Developing a biography is a great experience and a tribute. To see it published is a very worthwhile and exciting experience indeed. Publication can also lead to further contacts and information coming to light.
However, biographies take quite a time to develop, format, edit and prepare for publication. Therefore, here are a few notes to clarify the process and to save everyone time and expense. Thanks for reading them.
The main steps in developing a biography are as follows
- Agree to develop a biography (family and web site editor)
- Draft a biography using the format and sections of existing biographies on the site (family)
- Provide a draft for editing (family)
- If available, provide images of census returns (family)
- Provide other images – e.g. photos, certificates, adverts etc. (family)
- Edit and send to the family for comment and sign off (editor)
- Comment, amend and return to the editor (family)
- Finalise (editor)
- Arrange publication via the website manager (editor)
- Advise family when published (editor)
- Amend at any time in the future if required (editor).
To help smooth the process and to reduce the cost, please note the following important points
- The format should follow that already used in existing biographies as closely as possible
- Drafts must be in Microsoft Word (i.e. a .doc file or a .docx file)
- Images can be inserted in the Word file BUT each image (photo, certificate, advert etc.) should be supplied as a SEPARATE .jpg file as well
- Images should be scanned at 300dpi if possible. Images at lower qualities can be used but may have to be published at a small size only
- Scans should be sent by email with a maximum of two scans per email
- At sign off, all additions to the text of draft biographies should be highlighted in RED
- At sign off, all proposed deletions should be highlighted in GREEN, please do NOT delete the words.
Any queries, just Contact Us.