I would like to write a book

lene1949 · 11-25-2009, 01:05 AM

for future generations of my family.

My husband and I came to Australia in 1983 with our 3 children 7, 5 and 2.

These children now have their own children, and I would like them as well as future generations of our family to know where they came from. I would like them to know how we celebrated Christmas, Easter, Whitsun etc. as well as other significant Danish customs and celebrations.

I would also like to write about my/our childhood/youth, how we met and our first years in Australia.

I would like ideas on how to write such a book. Should it be written to be read to or by children? Young adults or adults?

What could I call it?

Any other ideas?

Thank you

nomesque · 11-25-2009, 02:29 AM

Yay!

I think you should definitely go ahead with it

Personally, I'd start with an adult's version - it's easier to modify down to a kids' book than the other way around, I think.

Photos! Lots of photos, if you can. Drawings of the various decorations, cakes etc, including recipes.

PS. Fellow Ipswichian? Hi!

montsnmags · 11-25-2009, 02:54 AM

Lene, I can't off the top of my head think of any, but my first suggestion is to ask for recommendations of well-written family-focussed (auto?)biographies. The first that came to mind was Dawn French's Dear Fatty, though I must admit I haven't read it - I just like Dawn French.

However, hopefully some will be along with some suggestions.

In my subjective opinion, I wouldn't write it to or for children. This does not preclude it being read to or by children, but if you give yourself that specific limitation I suspect you may suppress being forthright, and limit your scope. Write to an adult in a clear, concise, simple, open and friendly manner, and I think you'll find that the side-effect is that child-friendliness will come built-in. Even the slightly salacious moment, or the occasional "blue" words, remembered and written (if not extending into gratuitous or extreme) can be read by children, and often with some more delight than even the adults get from it.

I personally wouldn't call it anything yet. If you want to give it a working title, something simple like Family Secrets or Family Traditions will work, but I think you'll find the title will grow in your mind out of the content you write. Don't let a title get in the way of starting though.

Ideas? I don't know. Perhaps you could write it as a calendar of significant dates. So, for instance, you might have a chapter called "December 25" and write about memories and Christmas traditions (and recipes, yum!). You might have a chapter called "March 27th", and write about how you first met your partner (assuming it was on March 27th, which it probably wasn't because I just pulled that date out of the air, but you get the point.

). Build it as a progressing calendar year of significant dates (almost like a year-long advent calendar?), and it doesn't matter if the content of the chapter stretches well beyond that date - the point is that the date marks a moment around which things occurred, before and after and even into the future.

That's just an idea though, and probably a stupid one. There's always Dawn French's idea of writing letters to people.

Cheers,
Marc

montsnmags · 11-25-2009, 02:55 AM

Oh, yeah, exactly what nomesque says...pictures!

dreams · 11-25-2009, 03:39 AM

What a great idea, lene! I think Naomi and Marc gave some really good ideas.

I love learning about different traditions especially if the information is accompanied with photos, recipes, and other tidbits. Your book would be something to be handed down through the generations.

Just start writing and collecting the photos and recipes. The organizing can be done later when you decide how to lay it out. Good luck.

Katti's Cat · 11-25-2009, 03:48 AM

Love the idea Lene.

I recommend to write as you speak - that way your voice will be preserved as well. Try and keep it light with funny stories (i'm sure you have plenty, having made the transition myself). Tell it as it was, as you remember.

I wouldn't worry too much about a childrens version - they grow up and you wouldn't want them not to touch the story again.

Maybe leave room for future generations to include their experience in case they are going back to good old Germany and experience what you have written about.

Good Luck and have fun writing.

lene1949 · 11-25-2009, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomesque

Yay!

PS. Fellow Ipswichian? Hi!

Yep... I'm in Redbank Plains... Hi! to you, too..

lene1949 · 11-25-2009, 04:15 AM

Thanks, everyone...

It will be written as I speak, and there will be some funny moments, when I tried to speak English, after arriving in Australia... I just spoke as I heard it, or as I found it in my dictionary... like: Good Onion for Good on ya. And asking the hardware store for a garden snake, instead of a garden hose... I just kept going using my English the way I thought/learned...

Yes... there'll be lots of pictures, and the language will be simple

lene1949 · 11-25-2009, 04:21 AM

The only problem I have is that I don't have a creative bone in my body

Despite this I'm going to try... I would really like the future generations to know about their heritage...

Katti's Cat · 11-25-2009, 04:25 AM

That can't be true Lene - you already have the idea. That's creative. You just don't know how yet. Start writing down - you will get better / smoother as you go. Start with a collection of stories, experiences etc. The rest is just window dressing.

Hehe I can relate to the garden snake - I told everyone 'my water broke and we had to drink beer' after the main water pipe ruptured the night before

Dave d · 11-25-2009, 04:30 AM

Seems to be a lot of queenslanders on here
I didn't know you guys could read

Katti's Cat · 11-25-2009, 04:36 AM

We can - but that's because we are Germans that have raised the Qld IQ by considerable amount

lene1949 · 11-25-2009, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katti's Cat

That can't be true Lene - you already have the idea. That's creative. You just don't know how yet. Start writing down - you will get better / smoother as you go. Start with a collection of stories, experiences etc. The rest is just window dressing.

Hehe I can relate to the garden snake - I told everyone 'my water broke and we had to drink beer' after the main water pipe ruptured the night before

This is just sooooo funnie...

Katti's Cat · 11-25-2009, 04:41 AM

The funniest bit was that I told that to a group of guys and didn't quite get why they were looking so embarrassed

weedfreak · 11-25-2009, 04:47 AM

Another suggestion might be to get hold of a genealogy program, I use Gramps (it is free and good) and at the same time as you are filling in the family history narrative you can fill in as much as you know of the family roots. The information you put into the genealogy program is invaluable to future generations and it does help to trigger more facts.

Most genealogy software also includes some method of creating a family history book, which might give you some starting points for your own book. Be aware that genealogical research is more addictive than reading!

I have traced different family lines back to 1520 in England, 1050 in Norman France, 1600's East Prussia and made contact with many previously unknown living cousins worldwide.

11-25-2009, 01:05 AM	#1
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	I would like to write a book for future generations of my family. My husband and I came to Australia in 1983 with our 3 children 7, 5 and 2. These children now have their own children, and I would like them as well as future generations of our family to know where they came from. I would like them to know how we celebrated Christmas, Easter, Whitsun etc. as well as other significant Danish customs and celebrations. I would also like to write about my/our childhood/youth, how we met and our first years in Australia. I would like ideas on how to write such a book. Should it be written to be read to or by children? Young adults or adults? What could I call it? Any other ideas? Thank you

11-25-2009, 02:29 AM	#2
nomesque Snooty Bestselling Author Posts: 1,485 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ipswich, QLD, Australia Device: PRS-650	Yay! I think you should definitely go ahead with it Personally, I'd start with an adult's version - it's easier to modify down to a kids' book than the other way around, I think. Photos! Lots of photos, if you can. Drawings of the various decorations, cakes etc, including recipes. PS. Fellow Ipswichian? Hi! Last edited by nomesque; 11-25-2009 at 02:33 AM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Write MetaData changes to book files	tbergman	Calibre	3	01-03-2011 06:02 PM
Write and edit your own book now	frostine	Lounge	15	05-24-2009 10:54 PM
How many people want to write a book?	Bob Russell	Lounge	60	09-05-2008 01:20 PM
80% of Americans want to write a book	Bob Russell	Lounge	10	02-09-2007 07:06 AM
Why write an e-book? An author provides answers	Bob Russell	News	2	05-17-2006 06:13 AM

11-25-2009, 02:54 AM	#3
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	Lene, I can't off the top of my head think of any, but my first suggestion is to ask for recommendations of well-written family-focussed (auto?)biographies. The first that came to mind was Dawn French's Dear Fatty, though I must admit I haven't read it - I just like Dawn French. However, hopefully some will be along with some suggestions. In my subjective opinion, I wouldn't write it to or for children. This does not preclude it being read to or by children, but if you give yourself that specific limitation I suspect you may suppress being forthright, and limit your scope. Write to an adult in a clear, concise, simple, open and friendly manner, and I think you'll find that the side-effect is that child-friendliness will come built-in. Even the slightly salacious moment, or the occasional "blue" words, remembered and written (if not extending into gratuitous or extreme) can be read by children, and often with some more delight than even the adults get from it. I personally wouldn't call it anything yet. If you want to give it a working title, something simple like Family Secrets or Family Traditions will work, but I think you'll find the title will grow in your mind out of the content you write. Don't let a title get in the way of starting though. Ideas? I don't know. Perhaps you could write it as a calendar of significant dates. So, for instance, you might have a chapter called "December 25" and write about memories and Christmas traditions (and recipes, yum!). You might have a chapter called "March 27th", and write about how you first met your partner (assuming it was on March 27th, which it probably wasn't because I just pulled that date out of the air, but you get the point. ). Build it as a progressing calendar year of significant dates (almost like a year-long advent calendar?), and it doesn't matter if the content of the chapter stretches well beyond that date - the point is that the date marks a moment around which things occurred, before and after and even into the future. That's just an idea though, and probably a stupid one. There's always Dawn French's idea of writing letters to people. Cheers, Marc

11-25-2009, 02:55 AM	#4
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	Oh, yeah, exactly what nomesque says...pictures!

11-25-2009, 03:39 AM	#5
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,110 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	What a great idea, lene! I think Naomi and Marc gave some really good ideas. I love learning about different traditions especially if the information is accompanied with photos, recipes, and other tidbits. Your book would be something to be handed down through the generations. Just start writing and collecting the photos and recipes. The organizing can be done later when you decide how to lay it out. Good luck.

11-25-2009, 03:48 AM	#6
Katti's Cat Wizard Posts: 2,259 Karma: 175640 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Device: Sony PRS-600	Love the idea Lene. I recommend to write as you speak - that way your voice will be preserved as well. Try and keep it light with funny stories (i'm sure you have plenty, having made the transition myself). Tell it as it was, as you remember. I wouldn't worry too much about a childrens version - they grow up and you wouldn't want them not to touch the story again. Maybe leave room for future generations to include their experience in case they are going back to good old Germany and experience what you have written about. Good Luck and have fun writing.

11-25-2009, 04:15 AM	#8
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	Thanks, everyone... It will be written as I speak, and there will be some funny moments, when I tried to speak English, after arriving in Australia... I just spoke as I heard it, or as I found it in my dictionary... like: Good Onion for Good on ya. And asking the hardware store for a garden snake, instead of a garden hose... I just kept going using my English the way I thought/learned... Yes... there'll be lots of pictures, and the language will be simple

11-25-2009, 04:21 AM	#9
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	The only problem I have is that I don't have a creative bone in my body Despite this I'm going to try... I would really like the future generations to know about their heritage...

11-25-2009, 04:25 AM	#10
Katti's Cat Wizard Posts: 2,259 Karma: 175640 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Device: Sony PRS-600	That can't be true Lene - you already have the idea. That's creative. You just don't know how yet. Start writing down - you will get better / smoother as you go. Start with a collection of stories, experiences etc. The rest is just window dressing. Hehe I can relate to the garden snake - I told everyone 'my water broke and we had to drink beer' after the main water pipe ruptured the night before

11-25-2009, 04:30 AM	#11
Dave d Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sydney Australia Device: Sony 600	Seems to be a lot of queenslanders on here I didn't know you guys could read

11-25-2009, 04:36 AM	#12
Katti's Cat Wizard Posts: 2,259 Karma: 175640 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Device: Sony PRS-600	We can - but that's because we are Germans that have raised the Qld IQ by considerable amount

11-25-2009, 04:41 AM	#14
Katti's Cat Wizard Posts: 2,259 Karma: 175640 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Device: Sony PRS-600	The funniest bit was that I told that to a group of guys and didn't quite get why they were looking so embarrassed

Advert

Advert

11-25-2009, 04:47 AM	#15
weedfreak Addict Posts: 302 Karma: 185297 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ankh Morpork Device: calibre	Another suggestion might be to get hold of a genealogy program, I use Gramps (it is free and good) and at the same time as you are filling in the family history narrative you can fill in as much as you know of the family roots. The information you put into the genealogy program is invaluable to future generations and it does help to trigger more facts. Most genealogy software also includes some method of creating a family history book, which might give you some starting points for your own book. Be aware that genealogical research is more addictive than reading! I have traced different family lines back to 1520 in England, 1050 in Norman France, 1600's East Prussia and made contact with many previously unknown living cousins worldwide.