You’ve done the work. You have the binders, the photographs, the spreadsheet with three hundred names — and now you want to write, but you cannot pick which ancestor to begin with. Today on Storylines: why the choice feels impossible, and what to do instead of looking for one more record.
So good! Thank you!!! I know who to start with. No more hard decisions, No more extra research.
Dear Lynn, The ancestor I keep returning to, and about whom I’ve written a basic outline rather than a full story, is Abraham Ward, a Master Mariner during the time with difficulties with the French, roughly late 1700s until his death in 1837 in Hull. The biggest obstacle I face, which you didn’t mention, is the copyright. This always trips me up. As a researcher, I aim to write accurately with proper references, but when I consider donating my story to family history centres, I must clear copyright, which I can’t afford. My sources are old newspapers from databases that charge fees, along with copyright holders of references and images. I’ve authored two books and had to restrict access to some material, often sharing it with closed groups to prevent it from being publicly rediscovered. These works include much of my own input and have family contributions with approval, but completing certain chapters required retrospective documentation, which depend on references. I should just do it and figure out how to manage it afterwards. I am retried and can’t afford a big outlay beyond the databases I subscribe to. Thanks for listening.
The ancestor I keep returning to, and about whom I’ve written a basic outline rather than a full story, is Abraham Ward, a Master Mariner during the time of troubles with the French after the French Revolution, roughly late 1700s until his death in 1837 in Hull. The biggest obstacle I face, which wasn’t mentioned, is the copyright issue. This always trips me up. As a researcher, I aim to write accurately with proper references, but when I consider donating my story to family history centers, I must clear copyright, which I can’t afford because there are too many of them. My sources are old newspapers from databases that charge fees, along with copyright holders of references and images. I’ve authored two books and had to restrict access to only sharing it with closed groups to prevent it from being publicly rediscovered. These works include much of my own input and have family approval for added material, but completing certain chapters required retrospective documentation, which makes it very costly. I am retired. However, I know you are unable to do anything about my dilemma. I had better just get writing anyway. Thanks for listening.
Love your storylines. I will finish Middie’s story, then I want to do a few Heirloom books with profiles. One ancestor I have had my eye on is my great-grandfather Arthur Bonsor. He was a character and might be fun to write about. Just thinking ahead.
I’ve taken a year’s break to think about and begin my own memoirs. Next February, 2027, I’ll continue writing Brayden’s Story. My 19-year-old grandson, who died after the car he caught a lift with sank in a deep river. I prepared the foundations of his story to help with grief issues three months after his death in February 2025. He still seems to crop up so often. He’s not letting me off. I am compelled to go on with what he taught us in his short life.
Thank you Lynn, you keep me going.