The Art of Blending Photos and Stories to Create a…
Feb 24, 2025
Family history books serve as treasured time capsules, preserving the essence of generations past for future descendants. While text alone can narrate a family’s journey, the inclusion of photographs adds a rich, visual layer to the story. Combining photos with…
What Kinds of Nonfiction Books Do Ghostwriters Write?
Jan 14, 2025
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom,What kind of nonfiction books can a ghostwriter help me write? Dear Aspiring Writer, Ghostwriters can be incredibly versatile, helping with a wide variety of nonfiction books. Whether you're working on a personal project, a business endeavor, or…
7 Family History Websites for Instant Inspiration
Dec 30, 2024
If you’re passionate about tracing your roots and have often considered sharing your findings with your family and the world, take this as a sign to do it. Creating a family history website is a fantastic way to preserve and…
The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Family Genealogy Website
Dec 27, 2024
Genealogy research is a fascinating and often rewarding journey into the past. For family historians, a well-organized family genealogy website can serve as a central hub for showcasing research findings, sharing family stories, and keeping track of multiple family lines.…
How do Genealogists Verify Research Findings?
Dec 26, 2024
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom,As a genealogist, how do you verify the accuracy of your research findings? Dear Curious Researcher, As you guessed, part of a genealogist’s job is to verify information through a systematic process that combines critical evaluation, primary sources,…
Welcome to the Family History Adventure. Hang On Tight!
Dec 23, 2024
So, you’ve decided to dive into your genealogy! Maybe you’ve reached a certain stage in your life and you’re eager to look back to your ancestors. Maybe your children have begun asking questions that you can’t answer. Maybe you just…
Bringing the Past to Life:10 Unique Projects a Genealogist Can…
Dec 04, 2024
Genealogy is more than just compiling a family tree—it's the exploration of the stories, the traditions, and the legacies that define who we are. Whether you're curious about your heritage, seeking answers to unanswered questions, or trying to uncover family…
Is NAPS2 the Right OCR Tool for You?
Nov 28, 2024
In our digital age, it is becoming increasingly important for organizations, individuals, and businesses to process data as quickly as possible. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a technology that plays a crucial role in transitioning from the physical realm to…
Why Hiring a Genealogist is Essential for Your Family History…
Nov 06, 2024
Investigating your family history goes beyond gathering names and dates; it’s about uncovering the essence of who you are and where you come from. By learning about your ancestors, you ensure that their stories live on in the memories of…
Solving the Puzzle: How to Overcome Gaps in Your Family…
Oct 07, 2024
Researching your family history can be an incredible journey but it can also be somewhat frustrating. Like a missing puzzle piece in an otherwise fully completed picture, having gaps in your family history is enough to drive anyone mad. Not…
How To Make Your Family History Come To Life
Sep 30, 2024
You’ve spent the last couple of years researching your family history. You even hired a professional genealogist to track down the information you couldn’t uncover on your own. Now you are ready to share your findings with the rest of…
Planning the Perfect Genealogy Research Trip: A Step-by-Step Guide
Jul 24, 2024
Embarking on a genealogy research trip is an exciting adventure that can uncover rich histories and personal stories about your ancestors. Whether you're tracing your roots across town or across the globe, taking the time to properly plan your research…
How and Why to Work with a Genealogist
Jan 05, 2024
Did you know that Larry David is actually related to Bernie Sanders? If you didn’t, don’t feel bad—they didn’t know it either! In fact, the two of them wouldn’t even know about the connection if it hadn’t been for the…
Family History Interviews: Handle With Care
Dec 29, 2023
Questioning relatives calls for interest, finesse, and empathy. A family history book can give living family members a sense of heritage and belonging. It introduces them to the personalities, places, and times of their ancestors, and becomes a treasure for…
Tips and Strategies for Researching Family History
Dec 26, 2023
Researching one's family history is a compelling journey for several reasons. First, it offers a profound sense of identity and belonging. Discovering the stories and experiences of ancestors can help individuals understand their cultural and ethnic heritage, fostering a deeper…
20 Family History Gift Ideas
Dec 19, 2023
Learning about our family helps us connect with the past and discover a greater sense of self. Looking into our family history gives us a glimpse of where we came from. It’s no wonder family history gifts are growing in…
Unbelievably Strange Historical Facts
Oct 11, 2022
As writers, we are inherently curious beings. And given that our portfolio includes various family history and genealogy projects, it’s only natural that we’d find history to be especially fascinating and compelling. In one of our recent ventures down the…
Ancestral Family Name Changes: How to Trace Your Ancestors When…
Sep 13, 2022
We’ve probably all heard the sob story: A poor immigrant arrived in Ellis Island after their harrowing journey across the Atlantic. Not understanding the fast-spoken English of the customs officials there, the immigrant tried to give the official their name,…
7 Steps to Deciphering Old Handwriting for Genealogy Research
Aug 24, 2022
Picture this…You’ve suddenly come into possession of a box filled with old family pictures and genealogy documents, including a diary written by one of your ancestors over 100 years ago. Excited to uncover long forgotten family secrets, you open up…
How Do You Find Out About Your Family History?
Jul 04, 2022
You have decided to explore your family history, and are ready to dive in, but you are not quite sure how to get started. You've heard various family stories passed down from older generations, but you don’t know which stories…
African American Lineage: 9 Steps to Tracing the Ancestry of…
May 25, 2022
For many people wishing to trace their heritage back to the time their ancestors immigrated to America, there are numerous sources and resources available. But what if your ancestors did not come to this country of their own free will?…
The 5 Best Sites for Family History Research
Mar 29, 2022
“History remembers only the celebrated, genealogy remembers them all.”— Laurence Overmire Recording one’s family history is a combination of mystery, admiration, and excitement. And pulling back on the layers of family history is one of the most rewarding endeavors anyone…
True Confessions of a Genealogist
Jan 11, 2022
“Genealogist” is a term you’ll hear from time to time in passing, but you won’t derive its definition from the context unless you’re actually paying attention when it comes up—and I never was. I’ll admit that prior to researching and…
One-of-a-Kind Gifts for Your Parents This Year
Dec 17, 2021
With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to think about that annually dreaded concept – getting a gift for Mom and Dad. It’s not that you don’t want to get them a gift. Quite the opposite! You want to…
Give the Gift of Connection This Holiday Season
Nov 26, 2021
Once again, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned life as we know it on its head, including the holidays. With rises in Covid cases, for the second year in a row, many of us won’t travel or gather as we traditionally…
Seven Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional for Your…
Oct 05, 2021
Your family’s history has always fascinated you. It fascinates others, too. It always puts a little smile on your face when your noteworthy reputation precedes you, as when you’re introduced to friends of friends as, say, “the gal whose grandmother…