Preserving Memories: How to Write a Family History 

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CHOOSE A FORMAT

The format you choose will depend in part on your audience. The larger and more diverse your audience, the more elaborate the format you will need to select .

How you plan to distribute your family history will also play a part. If you plan to give your books away to family members, you may choose a les s expensive option than if individuals will cover the cost of the books they receive.

In addition , the way you write will have a bearing on the way you present your material. Since my mother wrote a few stories a year spread over a period of several years, she chose a loose-leaf binder so family me mbers could insert the new stories each year. However, if you complete the book at one time, then you have a broader range of options.

Loose-Leaf Binder

The simplest and least expensive print choice is simply to type the manuscript in a word processor, pri nt it on your computer printer, punch holes, and insert the pages into a loose-leaf binder. This option works best if you're printing only a few copies , and , as I mentioned above, i t’s a good choice if you want to add to the book over time.

Binders are available in a wide range of colors and styles, including clear plastic covers that allow paper to be inserted under the plastic. That way you can create an interesting “book cover” and use good quality paper inside the binder for an attractive presentation.

If you’re producing only a few copies, you can print pages with photographs on a color printer. Color printing would be too expensive in most other formats.

Comb- or Spiral-Bound

You can lay out the book as either a standard letter size page (8 1/2” x 11”) or half-size (5 1/2” x 8 1/2”). Prepare the manuscript so it’s “camera ready” — ready to copy.

A complete manuscript can be printed either from a disk generated from your word processing program or from a copy you've printed. You can have the cover printed on heavier stock , so it will be more durable as well as look more attractive. After it’s printed, the book can be spiral- or comb-bound.

This is a good choice if you need a few dozen or a few hundred copies and your story is complete.

Electronic Book

The least expensive way to create and distribute your memory book is electronically. Although you can use the file created in your word processing program, PDF (portable document format , also known as Adobe Acrobat ) — the format you’re reading now — is better because it can be read on all computers and it doesn’t carry viruses . The resource section lists a Web site to have your document converted to PDF online.

You can send the e-book to family members as an attachment to e-mail , or you can create a family Web site and allow family members to download the family history from the site. You can learn how to set up your family site in the article Create Your Own Personal Web Page from Your Information Center.

Trade Paperback or Hardcover

Maybe you have a large extended family or many friends interested in your family story and expect to distribute several hundred, perhaps thousands, of copies. Or maybe you aren’t printing that many books, but you want a “real” book.

In that case, you'll want to print trade paperback or hardcover books. Trade paperbacks are slightly larger than mass-market paperbacks, the ones that are printed and sold in huge quantities by the major publishers. Trade paperbacks are also printed on heavier paper and are higher quality and more durable than standard paperbacks.

Keep in mind, though, that n ot all printers have the capability to print books, and not all book printers offer the same quality. Make sure you do a bit of research before entrusting a company with your family’s precious memories, so you’re sure you’re getting what you want.

If you want to sell your book in major bookstores, you will need an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). You must form a publishing company, which you can do under your own name if you choose, and purchase a group of ten numbers. Although you are writing only one book, you may use more than one number — each format requires a unique ISBN, so if you publish paperback and electronic editions of your book, you will need an ISBN for each. The source for ISBNs is listed in the Resource section at the end of this report.

Photo Book

Most of you will want a written family history to preserve your legacy. However, if you find the task of writing a book too daunting, you might find a photo book a better choice. And even if you write your story, a photo book is a wonderful way to preserve those treasured pictures — as the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Create a Custom Book With Your Photos

DECIDE ON DISTRIBUTION

How you distribute your history will in large part be determined by the audience and format you've chosen.

Gifts

If your audience is your immediate family, and if you've chosen a loose-leaf binder format, you'll probably simply give the books as gifts to your family members.

You may also choose to give away any of the other formats we discussed, but only if you feel you can afford to do so.

Sales

If you decide to publi sh a paperback or hardcover book or if you print spiral-bound books for a large audience, you may not be able to afford to give everyone a copy of the book free of charge.

To determine a selling price, you'll need to figure all your expenses (see below): fees f or transcription and editing, printing (or subsidy publishing) costs, photo lab fees, and any other costs you anticipate. Then divide the total cost by the number of sales you expect. If you want to make a profit on the book — uncommon but possible — add in the amount of profit you want to make.

Remember, though, that not all of your relatives will buy a copy!

If you want to print only the number of copies that will be sold, send a letter with an order form to everyone in your audience and specify a deadline date for the return of orders with payment. Since procrastination is common in all families, you’re likely to get better response if you offer a discount for early, prepaid orders.

However, if you limit the print run only to the number sold, you won’t retain any copies for future generations . You may want to order an additional quantity to keep on hand for late orders , as well as for your future audience – your descendants.

Even though your book may not sell well to the general public, you may find niche markets in addition to your original audience. Museum gift shops, for example, often will sell family histories if the family’s story is set in the area the museum se rves. Local historical societies may be interested in books related to the history of the area. If you or one of your ancestors belonged to a specific group — through a career or hobby, for example — organizations related to that group, such as a teachers’ association or a crafters’ cooperative, may offer opportunities to sell your family histo ry to its members or through its organization to other groups or individuals.

Combinations

You don’t have to make an exclusive choice. If you want to give copies of your book to close family members and sell to others, that’s your prerogative. You can also give discounts to family members if you can’t afford to give your books away.

If your goal is to share your memories and your family history, you may want to give away as many copies as you can afford. However, if you decide to produce a hardcover book through a subsidy publisher, you'll incur a great deal of expense. Since most people can’t afford to bear that total expense, you’ll need to think about establishing a selling price.

Don’t forget your local library — if your memoir includes local history, the public library will be eager for a free copy for its collection. And a donation to the library could result in sales to library patrons who enjoy your story. They may order copies for themselves or as gifts for others.

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