Creating a custom photo book, particularly ones themed around history or genealogy, can seem overwhelming. Consider these simple tricks to help you get started with your history.

Start With What You Know

It’s not necessary to begin with Adam and Eve in every book you create. Consider starting small. Browse through old boxes of photos that you already have on hand. As you browse through these photos, you’ll rediscover your own history. Be sure to write these memories down to help narrate your life story.

Also, remember to take pictures of your loved ones and create your own history.

Keep a Journal

Beyond being a great place to organize memories and discoveries, journal writing ensures that you write a bit of your own history each day. Though doing household chores with your children at first doesn’t seem interesting, you may later discover that the small things are what your family remembers most about you. And who knows? One day, your journals might make a great resource for your own children to draw from while they create their own history books.

Write in Your Voice

Let your readers glimpse your personality! Part of what makes recording family history so much fun is the way the stories are told. Consider the tone of your project. By writing in the same way you speak, you preserve part of yourself while memorializing your ancestors or family. The same sincerity you use to document each day in your journal should come through in your typewritten pages.

Edit, Edit, Edit!

Many people give up on their projects too soon because they expect everything to be perfect during the first draft. Allow yourself room to make mistakes. Remember that history wasn’t written in a day the first time so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time and multiple drafts for your photo book projects. Have fun with your project, and as you continue to create it, your book will flesh itself out to become it’s own family heirloom.