending on your topic, you might need to hit the books, browse articles, or even chat with family members for info.
• Organize your thoughts. Sketch out an outline or a plan to give your essay some structure. Start with an intro that sets the stage, drops your thesis, and gets the ball rolling. Then, in the body, lay down your main points with evidence and examples. Finally, wrap it up with a conclusion that ties everything together, hitting home on your thesis.
• Lastly, proofread like your grades depend on it! Check for grammar slip-ups, punctuation quirks, and typos. Make it shine.

Keep an eye out for any specific instructions your teacher might’ve given, and you’ll be all set to knock this essay outta the park!

• It’s Time to Choose The Topic of The Essay About My Family

Okay, time to pick the topic for your family essay. Now that you’ve got the lowdown on what’s what, it’s time to choose the perfect theme for your piece, keeping in mind the option to pay for an essay . We’ve done some digging and pulled together a list of interesting titles for your essay. Check these out:

• Topics About The Importance of Family
• The Role Of Family In Shaping Our Identities
• The Importance Of Family Bonding Time
• The Impact Of Family Support On Mental Health
• The Role Of Family In Providing A Sense Of Belonging
• The Importance Of Family Traditions And Rituals
• The Role Of Family In Providing A Supportive And Loving Environment
• The Impact Of Family On Childhood Development
• The Role Of Family In Teaching Values And Life Lessons
• The Importance Of Family Communication And Connection
• The Role Of Family In Providing A Strong Foundation For The Future
• Family Tradition Essay Ideas
• The Power of Family Traditions in Bringing People Together
• The Role of Family Traditions in Providing a Sense of Identity
• The Importance of Family Traditions in Passing Down Cultural Values
• The Impact of Family Traditions on Building Stronger Bonds
• The Role of Family Traditions in Providing a Sense of Belonging
• The Importance of Family Traditions in Providing a Sense of Security
• The Impact of Family Traditions on Childhood Development
• The Role of Family Traditions in Teaching Life Lessons
• The Importance of Family Traditions in Creating Lifelong Memories
• The Role of Family Traditions in Preserving Family History and Heritage
• Family History Titles Ideas
• Exploring the Roots: The Importance of Knowing Your Family History
• The Role of Family History in Shaping Our Identities
• Discovering the Past: The Importance of Uncovering Your Family’s Story
• The Impact of Family History on Our Sense of Belonging
• The Role of Family History in Providing a Sense of Connection to Our Ancestors
• Preserving Our Heritage: The Importance of Recording and Sharing Family History
• The Impact of Family History on Our Understanding of Ourselves and Our Place in the World
• The Role of Family History in Bridging Generational Gaps
• The Importance of Family History in Providing a Sense of Continuity and Tradition
• Exploring the Mysteries: The Role of Family History in Solving Family Mysteries and Uncovering Hidden Family Stories
• Spending Time with My Family
• The Value of Quality Time: The Importance of Spending Time with Family
• The Role of Family Time in Building Stronger Bonds
• The Impact of Family Time on Childhood Development
• The Importance of Family Time in Providing a Supportive and Loving Environment
• The Role of Family Time in Teaching Values and Life Lessons
• The Impact of Family Time on Mental Health and Well-Being
• The Value of Family Time in Creating Lifelong Memories
• The Role of Family Time in Providing a Sense of Belonging and Community
• The Importance of Family Time in Fostering Communication and Connection
• The Role of Family Time in Strengthening Family Relationships
• Essay About Travel with Family
• The Joys of Family Travel: The Importance of Taking Family Trips
• The Role of Family Trips in Building Stronger Bonds
• The Impact of Family Trips on Childhood Development
• The Importance of Family Trips in Providing a Sense of Adventure and Exploration
• The Role of Family Trips in Teaching Life Lessons and Cultural Awareness
• The Impact of Family Trips on Mental Health and Well-Being
• The Value of Family Trips in Creating Lifelong Memories
• The Role of Family Trips in Providing Quality Time Together
• The Importance of Family Trips in Fostering Communication and Connection
• The Role of Family Trips in Strengthening Family Relationships
• Essay On Funny Family Stories
• Laughter is the Best Medicine: The Power of Funny Family Stories
• The Role of Humor in Strengthening Family Bonds
• The Importance of Sharing Funny Family Stories with Future Generations
• The Impact of Funny Family Stories on Mental Health and Well-Being
• The Value of Funny Family Stories in Providing a Sense of Belonging and Community
• The Role of Funny Family Stories in Teaching Life Lessons and Perspective
• The Importance of Funny Family Stories in Preserving Family History and Heritage
• The Impact of Funny Family Stories on Childhood Development and Socialization
• The Role of Funny Family Stories in Fostering Communication and Connection
• The Value of Funny Family Stories in Creating Lifelong Memories
• Topics Related to Family Health
• The Importance of Family Health: A Holistic Approach
• The Role of Family Health in Promoting Well-Being and Longevity
• The Impact of Family Health on Quality of Life
• The Importance of Family Health in Providing Support and Encouragement
• The Role of Family Health in Promoting Healthy Habits and Lifestyle Choices
• The Impact of Family Health on Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being
• The Importance of Family Health in Providing a Supportive and Loving Environment
• The Role of Family Health in Fostering Communication and Connection
• The Impact of Family Health on Childhood Development and Socialization
• The Importance of Family Health in Strengthening Family Relationships
• Topics About Large and Small Families
• The Benefits of a Large Family: More Hands to Help and a Stronger Support System
• The Advantages of a Small Family: More Individual Attention and Flexibility
• Why Big Families are Better: The Joys of a Large Sibling Group
• The Perks of Having a Small Family: More Time and Resources for Each Child
• The Benefits of a Large Family: A Diverse and Inclusive Community
• The Advantages of a Small Family: More One-on-One Parenting Time
• Why Big Families are Better: The Opportunity for Stronger Bonds Between Siblings
• The Perks of Having a Small Family: The Ability to Tailor Education and Experiences to Each Child
• The Benefits of a Large Family: A Sense of Belonging and Togetherness
• The Advantages of a Small Family: The Potential for Deeper Parent-Child Relationships
• More Family Essay Titles by Type

Below you can see an additional list of titles for your paper. It is divided into types for easy selection.

• Definition Essay About My Family
• What is a Family? A Definition and Exploration of the Concept
• The Modern Family: A Reexamination of Traditional Family Structures
• The Importance of Family in Society
• The Role of Family in Personal and Social Development
• Defining Family Values and How They Shape Our Lives
• The Evolution of the Family Unit Throughout History
• Dysfunctional Families: Causes and Effects
• The Role of Culture and Tradition in Family Dynamics
• Blended Families: Navigating the Challenges and Rewards
• The Role of Communication in Maintaining Strong Family Relationships
• Argumentative Essay Topics About Family
• Is the Nuclear Family Still the Best Family Structure?
• The Benefits of Single Parenting: Debunking the Stereotypes
• The Legalization of Polyamorous Relationships and the Future of the Family
• The Negative Impact of Technology on Family Dynamics
• The Case for Same-Sex Marriage and the Recognition of Alternative Family Structures
• The Dangers of Overprotective Parenting: The Case for Giving Children More Independence
• The Advantages of Multigenerational Households
• The Role of the Extended Family in Providing Support and Connection
• The Pros and Cons of Traditional Gender Roles Within the Family
• The Effect of Parental Involvement on Children’s Academic and Social Success
• Illustration Essay About Family
• The Rewards of Volunteering as a Family
• The Impact of Divorce on the Family Dynamic
• The Power of Forgiveness in Strengthening Family Relationships
• The Role of Family Meals in Building Strong Bonds
• The Importance of Quality Time in Nurturing Family Relationships
• The Benefits of Family Vacations on Mental Health and Well-Being
• The Challenges and Rewards of Raising Children in a Multicultural Family
• The Impact of Military Deployment on Family Dynamics
• The Role of Extended Family in Providing Support and Connection
• The Positive Impact of Family Therapy on Mental Health and Relationship Dynamics
• Descriptive Essay About My Family
• My Ideal Family: A Descriptive Portrait
• A Day in the Life of a Busy Family
• The Unique Traditions of My Family
• The Special Bond Between Siblings
• The Role of Grandparents in Our Family
• A Typical Family Dinner at Our House
• The Importance of Family Gatherings
• The Dynamic of a Large Family
• The Role of Pets in Our Family
• The Memories We’ve Made as a Family
• Narrative Essay About Family
• The Day My Family Fell Apart: A Personal Narrative
• My Journey to Building a Strong Relationship with My Parents
• The Role of Family in Overcoming Adversity
• The Impact of a Family Move on My Life
• The Lessons I’ve Learned from My Siblings
• The Role of Family in My Personal and Professional Success
• The Meaning of Family: A Reflection on My Childhood
• The Special Bond Between Cousins
• The Influence of My Grandparents on My Life
• The Love and Support of My Aunt and Uncle: A Personal Narrative
• Good Topics for A Persuasive Essay About My Family
• The Importance of Quality Time with Family: A Persuasive Argument
• Why Strong Family Bonds are Essential for Childhood Development
• The Case for Prioritizing Family Over Career
• The Benefits of Eating Dinner as a Family: A Persuasive Argument
• The Case for Flexible Work Schedules to Promote Work-Life Balance
• The Importance of Maintaining Strong Family Relationships
• Why Parents Should Limit Technology Use for Their Children
• Why It’s Important to Foster a Strong Sense of Community Within the Family
• The Case for Encouraging Outdoor Activities and Family Adventure
• Compare and Contrast Essay About Family and Friends
• The Similarities and Differences Between Family and Friend Relationships
• Comparing and Contrasting the Role of Communication in Maintaining Strong Family and Friend Bonds
• The Comparison of Support and Loyalty in Family and Friend Relationships
• Comparing and Contrasting the Impact of Conflict on Family and Friend Dynamics
• The Differences Between the Loyalty Expected in Family and Friend Relationships
• Comparing and Contrasting the Role of Tradition in Family and Friend Gatherings
• The Comparison of the Importance of Quality Time in Family and Friend Relationships
• Comparing and Contrasting the Role of Forgiveness in Maintaining Strong Family and Friend Bonds
• The Differences Between the Role of Boundaries in Family and Friend Relationships
• Comparing and Contrasting the Impact of Distance on Family and Friend Dynamics
• Family Essay Examples

Alright, if you’re looking to peep some solid family essay examples, swing by our website’s Essay Examples section. We’ve got a bunch sorted out for you there. Use the filter to narrow down your search and find the ones that catch your eye. We’ve got a mix of short and long essays covering different angles of the family vibe. And hey, here’s the kicker – no need to fork out cash to get your hands on these examples. It’s all there for you to dive into and get inspired.

Scroll through, check out the styles and topics, and you might just find something that sparks your creativity. Sometimes seeing how others tackle the family essay game can give you some fresh ideas or a killer approach for your own piece. So, don’t be shy, take a peek, and let those examples fuel your essay-writing mojo. Happy hunting!

• Final Words

So you’ve picked your essay title and you’re all set to dive in. With the knowledge you’ve gained, I’m sure you’ll succeed. But hey, if time’s playing hardball and you’re feeling the crunch, don’t sweat it. We’ve got a squad of seasoned writers ready to step up and help out. Whether it’s you powering through or reaching out for a little assist, just know you’ve got options. Good luck with your essay – knock it out of the park!

Arlene McCoy has extensive writing, teaching, and mentoring experience. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in applied psychology. Thanks to her experience, teaching expertise, and genuine passion for writing, she consistently develops high-quality course materials that inspire and engage students.

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Essay about Family: What It Is and How to Nail It

Humans naturally seek belonging within families, finding comfort in knowing someone always cares. Yet, families can also stir up insecurities and mental health struggles.

Family dynamics continue to intrigue researchers across different fields. Every year, new studies explore how these relationships shape our minds and emotions.

In this article, our dissertation service will guide you through writing a family essay. You can also dive into our list of topics for inspiration and explore some standout examples to spark your creativity.

What is Family Essay

A family essay takes a close look at the bonds and experiences within families. It's a common academic assignment, especially in subjects like sociology, psychology, and literature.

So, what's involved exactly? Simply put, it's an exploration of what family signifies to you. You might reflect on cherished family memories or contemplate the portrayal of families in various media.

What sets a family essay apart is its personal touch. It allows you to express your own thoughts and experiences. Moreover, it's versatile – you can analyze family dynamics, reminisce about family customs, or explore other facets of familial life.

If you're feeling uncertain about how to write an essay about family, don't worry; you can explore different perspectives and select topics that resonate with various aspects of family life.

Tips For Writing An Essay On Family Topics

A family essay typically follows a free-form style, unless specified otherwise, and adheres to the classic 5-paragraph structure. As you jot down your thoughts, aim to infuse your essay with inspiration and the essence of creative writing, unless your family essay topics lean towards complexity or science.

Here are some easy-to-follow tips from our essay service experts:

• Focus on a Specific Aspect: Instead of a broad overview, delve into a specific angle that piques your interest, such as exploring how birth order influences sibling dynamics or examining the evolving role of grandparents in modern families.
• Share Personal Anecdotes: Start your family essay introduction with a personal touch by sharing stories from your own experiences. Whether it's about a favorite tradition, a special trip, or a tough time, these stories make your writing more interesting.
• Use Real-life Examples: Illustrate your points with concrete examples or anecdotes. Draw from sources like movies, books, historical events, or personal interviews to bring your ideas to life.
• Explore Cultural Diversity: Consider the diverse array of family structures across different cultures. Compare traditional values, extended family systems, or the unique hurdles faced by multicultural families.
• Take a Stance: Engage with contentious topics such as homeschooling, reproductive technologies, or governmental policies impacting families. Ensure your arguments are supported by solid evidence.
• Delve into Psychology: Explore the psychological underpinnings of family dynamics, touching on concepts like attachment theory, childhood trauma, or patterns of dysfunction within families.
• Emphasize Positivity: Share uplifting stories of families overcoming adversity or discuss strategies for nurturing strong, supportive family bonds.
• Offer Practical Solutions: Wrap up your essay by proposing actionable solutions to common family challenges, such as fostering better communication, achieving work-life balance, or advocating for family-friendly policies.

Family Essay Topics

When it comes to writing, essay topics about family are often considered easier because we're intimately familiar with our own families. The more you understand about your family dynamics, traditions, and experiences, the clearer your ideas become.

If you're feeling uninspired or unsure of where to start, don't worry! Below, we have compiled a list of good family essay topics to help get your creative juices flowing. Whether you're assigned this type of essay or simply want to explore the topic, these suggestions from our history essay writer are tailored to spark your imagination and prompt meaningful reflection on different aspects of family life.

So, take a moment to peruse the list. Choose the essay topics about family that resonate most with you. Then, dive in and start exploring your family's stories, traditions, and connections through your writing.

• Supporting Family Through Tough Times
• Staying Connected with Relatives
• Empathy and Compassion in Family Life
• Strengthening Bonds Through Family Gatherings
• Quality Time with Family: How Vital Is It?
• Navigating Family Relationships Across Generations
• Learning Kindness and Generosity in a Large Family
• Communication in Healthy Family Dynamics
• Forgiveness in Family Conflict Resolution
• Building Trust Among Extended Family
• Defining Family in Today's World
• Understanding Nuclear Family: Various Views and Cultural Differences
• Understanding Family Dynamics: Relationships Within the Family Unit
• What Defines a Family Member?
• Modernizing the Nuclear Family Concept
• Exploring Shared Beliefs Among Family Members
• Evolution of the Concept of Family Love Over Time
• Examining Family Expectations
• Modern Standards and the Idea of an Ideal Family
• Life Experiences and Perceptions of Family Life
• Genetics and Extended Family Connections
• Utilizing Family Trees for Ancestral Links
• The Role of Younger Siblings in Family Dynamics
• Tracing Family History Through Oral Tradition and Genealogy
• Tracing Family Values Through Your Family Tree
• Exploring Your Elder Sister's Legacy in the Family Tree
• Connecting Daily Habits to Family History
• Documenting and Preserving Your Family's Legacy
• Navigating Online Records and DNA Testing for Family History
• Tradition as a Tool for Family Resilience
• Involving Family in Daily Life to Maintain Traditions
• Creating New Traditions for a Small Family
• The Role of Traditions in Family Happiness
• Family Recipes and Bonding at House Parties
• Quality Time: The Secret Tradition for Family Happiness
• The Joy of Cousins Visiting for Christmas
• Including Family in Birthday Celebrations
• Balancing Traditions and Unconditional Love
• Building Family Bonds Through Traditions

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Reach out to our skilled writers, and they'll provide you with a top-notch paper that's sure to earn an A+ grade in record time!

Family Essay Example

For a better grasp of the essay on family, our team of skilled writers has crafted a great example. It looks into the subject matter, allowing you to explore and understand the intricacies involved in creating compelling family essays. So, check out our meticulously crafted sample to discover how to craft essays that are not only well-written but also thought-provoking and impactful.

Final Outlook

In wrapping up, let's remember: a family essay gives students a chance to showcase their academic skills and creativity by sharing personal stories. However, it's important to stick to academic standards when writing about these topics. We hope our list of topics sparked your creativity and got you on your way to a reflective journey. And if you hit a rough patch, you can just ask us to ' do my essay for me ' for top-notch results!

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FAQs on Writing an Essay about Family

Family essays seem like something school children could be assigned at elementary schools, but family is no less important than climate change for our society today, and therefore it is one of the most central research themes.

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions on family-related topics. Before you conduct research, scroll through them and find out how to write an essay about your family.

How to Write an Essay About Your Family History?

How to write an essay about a family member, how to write an essay about family and roots, how to write an essay about the importance of family.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

How to write an introduction for a history essay

Every essay needs to begin with an introductory paragraph. It needs to be the first paragraph the marker reads.

While your introduction paragraph might be the first of the paragraphs you write, this is not the only way to do it.

You can choose to write your introduction after you have written the rest of your essay.

This way, you will know what you have argued, and this might make writing the introduction easier.

Either approach is fine. If you do write your introduction first, ensure that you go back and refine it once you have completed your essay. 

What is an ‘introduction paragraph’?

An introductory paragraph is a single paragraph at the start of your essay that prepares your reader for the argument you are going to make in your body paragraphs .

It should provide all of the necessary historical information about your topic and clearly state your argument so that by the end of the paragraph, the marker knows how you are going to structure the rest of your essay.

In general, you should never use quotes from sources in your introduction.

Introduction paragraph structure

While your introduction paragraph does not have to be as long as your body paragraphs , it does have a specific purpose, which you must fulfil.

A well-written introduction paragraph has the following four-part structure (summarised by the acronym BHES).

B – Background sentences

H – Hypothesis

E – Elaboration sentences

S - Signpost sentence

Each of these elements are explained in further detail, with examples, below:

1. Background sentences

The first two or three sentences of your introduction should provide a general introduction to the historical topic which your essay is about.

This is done so that when you state your hypothesis , your reader understands the specific point you are arguing about.

Background sentences explain the important historical period, dates, people, places, events and concepts that will be mentioned later in your essay.

This information should be drawn from your background research . 

Example background sentences:

Middle Ages (Year 8 Level)

Castles were an important component of Medieval Britain from the time of the Norman conquest in 1066 until they were phased out in the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Initially introduced as wooden motte and bailey structures on geographical strongpoints, they were rapidly replaced by stone fortresses which incorporated sophisticated defensive designs to improve the defenders’ chances of surviving prolonged sieges.

WWI (Year 9 Level)

The First World War began in 1914 following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The subsequent declarations of war from most of Europe drew other countries into the conflict, including Australia. The Australian Imperial Force joined the war as part of Britain’s armed forces and were dispatched to locations in the Middle East and Western Europe.

Civil Rights (Year 10 Level)

The 1967 Referendum sought to amend the Australian Constitution in order to change the legal standing of the indigenous people in Australia. The fact that 90% of Australians voted in favour of the proposed amendments has been attributed to a series of significant events and people who were dedicated to the referendum’s success.

Ancient Rome (Year 11/12 Level)  

In the late second century BC, the Roman novus homo Gaius Marius became one of the most influential men in the Roman Republic. Marius gained this authority through his victory in the Jugurthine War, with his defeat of Jugurtha in 106 BC, and his triumph over the invading Germanic tribes in 101 BC, when he crushed the Teutones at the Battle of Aquae Sextiae (102 BC) and the Cimbri at the Battle of Vercellae (101 BC). Marius also gained great fame through his election to the consulship seven times.

2. Hypothesis

Once you have provided historical context for your essay in your background sentences, you need to state your hypothesis .

A hypothesis is a single sentence that clearly states the argument that your essay will be proving in your body paragraphs .

A good hypothesis contains both the argument and the reasons in support of your argument. 

Example hypotheses:

Medieval castles were designed with features that nullified the superior numbers of besieging armies but were ultimately made obsolete by the development of gunpowder artillery.

Australian soldiers’ opinion of the First World War changed from naïve enthusiasm to pessimistic realism as a result of the harsh realities of modern industrial warfare.

The success of the 1967 Referendum was a direct result of the efforts of First Nations leaders such as Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

Gaius Marius was the most one of the most significant personalities in the 1 st century BC due to his effect on the political, military and social structures of the Roman state.

3. Elaboration sentences

Once you have stated your argument in your hypothesis , you need to provide particular information about how you’re going to prove your argument.

Your elaboration sentences should be one or two sentences that provide specific details about how you’re going to cover the argument in your three body paragraphs.

You might also briefly summarise two or three of your main points.

Finally, explain any important key words, phrases or concepts that you’ve used in your hypothesis, you’ll need to do this in your elaboration sentences.

Example elaboration sentences:

By the height of the Middle Ages, feudal lords were investing significant sums of money by incorporating concentric walls and guard towers to maximise their defensive potential. These developments were so successful that many medieval armies avoided sieges in the late period.

Following Britain's official declaration of war on Germany, young Australian men voluntarily enlisted into the army, which was further encouraged by government propaganda about the moral justifications for the conflict. However, following the initial engagements on the Gallipoli peninsula, enthusiasm declined.

The political activity of key indigenous figures and the formation of activism organisations focused on indigenous resulted in a wider spread of messages to the general Australian public. The generation of powerful images and speeches has been frequently cited by modern historians as crucial to the referendum results.

While Marius is best known for his military reforms, it is the subsequent impacts of this reform on the way other Romans approached the attainment of magistracies and how public expectations of military leaders changed that had the longest impacts on the late republican period.

4. Signpost sentence

The final sentence of your introduction should prepare the reader for the topic of your first body paragraph.

The main purpose of this sentence is to provide cohesion between your introductory paragraph and you first body paragraph .

Therefore, a signpost sentence indicates where you will begin proving the argument that you set out in your hypothesis and usually states the importance of the first point that you’re about to make. 

Example signpost sentences:

The early development of castles is best understood when examining their military purpose.

The naïve attitudes of those who volunteered in 1914 can be clearly seen in the personal letters and diaries that they themselves wrote.

The significance of these people is evident when examining the lack of political representation the indigenous people experience in the early half of the 20 th century.

The origin of Marius’ later achievements was his military reform in 107 BC, which occurred when he was first elected as consul.

Putting it all together

Once you have written all four parts of the BHES structure, you should have a completed introduction paragraph.

In the examples above, we have shown each part separately. Below you will see the completed paragraphs so that you can appreciate what an introduction should look like.

Example introduction paragraphs: 

Castles were an important component of Medieval Britain from the time of the Norman conquest in 1066 until they were phased out in the 15th and 16th centuries. Initially introduced as wooden motte and bailey structures on geographical strongpoints, they were rapidly replaced by stone fortresses which incorporated sophisticated defensive designs to improve the defenders’ chances of surviving prolonged sieges. Medieval castles were designed with features that nullified the superior numbers of besieging armies, but were ultimately made obsolete by the development of gunpowder artillery. By the height of the Middle Ages, feudal lords were investing significant sums of money by incorporating concentric walls and guard towers to maximise their defensive potential. These developments were so successful that many medieval armies avoided sieges in the late period. The early development of castles is best understood when examining their military purpose.

The First World War began in 1914 following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The subsequent declarations of war from most of Europe drew other countries into the conflict, including Australia. The Australian Imperial Force joined the war as part of Britain’s armed forces and were dispatched to locations in the Middle East and Western Europe. Australian soldiers’ opinion of the First World War changed from naïve enthusiasm to pessimistic realism as a result of the harsh realities of modern industrial warfare. Following Britain's official declaration of war on Germany, young Australian men voluntarily enlisted into the army, which was further encouraged by government propaganda about the moral justifications for the conflict. However, following the initial engagements on the Gallipoli peninsula, enthusiasm declined. The naïve attitudes of those who volunteered in 1914 can be clearly seen in the personal letters and diaries that they themselves wrote.

The 1967 Referendum sought to amend the Australian Constitution in order to change the legal standing of the indigenous people in Australia. The fact that 90% of Australians voted in favour of the proposed amendments has been attributed to a series of significant events and people who were dedicated to the referendum’s success. The success of the 1967 Referendum was a direct result of the efforts of First Nations leaders such as Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. The political activity of key indigenous figures and the formation of activism organisations focused on indigenous resulted in a wider spread of messages to the general Australian public. The generation of powerful images and speeches has been frequently cited by modern historians as crucial to the referendum results. The significance of these people is evident when examining the lack of political representation the indigenous people experience in the early half of the 20th century.

In the late second century BC, the Roman novus homo Gaius Marius became one of the most influential men in the Roman Republic. Marius gained this authority through his victory in the Jugurthine War, with his defeat of Jugurtha in 106 BC, and his triumph over the invading Germanic tribes in 101 BC, when he crushed the Teutones at the Battle of Aquae Sextiae (102 BC) and the Cimbri at the Battle of Vercellae (101 BC). Marius also gained great fame through his election to the consulship seven times. Gaius Marius was the most one of the most significant personalities in the 1st century BC due to his effect on the political, military and social structures of the Roman state. While Marius is best known for his military reforms, it is the subsequent impacts of this reform on the way other Romans approached the attainment of magistracies and how public expectations of military leaders changed that had the longest impacts on the late republican period. The origin of Marius’ later achievements was his military reform in 107 BC, which occurred when he was first elected as consul.

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Getting Started with Family History (By Starting at the Beginning)

Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to buckle down and start working on your family history? Or is family history something you’ve always wanted to do, but you’re just not sure how? Many people have the desire to expand their family tree but find the thought of starting to be overwhelming. If you’re one of them, here’s a secret for success: start at the beginning—with yourself.

This advice applies whether you know next to nothing about your family, you inherited stacks of family papers, or even if you stumbled across an online tree stretching back to the 1500s. While it might feel more exciting to jump in to learning about your Mayflower ancestor or your Hungarian immigrant ancestor, resist the urge— at least for now. Instead, turn your attention a little closer. Here’s why:

• That Mayflower ancestor might not be related after all. As incredible as this may sound, not every family story is true, and not every family tree is accurate. It’s up to you to start from the beginning and work backwards, making sure the connections are right.
• It’s much easier to write down what you know than it is to uncover new information so do the easiest tasks first. Also, by preserving information about yourself and your family, you ensure others won’t have to dig for it later.
• You are the expert on yourself. Nobody knows more about your life and your family than you do, and chances are nobody has better access to the correct information and records than you. Make sure this part of your tree is done correctly by doing it yourself. Besides, if you don’t collect and preserve this information, who will?

Now that you’re convinced starting with yourself is the way to go, you just need a game plan. Don’t worry—we’ve already developed one and we’re happy to share it with you:

1) Record What You Know

If you’re starting with yourself, you should start by recording your own information. The basics in family history are dates and places for births, marriages, and deaths. (Of course, you won’t be recording death information on yourself.) Next, move to your immediate family. Record this same information for your spouse, children, siblings, parents and parents’ siblings. Avoid guessing about dates and places. Instead, take time to verify things you are unsure about. If that’s a breeze, push back another generation to your grandparents.

Just gathering information isn’t enough of course. You also need to find a way to organize and preserve it so that it doesn’t just drift back into the forgotten abyss. One simple way is with the FamilySearch Family Tree . Create a free account on FamilySearch.org , and start adding your own information. With each new person you enter, Family Tree prompts you to search the existing database to see if this person might link with other trees. Keep in mind that living people’s information is always private, so you cannot connect to another tree until you get back far enough to find deceased family members. Family Tree also allows you to attach scanned documents, photos, videos, and sound clips to individual ancestors.

Besides using an online program that connects to others, you can also save your information in a program on your own computer. Many of these connect and share information with Family Tree. Three great options are Ancestral Quest , Legacy Family Tree , and RootsMagic . The basic version of each are free; the snazzier versions must be purchased. If downloading software sounds overwhelming, just stick to the online Family Tree for now.

After you get the basics about your own family recorded, reach beyond the dry facts to record family memories and stories. If you haven’t written a life history, now is the perfect time to do it. No need to feel pressure to make this the next Pulitzer Prize winning memoir; you can start with a few pages about your own life, and continue adding to it in the future. Consider doing the same thing for your parents if they haven’t written anything themselves, and then attach these histories and memories to your Family Tree.

2) Gather Documentation You Already Have

An important part of family history is documenting your information. This makes sure all information is accurate and prevents false information from creeping in. Documentation is important even at the beginning of your Family Tree, so start gathering your papers. The most obvious documentation is birth, marriage, and death certificates. However, think broadly about other types of papers that might help tell your family’s story such as letters, relevant newspaper articles, or important government, employment, school, or medical records.

Some people will quickly find themselves facing large amounts of information. Digital cameras allow us to take hundreds of photos for almost no cost, and email makes sending family updates free. Concentrate on the most meaningful papers and photos, and then make sure these important pieces of your family story are preserved by printing or saving emails and digital photos—and labeling those photos!

3) Ask Your Family for Help

Once you’ve compiled what you know and what you have in your possession, it’s time to reach out to your relatives. Ask them specific questions about information you’re missing, and let them know you’re interested in any family documents or photos they might have.

Again, it’s important to think beyond dates and documents. Ask your family members to share stories and memories with you. You can create an audio recording of their memories, or you can write them down. Be sure to contact the oldest living generation in your family to capture their priceless information and stories before they are lost. If you need help thinking of questions, check out this FamilySearch blog , and use these to prompt your relatives to share.

Ready to get started? As you begin your family history, there’s no telling where you might end up!

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