Here is how I started writing my family history. A few years ago, I wanted to improve my writing technique. You always hear "write what you know about". Well, what do you know more about than anything else? YOU!! In addition to this, if you do not put your story on paper, how will your family ever learn about you?

So I wrote my family history. There are so many methods you can use to do this. Some people choose to do it chronologically. This can be difficult because you keep coming back and saying this happened before that, and I should have put this in first. This way tends to become just a list of events.

Speaking of events, this is another method of jotting down your history. Make a list of all the memorable events in your life and your family's life. Now you can explain why and how things happened and how you felt about them.

My family history was told by what I remember about each person in my life. I found this an extremely easy way to write. Write all the things you can remember about each family member. The neat thing about doing this is bringing to mind so many things you had forgotten.

Each family member then brings to mind certain events that happened. You will be amazed at what pops into your mind that you had not thought about in years.

After I finished my family history, I told my grandchildren about it and where to find it on the internet. At that time they were in their late teens. Were they amazed. "Grandpa, we never knew that". They never knew that their father did this, or mother did that.

I said this was after I finished, but the history really is never finished. So much more has happened since I wrote it and I must bring it up to date.

The interesting fact is that I wrote about my mother-in-law. She was a wonderful woman and I was lucky to have her. She did so much for me and my children especially after my wife died, I could not praise her enough. Somehow, my sisters-in-law found the family history on the internet and were astounded by it. The only people I had told about the article were my grandsons.

My mistake was not telling more family members about the history.

So, what's your story? Do other relatives know about you? Let your grandchildren know about their family. Do it now. You may not think your life is important, but believe me your family does.