From Writing For Family To Publishing Worldwide

Sharing Your Family History Is Vital to Young People’s Health

The story of your family has value — more than you might realise.

Research demonstrates that family history is a powerful antidote against adverse life experiences. Knowing your ancestors’ stories shows you too can overcome disaster and survive tough times. The landmark ‘Do You Know?’ study from Emory University found that children with a strong sense of their family history are more self-confident and emotionally resilient.

Sharing family stories promotes bonding and helps adolescents develop a sense of identity. Family histories can also help determine, and challenge, the effect of psychological inheritance on mental health.

But how do we share these stories effectively? And how can we ensure they survive for future generations?

The Pitfalls and Joy of Saving Family History: A Personal Legacy

My first attempt to share family history with relatives was a family tree charting my ancestors up to the level of my eighth great-grandparents. But early on, I fell into the trap of trusting someone else’s research. I discovered they had not proved the ancestral connections in their family tree. Even after I printed a reliable chart, I found that my family’s response to my discoveries was — understandably — lukewarm.

I turned to growing our tree, found new living relatives, and arranged a meeting in the Tank Yard, once home to my maternal grandfather. It was great fun reuniting the different branches of the family in the Bedford Hall, Thorney, 130 years after my granddad’s birth. But sharing the larger tree I had printed was not the family’s highlight.

Holding previously unseen heirlooms made the event. Touching items that had belonged to our ancestors reinforced the emotional connection with the past. It created special memories with newfound family.

The experience made me realise how little we know about what we each have in our own collections. I began collating a digital record of all the heirlooms, diaries, photographs, newspaper clippings, recipes, and personal documents that had survived in our respective collections. I had planned to save these to a USB memory stick. Then I remembered how the audio and film of me as a young child had been lost to obsolete technology.

Choosing the Right Format

My challenge was to select a widely accessible format while ensuring it would be robust enough to last. Each technology I considered ran the risk it would not be understood or valued by future generations. So, I planned another printed photo album. An advantage of this format is it can easily describe each item, along with any associated stories. But it was the thought of a professionally produced photobook being held by many more generations that spurred me on.

My next goal was to finish a legacy box for each young person in the immediate family, including ancestor charts, family trees, family photo albums, and photo albums of heirlooms and birth, marriage, and death records.

Yet this did not feel enough. Although each of these enterprises is valuable, they did not communicate all I wanted to future generations.

From Research to Narrative

My leisure time soon revolved around treading in my ancestors’ footsteps, particularly those of my grandfather Walter Parker. I pored over archival records and read social history to understand the context of my forebears. My family was now keen to know what I had uncovered, but how much could I say and what would they remember?

I realised that if family historians want what they have painstakingly discovered to survive; we have to weave the distinct threads into a narrative — and print the result.

Writing a Family History Book — Who, Me?

Writing your family history can be daunting and, at times, overwhelming. Questions raced through my mind:

• How would I find the time?
• Could I cut the project down to size so it would be possible to complete?
• What would keep me motivated?
• I had written nothing before. How could I make it good enough?
• I am not a qualified researcher or historian, so why would anyone want to read a book I had written?

Finding the Time

The answer to my question ‘Where would I find the time?’ came from tutor Gill Blanchard on her Writing Your Family History course at The Society of Genealogists in London. Gill told me during a break: ‘It is not about finding the time; it’s about deciding what to give up’. I found it was easy to give up most of my television viewing for an activity that felt so rewarding.

Cutting the Project Down to Size

Gill also showed me how I could make the project manageable. She explained my progress would be quicker if I concentrated on one person. I chose my Victorian grandfather, Walter Parker, and drafted a writing plan. This focused approach transformed an overwhelming task into something achievable.

Staying Motivated

For motivation, I started telling people I was writing a book, if only to hold myself accountable. I pressed on despite my misgivings and frequent crises of confidence. I decided to behave as if it were possible for me to bring a book into the world. When I was ill, exhausted, or despaired of finishing, I pictured someone reading my book 200 years from now.

Making It Good Enough

The challenge of how to make my writing polished enough to publish ran alongside the whole endeavour. Feeling confident my work stood up to historical scrutiny was the hardest hurdle to overcome. But the solution to both these problems turned out to be straightforward: I discovered that to go from writing for family to worldwide publication, I needed a team behind me.

You Are Not Alone: Building a Team

Looking back, I realise I was as methodical about putting my team together as I was in my research. I considered my doubts and questions and, over time, sought out people who could help me.

Finding a Writing Coach

Long before I had a first draft, I started criticising everything I wrote. I stalled. Rather than give up, I found a writing coach and editor, Vrinda Pendred, whose encouragement helped me through the inevitable setbacks. When I could not see a way forward, Vrinda sensitively shone a light on my work and inspired me to take my writing to the next level.

Discovering My Voice

An epiphany led me to combine my counselling background and interest in mental health with my family history research. I considered what my grandfather could have inherited from his ancestors, and a psychological inheritance unravelled, revealing intergenerational anxiety, trauma, loss, alcoholism, and depression. And what family is without these?

I had discovered my voice and the overarching theme of my work. This approach — combining genealogical research with psychological insights — became what I now call geneatherapy.

Adding a Historical Consultant

As I came to the end of my fifth draft, I felt the manuscript was still not finished. Doubt in my ability, never far away, returned. I questioned whether I had written a book only I could enjoy.

Unfairly, I had shared it with trusted friends but failed to ask for feedback from people interested in family history. Finally, I bounced my ideas off fellow enthusiasts and was delighted at how responsive they were to my blend of family history and psychological research. Dare I believe my book could find a wider audience than family?

I asked myself what would give me the courage to seek a publisher. Although I am an enthusiastic independent scholar, I do not have any qualifications in history or research. So, I looked for a professional. I added a historical consultant to my team. Dr George Regkoukos was enormously patient and encouraging. He also:

• Gave me a historical perspective
• Helped me focus my research
• Pointed out gaps in my thinking
• Referred me to research I had overlooked

Armed with hard-earned confidence and a draft I could be proud of, I was now ready to seek a publisher.

From Writing for Family to Publishing Worldwide

When seeking a publisher, my first considerations were: would my writing find an audience? Would a traditional publisher see the value in such a niche form of writing?

Understanding the Publishing Landscape

I found out that conventional publishers sold, on average, about 5 million adult non-fiction print books in the United States per week during October and November 2019, in the run-up to Christmas. The average traditionally published non-fiction book sells 250–300 copies in the first year and 3,000 copies in the book’s lifetime.

Could a publisher help readers find my book? Maybe. But publishers expect authors to identify and bring their readership, and undertake a lot of marketing themselves. In the old-style publishing world, a book is usually given a press release, inserted into a brochure and newsletter, and then declines in sales.

Choosing Independent Publishing

The more research I did, the more I believed publishing independently would work best for me and a family history book. I came to see traditional publishing as the vanity route. At best, it could reassure me that what I had created was good enough — but isn’t it the reader who decides that?

I wish I had come across the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) at the beginning of my journey. ALLi is an affordable professional business membership organisation for self-publishing authors (nothing to do with vanity publishing). One of the significant points ALLi makes is that as an author, you do not need to become a specialist in every field. Instead of being uncertain, you can plug into essential, trusted advice, supportive guidance, and a range of resources that would be near impossible, and time-consuming, to create for oneself.

I added more people to my team: a book cover designer, a developmental editor, copy editor, proofreader, and an interior book designer.

The Advantages of Independent Publishing

As an independent author, you are free to seek worldwide opportunities in print, podcast, blog, radio, audio, and eBook over your lifetime because you have kept your intellectual property rights. (Quick tip: according to copyright law, your heirs could benefit 70 years after your death — another legacy.)

You also know the price each book sells at, where these sales come from, and in what format. As a bonus for your next book, you can tailor your marketing to what you have learned from your previous publication.

Publishing Methods

Once I made my decision to stay independent, I looked at two different methods of publishing:

• Print-on-demand: A distributor prints a book when an order is received — no upfront printing costs or storage needed
• E-publishing: Digital formats that can reach readers worldwide instantly

Your Legacy Awaits

It’s been a long journey — but family history cannot survive unless we share it. I hope this article will encourage you to bring your own painstaking research to life.

Whatever form your family history takes, I hope you will join me on the thrilling ride from writing family history to publication, leaving behind a unique legacy. The result of my journey was A Victorian’s Inheritance, which explores how trauma, loss, and addiction shaped my Victorian grandfather Walter Parker — and how understanding intergenerational patterns can illuminate our own lives.

Click here for the first two chapters of A Victorian’s Inheritance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to write a family history book?

This varies enormously depending on the scope of your project, how much research you’ve already completed, and how much time you can dedicate to writing. Focusing on one ancestor’s story rather than trying to cover your entire family tree makes the project more manageable. My book went through five drafts before I felt ready to seek publication. Allow yourself time — this is a labour of love, not a race.

Do I need qualifications to write family history?

No, I am not a qualified researcher or historian, yet I successfully published A Victorian’s Inheritance. What matters is thorough research, honest acknowledgment of what you don’t know, and — if you want to publish — building a team that includes people with expertise you lack, such as a historical consultant who can validate your research.

Should I self-publish or seek a traditional publisher?

For family history books, independent publishing often offers significant advantages. You retain intellectual property rights, control pricing and marketing, and can reach readers worldwide through print-on-demand and e-publishing. Traditional publishers expect authors to do much of their own marketing anyway, and family history is a niche market. Organisations like the Alliance of Independent Authors provide excellent resources for self-publishing authors.

How do I make my family history interesting to readers beyond my family?

The key is finding your unique angle. For me, combining genealogical research with psychological insights — exploring what my grandfather inherited emotionally from his ancestors — gave my book broader appeal. Consider what universal themes run through your family’s story: resilience, migration, overcoming adversity, love, loss. These connect with readers regardless of whether they share your surname.

What format should I use to preserve family history?

Consider multiple formats for different purposes. Printed books and photo albums have proven longevity. Digital formats allow easy sharing but require ongoing format migration as technology changes. Legacy boxes containing key documents, photographs, and family trees make meaningful gifts for younger family members. The safest approach is to preserve your research in several formats.

How do I stay motivated when writing feels overwhelming?

Tell people you’re writing a book — accountability helps. Focus on one ancestor rather than your entire tree. Picture future readers who will benefit from your work. Find a writing coach or writing group. Accept that doubt is normal and press on anyway. When you’re exhausted, remember: this is your legacy to future generations.

---

Resources

Recommended:

• • Gill Blanchard — Author, professional genealogist, local historian, and qualified tutor with an MA in Biography and Creative Non-Fiction. Find out more about Gill here
  • Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) — Professional business membership organisation for self-publishing authors.  Learn more here 

• The Society of Genealogists — Offers courses including Writing Your Family History

Related Articles:

• Honouring a Lost Parent: Exploring Your Family History and Preserving Your Parent’s Legacy
• How Psychological Legacies Shape Mental Health and Family Dynamics
• Psychological Inheritance: What Have You Inherited From Your Ancestors?

Books:

• A Victorian’s Inheritance — Explore how trauma, loss, and addiction shaped my Victorian grandfather Walter Parker
• Yet: A Story of Triumph Over Childhood Separation, Trauma, and Disability — The story of my father Harry Drabble

---

References

1. Copeland, L. (2020). ‘Genealogy Provides the Strength to Persevere: Knowing your family’s past can help you get through a crisis’. The Atlantic.
2. Hardy, R. (2017). ‘Why children need to know their family history’. The Conversation.
3. Duke, M.P., Lazarus, A., & Fivush, R. (2008). ‘Knowledge of family history as a clinically useful index of psychological well-being and prognosis: A brief report’. Psychotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 45, 268–272.

---

About the Author

Helen Parker-Drabble is an author and geneatherapist who combines genealogical research with psychological insights to understand how historical trauma shapes family patterns across generations. A qualified counsellor with a Diploma in Counselling, she developed the geneatherapy methodology as an integrative approach to family history research. Helen is the author of Yet: A Story of Triumph Over Childhood Separation, Trauma, and Disability (2025) and A Victorian’s Inheritance (2020).

I love hearing from readers. Email me: helen@helenparkerdrabble.com

Connect: @FactualTales (Facebook) | @HelenPDrabble (X) | Helen Parker-Drabble (LinkedIn)

Read more articles here