Researching your family history can uncover fascinating facts and threads of stories that fiction writers envy. But how do you take the information you’ve gathered and turn it into a story others will want to read? Your audience might be your family, friends, fellow genealogists or the broader public. Whoever it is, they want more than a list of dates and events and a family tree. In this interactive introductory workshop, Dr Betty O’Neill will guide you through the elements of writing that make non-fiction engaging for readers and help you explore the forms that are suitable for your audience and the story you want to tell. You will have opportunities to work on current or planned writing projects and time to discuss your writing with Betty and other group members.
This course is ideal for: Anyone who wants to write their family history to share with others
You will:
- Discover the appropriate genres, media and forms for your audience
- Review your research using planning tools and checklists
- Explore narrative structure and story mapping
- Experiment with 9 story-telling essentials
- Plan your next steps to confidently start crafting your family history
Dr Betty O’Neill is a Sydney-based author and educator with a lively curiosity and passion for family history. She is a lecturer in Creative Intelligence at the University of Technology, Sydney and a Director on the Board of the Society of Australian Genealogists. She has appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? and been interviewed by many, including Sarah Kanowski, ABC Conversations about her debut memoir, The Other Side of Absence: Discovering my father’s secrets, published in 2020. See Betty’s website for interviews and other information www.bettyoneill.com
