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  • Self-publishing advice please

    Hello! This is my first post, so hope it is in the right section. I want to make a book for my new baby grandchildren. I would like it to contain a simple 4/5 generation family tree, some photos of ancestors, information on places they've lived, jobs done etc, and also most importantly, to include some poems and stories my late father wrote for my children when they were young. I have googled and found sites such as Blurb and others but they are either in America or Europe, and I have no idea of the quality. I also don't know how to collate these very different things to make a coherent and readable book. Has anyone done anything like this? Any advice would be gratefully received. Thank you.
    Best wishes, Polly

    Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

  • #2
    Hello Polly and welcome to Family Tree Forum,

    do you have a family tree program? the reason I ask is that if you had something like 'Family Tree Maker' you can create and print off books with that program at home. I havent used it, but maybe some of our other members have and might give you a few pointers, :smilee:

    Last edited by Darksecretz; 12-01-11, 15:18.
    Julie
    They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

    .......I find dead people

    Comment


    • #3
      genealogyprinters.com - Family Tree and Chart Printers. The leading Family Tree Printing Company in the U.K. offers you the opportunity to design your printed family tree showing your ancestors. A beautiful way to show your heritage, family history and ancestry.


      This website is from the UK and they are researchers themselves and were members of this board.

      Edna

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by clematised View Post
        http://www.genealogyprinters.com/

        This website is from the UK and they are researchers themselves and were members of this board.

        Edna

        They still are Edna :smilee:
        Julie
        They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

        .......I find dead people

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks very much for this. Just had a look at Genealogy Printers and it looks like they just print trees, rather than publish/print books. One of the main things I want to do is incorporate the tree with my dad's poems and stories for children. I can find self-publishers who will print straightforward books, and genealogy sites who will print trees but I want to do both together! Trust me to be awkward!
          Best wishes, Polly

          Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

          Comment


          • #6
            ps I have Family Historian, and I am just getting to find my way around it. It is version 4. Don't think you can print/publish from it, as far as I can see.
            Best wishes, Polly

            Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

            Comment


            • #7
              Tribal pages is very good for producing an on-line tree with notes and photos. I don't know if you can publish from the site but it would give you a start organising your material.
              Anne

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by polly88 View Post
                ps I have Family Historian, and I am just getting to find my way around it. It is version 4. Don't think you can print/publish from it, as far as I can see.
                I think you can - at very least you can produce biographies (reports) of individuals, which you can then edit, add to, format font etc before printing out.
                It will also produce a variety of trees, or you can do your own using a table and removing various lines.
                You can then use word docs for your poems, perhaps creating a pictorial backdrop first. Add supplementary sheets with maps, photos whatever.
                Put in a binder. If you make your own, it can be added to in the future.

                Jay
                Last edited by Janet in Yorkshire; 12-01-11, 19:14. Reason: typing error
                Janet in Yorkshire



                Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                Comment


                • #9
                  With FTM you can select what you want in your book and click print, simple, I've done several for my rellies you can add your own pages re poems etc on A4 and take them to a printer and they will staple them together and put a binding on I got 70 pages done for £5

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I have done several self-print, self bind books which are quite nice, but for something special, as when I created a commemorative book for my OHs 70th birthday, I used a photobook firm in Australia which had an online wizard to use while I added text, photos etc. When I was happy with the result, it was simply a matter of ordering it online. I was very happy with the outcome - high quality glossy paper, good looking photos, great hardcover printed with an image of my choice.

                    The firm I used was Officeworks....but if you google 'photobooks', I'd be almost certain you will find something similar in the UK. You can specify size, layout and whether you want hard or soft covers.

                    I am about to try 'Blurb' for a more extensive publication of a family history, mostly because I didn't think the photobook format would handle the amount of text I have this time.

                    I am including a tree chart. To make this, I created a tree using Legacy Tree Draw, edited it until I was happy with it, then took a screen shot of it, which could be opened as an image in my paint shop pro software and saved as a jpeg. Once I had the image, I could insert this in the wizard in the regular way.

                    Willing to expound further, if this method appeals to you.
                    Last edited by Macbev; 15-01-11, 16:10.

                    Beverley



                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Macbev View Post
                      I have done several self-print, self bind books which are quite nice, but for something special, as when I created a commemorative book for my OHs 70th birthday, I used a photobook firm in Australia which had an online wizard to use while I added text, photos etc. When I was happy with the result, it was simply a matter of ordering it online. I was very happy with the outcome - high quality glossy paper, good looking photos, great hardcover printed with an image of my choice.

                      The firm I used was Officeworks....but if you google 'photobooks', I'd be almost certain you will find something similar in the UK. You can specify size, layout and whether you want hard or soft covers.

                      I am about to try 'Blurb' for a more extensive publication of a family history, mostly because I didn't think the photobook format would handle the amount of text I have this time.

                      I am including a tree chart. To make this, I created a tree using Legacy Tree Draw, edited it until I was happy with it, then took a screen shot of it, which could be opened as an image in my paint shop pro software and saved as a jpeg. Once I had the image, I could insert this in the wizard in the regular way.

                      Willing to expound further, if this method appeals to you.
                      Thanks for this Macbev. I've printed several photobooks in the past, which were quite successful - weddings etc but what I want to do is more complicated. It's the tree chart which makes it difficult for me. I'm getting myself very confused, as I have my tree in so many different places - Ancestry, FMP, GR, and on Family Historian. I really don't want to upload another GEDCOM to yet somewhere else. I'm sure I should be able to use the trees in these existing places somehow. I wish I was more pc literate! You sound as if you are way ahead of me! Screen shots, paint shops ???? Help! But I think you are right about Blurb. It seems to be a good site and quite straightforward. Do you know of anyone who has used it, and what the quality and price was like?


                      Originally posted by omskirk View Post
                      With FTM you can select what you want in your book and click print, simple, I've done several for my rellies you can add your own pages re poems etc on A4 and take them to a printer and they will staple them together and put a binding on I got 70 pages done for £5
                      Sadly I no longer have FTM, as I wanted to update, and looked at all the reviews, and ended up with Family Historian. Maybe that was a mistake, as I can't see how to consolidate the info into a "book". I'll keep on searching. But thanks anyway.

                      Originally posted by Janet in Yorkshire View Post
                      I think you can - at very least you can produce biographies (reports) of individuals, which you can then edit, add to, format font etc before printing out.
                      It will also produce a variety of trees, or you can do your own using a table and removing various lines.
                      You can then use word docs for your poems, perhaps creating a pictorial backdrop first. Add supplementary sheets with maps, photos whatever.
                      Put in a binder. If you make your own, it can be added to in the future.

                      Do you have FH Janet? I can see how you can isolate certain bits of your tree, and print off (haven't tried it yet) and how you can write reports but do you know if you can transfer these parts into a document that I could edit, and add photos and poems etc? I really can't see how to do that. Maybe I'm just being a bit slow.

                      Jay
                      Originally posted by anniern View Post
                      Tribal pages is very good for producing an on-line tree with notes and photos. I don't know if you can publish from the site but it would give you a start organising your material.
                      Tribal pages looks excellent but a bit complicated. Maybe it's because I can't get past the Royal Family!! I will have another serious look at it. Thanks very much.
                      Best wishes, Polly

                      Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Janet - sorry I made a mistake in my reply. I was trying to be clever and do the multi-quote thing, and my reply to you got entangled with your quote! I will get better! Anyway, thanks for your help.
                        Best wishes, Polly

                        Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by polly88 View Post
                          Sadly I no longer have FTM, as I wanted to update, and looked at all the reviews, and ended up with Family Historian. Maybe that was a mistake, as I can't see how to consolidate the info into a "book". I'll keep on searching. But thanks anyway.
                          You can certainly produce various charts and reports using Family Historian which can be used for sections of your book.
                          Might be worth taking a look at the Family Historian Tour which might give you some ideas.

                          There is also a dedicated Family Historian User Group should you need further help.

                          If you don't want to go down the route of actually publishing your research into a formal book, then an alternative to a ring binder format is a springback folder which can be purchased from sites such as www.my-history.co.uk
                          The benefit of this type of presentation is that you can continue to add to it as your research progresses and using the springback type folder means that there is no need to punch holes in the paper which run the risk of tearing over time. I would suggest you also buy some good quality printing paper of at least 90 or 100g weight so that you can print on both sides of the paper. Folders are available in A4 portrait and landscape format.
                          Elaine







                          Comment


                          • #14
                            With Family Historian, click to highlight a person in the list, then click on the report tab at the top. You get a choice of reports. If you click on individual, the data you've put in is shown as a report. Click to save this as a rt doc - then open this and it will come up as a word doc which you can then edit and format. (I use this facility a lot, especially for exchanging info with others.)
                            I know you can do trees too, but this perhaps requires a bit of practice in editing & formatting.
                            Version 3 has an onscreen tutorial - I found it helpful to keep on giving myself a lesson, but only stuck to acquiring the basics.
                            Go on, have a bit of a fiddle and experiment with pressing some of the tabs. I believe version 4 allows you to import photos & sound clips???

                            If you use the report facility to transform your data on individuals into profiles saved as MSWord docs, you can then place pics, poems etc wherever you wish in each doc, add captions, wrap text around, whatever, depending on your word processing skills.

                            Jay
                            Janet in Yorkshire



                            Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I have done a few smaller booklets and am working on one up to 40 pages to include census, various certs and docs but no actual diagram of a tree. I have done some in publisher and used special 100gram paper for the text body, Ilford photographic paper for photographs and laminated back and front with suitable title and back covers and the booklet bound with a spiral spring professionally by a local company. Cost to me has been £9 each one. Self publishing through a company sometimes means a minimum edition of 1000 copies so if you are self publishing do look at the requirements for the minimum amount. My 40 page one is being done in Word using some of the material from the reports in Family Historian 4 but I do not know how much this will cost me to have bound professionally. The Family Hstorian 4 reports are really good.

                              Janet
                              Last edited by Janet; 16-01-11, 12:50.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Polly, this is the sort of simplified chart I created. It can be far more detailed....but I only wanted an overview to help people make sense of the text.



                                A screen shot is quite simple.........when you have something on your computer screen you would like to copy, you simply hit the 'Print Scrn' button.....mine is at the top right of my keyboard beside the F12 key. Then you open your photo editing software, right click, and click on 'paste as new image'. You can crop this to leave only the bit of image you want and save in the ordinary way as a photo.

                                Another approach, if you don't have any means of making a tree, is to manually draw it, scan it and go from there.

                                You could also use a publishing tool like Serif Page Plus8 (google for it) which can accept text, photos, will paginate, can be saved as a PDF file...and you can create a tree chart yourself by using the tools provided to draw lines, add text boxes and insert text, although this is fiddly and takes some practice. You can print this out yourself (recommend using heavier weight paper than the normal so you can print on both sides without 'bleeding' occurring) or save your work as a PDF file that can be accepted by a commercial printer if you want the professional touch.

                                Happy to answer any queries....PM me if you like. I'm no expert, but i have learned the hard way by teaching myself, so I won't blind you with science :Big Grin:

                                Beverley



                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Thanks Elaine - I will definitely joint FH user group; I haven't had FH for long and need to dedicate some time to looking at it in detail. I have already had a look at my-history website. It certainly has lots of interesting things for sale. I think I would like to do a bound book; I know that my-history do those too but you have to download a program, and it looks very complicated; I have to weight up the intricacies!
                                  Best wishes, Polly

                                  Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Ooh Janet, I've just tried it, and it's fantastic! I had no idea you could do that with FH. I shall definitely have a play around with it. Those reports would be ideal for printing and putting into a book. Thanks very much indeed.
                                    Best wishes, Polly

                                    Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Janet & Macbev - Thanks for your help. This is certainly a steep learning curve for me! Great ideas. I had no idea what Prt Sc meant! I am going to enjoy myself playing around with all this. I really am very grateful to you all for your help. I may be back to ask more questions!
                                      Best wishes, Polly

                                      Begley - St Helens & Liverpool & somewhere in Ireland; Foster - Liverpool & Yorkshire (Ripon & Leeds); Pendleton - Huyton & Liverpool; Milnes - Leeds & Ripon; Banister - Preston; Wales - Liverpool & Cumberland; Ireland - Prescot; McDonough - Liverpool; Quirk - Liverpool; Hunt - St Helens; Tickle - St Helens

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