Breaking the Brick Wall

Why Genealogists Struggle with Writing Family History

Genealogists often spend years (decades in my experience) piecing together the past, uncovering stories through documents, records, photographs, and personal memories. Yet when it comes time to write these stories, many family historians hit a brick wall. The idea of writing a full-length family history, let alone poems, can feel overwhelming—where to start, how to organize the information, and how to make it engaging.

At this point, you can probably step into their shoes—how might they have felt? What were their hopes, fears, or daily struggles? A poem written in your ancestor’s voice and from his or her perspective can add depth and intimacy to this story. It’s not as long as a story, and you can condense feelings, facts, and a story all in one page. Learn how in this next article at Goin’ Poetic.