When people think about family history, they often imagine thick binders, long family trees, and hours of research. But in today’s digital world, storytelling can be quick, visual, and incredibly powerful. That’s where short-form storytelling comes in — the art of sharing your ancestor’s life in under a minute.

Every memorable story — whether it’s in a book, a movie, or passed down through family — follows a structure. In genealogy, that structure helps transform facts into a narrative people want to hear. One of the simplest and most powerful storytelling tools is The Story Arc. It has three main parts: Setting, Conflict or Change, and Resolution.

If you’ve been researching your family history for a while, you probably have folders full of records — census pages, ship manifests, military files, letters, photographs. But here’s the thing: a record alone isn’t a story.

Family history isn’t just about names and dates on a tree — it’s about bringing those people back to life through the stories we tell....

Some places are more than just locations on a map—they're anchors in our family's timeline. For my family, that place is Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s where I was born. It’s also where my mom was born. And my grandparents. And my great-grandparents. And even my great-great-grandparents.

Our ancestors are more than just names in a tree—they’re the roots that hold us up. Their choices shaped the lives we live today, including something as simple and as profound as where we were born. It’s a little wild to think about: the reason I was born in America is because someone—several someones—made the life-changing decision to leave everything behind and start over here. Just as my decisions shaped where my children were born, their decisions shaped me.

In the history of my maternal line, one remarkable woman rises to the surface again and again—Emma Jane Apps, my 2nd great-grandmother. Born into a time when women’s choices were often limited, Emma didn’t just survive—she thrived. She became a postmaster, a landowner, and a woman who knew her worth, even when the world tried to tell her otherwise.

As I sift through old records and fragile pages, I often feel like I’m chasing echoes—traces of lives that still ripple through mine. This time, the trail led me to my paternal 2nd great-grandparents, Hugh and Anna (McFarland) Kerr—two brave souls who left Ireland behind for a new life in America.

The stories of our ancestors often carry threads of resilience, love, and the quiet strength that builds generations. One of those stories belongs to my 2nd great-grandfather, Hugh Kerr, a man whose journey from Northern Ireland to western New York has left a lasting mark on my family tree.

In my search for family roots, one mystery has tugged at me for years: my German heritage. My maternal grandfather, Edwin Steinbrecher, was the keeper of that part of our story, but he passed before I ever got to ask the questions I carry now. His name connects me to our German lineage, but the full story still feels just out of reach.

In 2023, I began to dive into the world of emotional inheritance and this book changed the way I looked at my ancestors’ lives and how their experiences may have impacted me. Emotional Inheritance by Galit Atlas, Ph.D. isn’t just a book—it’s a powerful journey into the emotional legacies we carry. Atlas weaves together psychological theory and real-life stories to explain how trauma, silence, and unspoken feelings are passed down from generation to generation.

Once upon a time, genealogy was confined to dusty libraries and handwritten charts. Then came the internet, and with it, a digital revolution that changed everything. However, it wasn't until social media emerged that genealogy truly became a community-driven, globally connected, and storytelling-rich experience. As we stand in 2025, it's the perfect moment to reflect on how we arrived here and where we're headed next.

I was invited to read an advance copy of Yet by Helen Parker-Drabble. I thought I was picking up a historical biography, but what I didn’t expect was how deeply this story would reach into my heart and stay there.

A New Era in Genealogy I still remember when my family bought our first microwave during my junior high years. It was a big deal, an appliance that promised to cook and reheat food much faster than we were used to. I even earned a Girl Scout badge that year because I took a class on how to use it safely. But there was also concern. Was it really safe? Would it change the way we cook forever?

If your historical or genealogical society has ever posted on social media and felt like you were shouting into the void, you’re not alone. Organic reach can feel unpredictable, but it’s far from dead.

The Digital Hesitation Social media often feels like a fast-moving train that left the station before many of us even bought a ticket. For genealogists, especially those who didn’t grow up with a smartphone in hand, the idea of diving into Facebook groups, hashtags, or trends can be intimidating, even off-putting. The platforms shift constantly, the etiquette feels unspoken, and there’s always the nagging worry of oversharing or getting lost in the scroll.

When social media first burst onto the scene, it was all about connection — instantly sharing photos, updates, and life moments with family and friends, no matter the distance. For genealogists, it became a thrilling new way to share family tree discoveries, vintage photos, and ancestral stories with relatives who might otherwise never hear them.

Even though I struggled with history in school, I’ve always been drawn to the past. I think that fascination started when I was a little girl in the 1970s, on a family trip to Cyprus. I remember walking through the Tombs of the Kings near Paphos—ancient underground tombs carved from solid rock. There weren’t really any kings buried there, but I remember how the tour guide mentioned the size of the tomb, telling us if a child or an adult was buried within each location. I also

This past weekend, I finally carved out some time to explore the FamilySearch Community, and I was surprised by how much is packed into it!

As a family historian and social media storyteller, I’m always on the lookout for books that inspire and challenge how I share my family history journey. Doug Tattershall’s Storytelling for Genealogists: Turning Family Lineage into Family History is exactly that kind of book. It is a thoughtful and practical guide that encourages genealogists to move beyond charts and records and craft stories that bring their ancestors to life.