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Old 11-25-2009, 01:05 AM   #1
lene1949
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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
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Old 11-25-2009, 02:29 AM   #2
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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.
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Old 11-25-2009, 02:54 AM   #3
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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
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Old 11-25-2009, 02:55 AM   #4
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Oh, yeah, exactly what nomesque says...pictures!
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Old 11-25-2009, 03:39 AM   #5
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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.
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Old 11-25-2009, 03:48 AM   #6
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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.
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:05 AM   #7
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Yay!


PS. Fellow Ipswichian? Hi!
Yep... I'm in Redbank Plains... Hi! to you, too..
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:15 AM   #8
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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
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:21 AM   #9
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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...
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:25 AM   #10
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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
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:30 AM   #11
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Seems to be a lot of queenslanders on here
I didn't know you guys could read
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:36 AM   #12
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We can - but that's because we are Germans that have raised the Qld IQ by considerable amount
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:38 AM   #13
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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...
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:41 AM   #14
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The funniest bit was that I told that to a group of guys and didn't quite get why they were looking so embarrassed
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Old 11-25-2009, 04:47 AM   #15
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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.
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