When All You Need is a Little ‘Prompt’

Over the last few years, I’ve been steadily working my way through writing the biographies of my eight great-grandparents and my sixteen 2× great-grandparents. It’s been a hugely rewarding process, but as anyone who blogs about family history will know, there comes a point where you pause, look up from the research, and think: what next?

With so many lives already documented, I’ve recently found myself looking ahead, trying to work out where to focus my attention next and what possible themes might shape future blog posts about my ancestors. And, as I so often do when I hit that familiar crossroads, I decided not to struggle on my own; instead, I threw the question of “what should I write about next?” out to you all.

Once again, my wonderful “Genie Friends” didn’t let me down. What came back was nothing short of staggering, a generous, thoughtful, and inspiring list of ideas that reminded me just how creative and supportive this genealogy community really is.

Rather than let those ideas quietly fade away in a notebook or disappear into the depths of social media, I thought it might be useful to gather them all together in one place. So this blog is essentially a little collection of writing prompts, some suggested by others, some of my own, designed to help anyone who might be feeling a bit stuck or uninspired. Hopefully, a few of these ideas will spark something for you, too.

There’s also a certain irony here. I asked for ideas for my next blog… and that request has now become the blog itself! Proof, perhaps, that sometimes inspiration appears when you stop searching for it so hard.

What follows is a list of genealogy blogging prompts, in no particular order. They’re not rules, and they’re certainly not a checklist. You can adapt them, ignore them, or twist them into something entirely your own. After all, it’s your family tree, and how you choose to represent it is entirely personal. So, without further ado, here’s my little piece of motivation.

Genealogy Blogging Prompts

Write about collateral lines
Why not step away from your direct line for a moment and explore the collateral branches of your family tree, the aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings who often play only a “supporting role” in our research. These ancestors may not lead directly to us, but they still had full, complex lives of their own. Even those on the outermost branches of your tree have a voice, and their stories deserve to be told. In many ways, it’s our responsibility to make sure they’re heard.

Focus on a family artefact or heirloom
Family history isn’t just about names and dates; it’s also about objects. A photograph, a piece of jewellery, a battered suitcase, or a well-used tool can often tell us more than a document ever could. Last year, I wrote two blogs based on the wonderful family heirlooms people shared with me, and each one opened a door to a deeper story.

Write your own story
In our determination to document the lives of our ancestors, we sometimes forget to record our own. Yet one day, we will be the ancestors. Writing your own story, even in small pieces, is a gift to future generations, and one they’ll be incredibly grateful for.

Explore migrant ancestors
Most of us have migrants somewhere on our family tree, but how often do we stop to consider the wider historical context surrounding their journey? What circumstances forced them to leave? What were they hoping to find? Understanding the “why” behind migration can add real depth to an ancestor’s story.

Write about an occupation or industry
Perhaps several members of one branch of your family worked in the same trade or industry. Mining, farming, domestic service, and railway work each come with their own history and challenges. Exploring the wider context of an occupation can help you better understand the rhythms and realities of your ancestors’ daily lives.

That book you’ve always promised yourself
We all have one, don’t we? The book we keep saying we’ll write one day. Why not start now, even if it’s just one chapter or one story at a time?

The siblings who left no descendants
Write about those ancestors who never married and never had children, the ones who sit alone on the tree with nowhere else to go. Because their lines end with them, they’re often overlooked, yet their lives were no less meaningful.

Great aunts and great uncles
The siblings of your grandparents and great-grandparents lived through the same eras but often experienced life very differently. Their stories can offer a fascinating alternative perspective on familiar family history.

The ‘holy grail’ challenge
Tell the stories of all 32 of your 3× great-grandparents. Will I be alive long enough to finish that? Possibly not, but it’s a challenge for the bravest of the brave!

Shared historical events
Major moments in history shaped the lives of our ancestors in countless ways. What did evacuation mean to your family during the Second World War? How did rationing affect them? How did they cope during the Depression, when work was scarce and uncertainty was everywhere?

Brick-wall ancestors
Write about a particularly challenging ancestor and how you eventually broke through the research barriers. Sharing your process could help someone else facing the same frustrations, a true “brick wall buster.”

Naming patterns
Are there repeated names running through your family tree? Do you know why? I have ten relatives from one small Herefordshire village, all named Thomas Wootton. Perhaps you have Scottish or Irish ancestors following traditional naming conventions; these patterns often tell a story of their own.

Telling stories through photographs
Most of us have collections of family history photographs. Why not use them to tell a story visually? An ancestor’s life told through images can be incredibly powerful.

Women on the family tree
Women are so often the unsung heroes of our research. They may not leave much of a paper trail, but their contributions were vital. What was daily life like for a Victorian housewife? How did women cope with poverty, child loss, or being sent away to work in domestic service?

One-Name or One-Place studies
Why not take a deep dive into a single surname or a specific location? You might be surprised where it leads.

Blogging challenges
Structured challenges can be a great way to keep momentum going. I completed Amy Johnson Crow’s wonderful #52Ancestors challenge in 2020, a different topic every week for an entire year. Why not give it a try yourself?

Top ten ancestor stories
Instead of full biographies, choose one memorable story from different ancestors across your tree. Short, powerful snapshots can be just as engaging. (“My ancestor was a bank robber”… although, I should clarify, mine wasn’t!)

So, that’s just a selection of ideas to help get the creative juices flowing. If you have prompts of your own, feel free to drop me a message — perhaps this blog can grow into a kind of genealogical brain dump for blogging inspiration.

Sometimes, when you’re feeling stuck, all you really need… is a little prompt.

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