2025-11-15 Writing Family History (In-Person)
Schedule:
New Date: November 15 (9:00 am-5:00 pm CT)
Instructor:
Jim Johnson
Location:
This is an in-person class held at Vesterheim Folk Art School.
This class is for beginning as well as experienced writers who want to a write memoir or family history. While parts of our culture can be lost, forgotten, or destroyed, they can also be found, remembered, and rebuilt. Writing is a way to retrieve and remember, as well as rediscover.
Timed writing and journaling will be presented as a way into the writing process. Of course, writers should bring pen or pencil and paper or a notebook.
Participants will write during class and are encouraged to bring personal and family objects, memorabilia, photos, letters, or newspaper articles to inspire writing. Or they can write from memory. Discussion will focus on how to generate ideas and how to find forms to fit the stories.
Since research can further what we know, understanding how to use libraries, universities, and search engines is important in memoir/family history. Don’t forget that way before the 20th century (as far back as 13th century), books were used to keep records. The use of stories, interviews, and imagination/speculation will also be discussed.
More discussion on the writing process, such as editing, will follow. Publishers, self-publishing, and scrapbooking can be discussed.
This class is to help participants feel confident they can write family or personal history.
Level of Instruction:
All levels. No prior writing experience is necessary.
Supplies:
- Pen or pencil
- Paper or a notebook
- Optional but encouraged: family objects, memorabilia, photos, letters, newspaper articles.
Enrollment Deadline:
Click here to learn more about instructor Jim Johnson.
Supported in part by a generous gift to the Vesterheim Annual Fund from Liz Platou and Aaron Schroeder.