Write the Damn Book!

I’ve been using Family Tree Maker software to document my family history essentially since the software came out. Here and there, I’ve tried other software like Legacy and Roots Magic, and there are differences between those three. I always come back to Family Tree Maker mostly due to the familiarity.

Once upon a time, there was the capability to write a family history book within Family Tree Maker. While it was a little clunky and cumbersome, but it was something doable. Over time with updates, some parts of that capability have changed. Don’t get me wrong, you can still attempt it, but it would take too much time.

Thankfully, being part of different Facebook groups, I learned of a plug-in for Family Tree Maker that really helps with importing and formatting a book. It’s called “Family Book Creator” and it is awesome.

I have been working with FBC to finally write the Damn Book! For my first book, I am concentrating on the ancestors of my maternal grandfather, my “Pop-Pop”. I thought that it would be easier for someone reading the book if it was concentrated along one family line. Since I have been doing research forever, I could easily understand a book with “everyone” included, but the goal is for the non-researcher to be able to follow along the generations.

I finally have a draft that is formatted the way that I want to present the book, and I am slowly editing the draft. I’m sure that will take a few weeks to months, depending on how much time and effort I am able to put into the finished product. As soon as I wrap it up, I will happily share a few pictures.

As full disclosure, the opinions expressed here regarding software a strictly my own- there is no affiliation or compensation for me.