.png)
Do you have family stories swirling in your head, but find it hard to put them on paper? You’re not alone! Today, we’re tackling a common problem that keeps many of us stuck when it comes to writing our family histories.
Whether it’s the overwhelming amount of information or simply not knowing where to start, the struggle is real. But don’t worry—there’s an easy fix!
Talk Your Stories Out
Imagine this: you have generations of family memories in your mind, but they haven’t made it into a document yet. What do you do? The answer is simple—talk them out!
If you can’t get yourself to sit down and write, then start by grabbing a voice recorder or your phone. Speak the stories as you remember them. You might be surprised at how easy it is to speak freely once you get going. Don’t worry about perfect details or proper grammar—just get the stories out of your head and recorded.
Once you’ve recorded them, use transcription software or services (like Otter.ai or Google Docs’ voice typing tool) to convert your spoken words into text. Voila! You’ve got a written draft, and now you can begin editing and adding more details later.
↪️ Do you want to write a family history book?
Grab your copy of this FREE Writing Guide:
Benefits of Speaking Your Family Stories
This simple technique doesn’t just help you overcome the fear of a blank page. Here are a few reasons why speaking your stories out loud can be a game-changer:
It’s Less Intimidating: Speaking your stories feels more like having a conversation, which takes away the pressure of writing the “perfect” version.
You Capture Emotion: When you talk, your voice reflects excitement, sadness, or joy—feelings that often get lost in initial written drafts. You’ll be able to capture more authentic emotions by talking through your memories.
Faster Than Typing: Let’s face it, typing can be slow, especially when you’re unsure how to phrase things. Speaking allows you to get more content down quickly, which you can later edit and refine.
It Gets You Started: Often, the hardest part is just beginning. Talking gets you into the flow of storytelling, and before you know it, you’ve created the starting point you need.
This video is part of the Tiny Tip Tuesday series, and is shorter than the blog post!
Expand on the Story Later
Once you have your spoken stories transcribed, the next step is to refine them. This is your opportunity to organize the narrative, fill in any missing details, and make sure you’re adding important historical context.
You don’t have to do this all at once! Break it into manageable chunks. Maybe you focus on editing one story at a time, or you begin adding historical details after each transcription. Either way, you’ve got a solid foundation to build from.
What Are Your Best Tips For Writing Family Stories When You Can't "Write"?
Writing family history doesn't have to be overwhelming, and starting by simply talking it out can help ease that burden. Have you tried recording your stories before? Or do you have another trick that works for you?
Let’s keep the conversation going and help each other make family history a fun and fulfilling project.
If you want more in-depth tips on crafting a compelling opening for your family history, check out, be sure to watch the Write Your Family History channel. You’ll learn more techniques and see how others have tackled the challenge for capturing and preserving family history.