Uncle Dave's book

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

2016, a new year! About my book.

     After two years of writing about a different ancestor (104 ancestors, except that I did two different ancestors twice by mistake, so 102! I liked both versions so I kept them.) the challenge has ended and it time for something new. Since I've got the blog I will use it to write about my book I am writing and ongoing research.

     My book! I am writing a book about my Stefani and Tinetti ancestors. I read Sharon DeBartolo Carmack's You Can Write Your Family History in which she tells you how to write a narrative story type family history. So I decided to do that and have the rough draft done.  I really enjoyed doing this! But since I didn't want to break the flow of writing I decided not to worry about sources as I wrote.  So I then had to go back and do footnote citations for everything. Actually I want to do endnotes at the end of every chapter as I think this reads better. Anyway, it turned out to be difficult at times to find the reference I had used (where did I get the population figure for the town of Sporminore in 1880, for instance!). Sometimes I had to find the information newly and use that reference.  Also, I realized that I need to interview myself and write it all down because in some places I used things I remembered my mother telling me. So, I'll do a self interview and get it all written down.

      Meanwhile, my sister found four tapes of family interviews and had them put on CD and sent them to me.  So, I transcribed them (wow! and that's a project and a half!). Now I need to add some stories and correct some dates and such in my manuscript.  There are some things I am still trying to research as well. Oh! and while doing the footnotes I realized that I need to get the image number for all the records that I found on FHL microfilms.  Take a hint and copy these down when you do research with microfilm!

     I've also starting researching Daniel Noyes Cookson (see 52 Ancestors Year 2 #52) so I'll be writing about that (hopefully about things I find...).

1 comment:

  1. You go, girl! (as they say) Your 52 Ancestors have been fun and enlightening to read. I look forward to reaping the benefits of your new venture. :-)

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