Anyone today can self-publish. No longer is it necessary to find an agent to secure a book transaction with one of the major publishers before you publish. Several ways today make publishing possible thanks to new technology. It can be simple or complex, but you can now publish from home if you have an idea and a computer. Have you spent years working on a project such as cemetery research or inventory? On the other hand, maybe you are an expert at courthouse research and want to pass along your technique. It does not have to relate to family history. I just finished a hard cover book with colored pictures about a recent wedding I attended for two good friends. It had a hard cover and shiny pages, but was only 20 pages. It is the first hard cover book I have published in many years.
These days I usually take the easy route when publishing. I use MS Word. It goes quickly and I do not have to learn the program. I have used MS Publisher, but it actually is only for small publications [less than 50-60 pages before it begins to act up. You would not think this would happen with the expensive Microsoft Office 2010. However, the MS website has a 25-page downloadable family history template. I still use it for posters/flyers and things I have to create.
I have used Adobe Publisher in the past, but it sometimes loses its mind and the fonts become messed up. It seems to be limiting because of its hefty price. Nevertheless, I do love its professional look.
Sometimes in Word, I just write and put the new chapter at the end of the one I’ve just finished. Other times I make different files of each chapter [the easiest way] and combine them in the end. You can use continuous numbering or go the easy route and mark each page with the chapter number followed by the page. Word allows for the index and contents to be marked as you type [using a code] so that part is easy to create. Use the font name and size that is easy for you audience to read.
When you want, take it to Kinko’s who will publish it in a perfect binding [black tape on the spine]. For the family, I send it as a PDF attachment to Blueprint in Plano at Hwy 5 & Park. They are easy to work with and follow my instructions for a soft, colored, or black cover with, or without, a clear protector on the front. This is rather inexpensive. You can supply acid free paper for the project—or not. Or, work with one of the office supply printers.
To send a copy to the Family History Library (FHL), send a PDF copy on a CD and mail it to them. I give them permission to digitize it for their website and publish a hard copy of it for their library. By sending the file on CD, it is easy for them to get it up on their site easily and quickly. I send two hard copies to the Library of Congress, one each to Allen County Public Library and the counties covered in the book.
ANCESTRY ACQUIRES FOOTNOTE.COM: In September, Footnote.com (a part of iArchives) agreed to be acquired by Ancestry.com for $27 million in stock, cash and debt. Business Week said the acquisition “will provide it with a complementary consumer brand, expand content, and enhanced digitization and image-viewing technologies.”
Tim Sullivan, president and CEO of Ancestry.com says, “by promoting Footnote to our Ancestry audience, we hope to expand its reach among researchers who care about early American records. Footnote.com is highly complementary to Ancestry.com's online family history offering. iArchives also brings outstanding image-viewing technology and content digitization capabilities that will improve our leadership position in bringing valuable historical records to the market.”
What does this mean for the genealogical community who own subscriptions to both of these companies? Currently, Footnote.com plans to run the way it always has because of the benefit to its customers. Only time will tell.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].