Issue 24.11
It’s one thing to look at your biography on a computer screen, and another thing to print it out to hold in your hands. Congratulate yourself if you’re at this point, if not-just keep working on your rough draft and write daily. Remember the deadline of Nov 7, 2011-that’s the Senior Sampler Veteran’s Week. You still have time to edit your work in progress or even begin writing your life story.
By now you should have added page numbers to your rough draft on the computer and decided on your final paper size and margins (suggestions-1 inch top, bottom and right, 1.5 inch on the left for binding) before printing it out. If you have more than 100 pages, your history is too long. I generally do my histories on 8.5”x 11” inches standard paper size, but there are other options available. For a shorter life history that I made for my grandkids once I cut that size in half. It was a much smaller book for them to read 5.5”x 8.5.” and written in simpler language to fit their interest span.
It’s possible to publish online via a blog or webpage or just in episodes via emails or on Facebook. You can also do both print and online. Use Internet resources to generate interest in your printed history especially with the younger generation. You could convert your completed biography to a pdf file that can be copied onto a CD/DVD and mailed to others for them to print out or you could make a video or recording of you telling your story. If all of this seems like Greek to you, talk to your family’s computer guru and get some help to utilize technology.
As you are continuing to edit, you can still add photos, captions, chapter headings, etc. But realize each change you make can cause other sections of your story to move. Always start editing on the computer from the first of your story. I like to print my history out and write in corrections or additions in the margins. Then, it’s time to go back to the rough draft on the computer and add or delete parts I want to improve upon.
Breaking your history down into chapters helps. It’s that old adage about eating the elephant at one sitting. Just tackle this job of editing in stages. Chapter one, then the next one, etc; soon you’ll have it under control.
Next Time: What is Your Title? Contact lin@sunrivertoday.com or call (435) 628-8522 to signup for the deadline of Nov. 7 to finish your family history or to purchase her latest book “Family Home Evenings for Empty Nesters and Singles” for $10.