Want To Be A Geneablogger?

Created on Wordle.com by Fran Ellsworth

My thoughts recently turned to new Bloggers or those that feel the inner pull to join in and and start blogging.  Many I have talked to have wonderful stories to share but are hesitant because they are not sure of what to blog or how to blog.

Following that train of thought I was led to my first year of learning to blog. My daughter set my blog up for me. I had no idea of what I was doing until I found Geneabloggers or should I say they found me and commented on my first blog post. They started expanding my thoughts out to more than just my Hero stories. I  had been motivated by wanting to write my Hero stories, but felt unprepared as to how to thes.  I began visiting other blogs such as Carol on Reflections From the Fence, and Lori's Family Trees May Contain Nuts and Jen on Muddy Boot Dreams.  These ladies introduced me to others through activities and comments on their blogs.   These bloggers also introduced me to Jill GeniAus and Julie Angler Rest. All the blogs I read gave ideas, encouragement, and some how to do research and write about it. They spurred me along.
So if you are pulled toward blogging, you should do it.  It is a lot of fun, you learn so much about yourself and finally about your ancestors.  Why do I say about yourself?  Because you will discover how creative you can become, or maybe how devoted to detail you are, and maybe even become a techie person like Caroline Pointer 4 Your Family Story who started out writing her family history stories.  There is so much diversity in genealogy bloggers. They are from all over the world, I have geni-friends from India, England, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Ireland, Canada, and I know I have missed some.  The stories they share are as diverse as they are but the emotional element is the same. Love, strife, challenges, pride, pain, intrigue, etc., they are all felt across the world.
Going back to where I started, if you feel the pull to join the genealogy bloggers and put out some cousin bait as some call it, then here are a few places that can help you with setting out on this journey.

Found on ClipArt Panda

Thomas MacEntee has created the greatest resource for a beginning blogger... GeneaBloggers. Just look at the titles Blog Resources.  Here you find How to Create a blog resources, templates and design tools links.  I started with my own thoughts on my blog picture and haven't changed it... guess I am like that.

He also has Daily Blogging Prompts that will help if you think you don't have any ideas.  Once you have created your blog you can join the Genealogy Blog Roll. Basically we should all be grateful to Thomas for all he does for genealogy blogging. This specific post is a great one. Genealogy Blog Primer 

Kimberly Powell who writes about genealogy on About.com offers this Blogging Your Family History

Lisa Cooke, I love her pod casts, has this on YouTube. How to Blog About Your Family History.

Legacy Family Tree Webinars has a great one on Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE

There are more, but these should be of great help to you. Once you get started you will want to follow fellow genealogy bloggers. You will find the ones that help. You do not have to be a professional genealogist to write your family history blog.

With these thoughts, I will sign off for another month. I hope this finds someone who is on the fence about blogging and they will join our ranks.