A new book to help you write the hard stories

Brave the Page by trauma-informed writing coach Megan Febuary shares how to probe memories, write about your hard experiences, and find healing.

reviews, memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeJuly 21, 2025how to write about trauma, brave the page by megan febuary book review, helpful book for writing about traumaComment

Life Story Links: July 15, 2025

Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for the week of July 15, 2025, includes recent stories of interest to personal historians, preservationists, and family history fans.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeJuly 15, 2025curated list of stories for family historians, personal history in the news, family history in the news, legacy news roundupComment

The case for classic design

A book that captures your legacy should be designed with longevity in mind, so it remains engaging and accessible for generations. It should be beautiful, too.

book ideas & inspiration, dawn's musingsDawn M. RoodeJuly 7, 2025the best book design for a family history book or life story, how to design a book so it still looks good years later, elements of timeless book design, book design Comments

Life Story Links: July 1, 2025

Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for the week of July 1, 2025, includes recent stories of interest to personal historians, preservationists, and family history fans.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeJuly 1, 2025curated list of stories for family historians, personal history in the news, family history in the news, legacy news roundupComment

“The messy middle”: Pushing through the toughest part of memoir writing

You start out with excitement and fervor—blank pages are feverishly filled with stories about your life. But what can you do when your memoir momentum wanes?

memoir & writingDawn M. RoodeJune 23, 2025what to do when i am stuck on my memoir writing, how to battle writers block for my memoir, why can't i finish my life storyComment

Life Story Links: June 17, 2025

Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for the week of June 7, 2025, includes recent stories of interest to personal historians, preservationists, and family history fans.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeJune 17, 2025curated list of stories for family historians, personal history in the news, family history in the news, legacy news roundupComment

How to photograph your family heirlooms like a pro

Cataloguing your family heirlooms in a book is a great way to pass down their stories. Here are some tips for capturing incredible images of them, too.

family history, photo legacyDawn M. RoodeJune 9, 2025family heirlooms, how to photograph family heirlooms, preserving family heirlooms, the stories of our stuffComment

Life Story Links: June 3, 2025

Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for the week of June 2, 2025, includes recent stories of interest to personal historians, preservationists, and family history fans.

curated roundupsDawn M. RoodeJune 3, 2025curated list of stories for family historians, personal history in the news, family history in the news, legacy news roundupComment