By ALYSSA MOSES
Anyone writing a biography needs to find meaning and purpose in what they are doing, said Roger C. Flick in his class about writing biographies for pioneer ancestors.
The class 'Guidelines for Writing Biographies of Pioneer Ancestors' was given on Wednesday during Education Week at BYU.
'I told a man once, if you don't write your family history, someone else will,' Flick said. 'And who knows what they'll say about you.'
This motivated the man to take five years to write his own history. The finished history contained multiple volumes.
As an alternative to writing a book, people could also create an online program and provide an update about an ancestor each month, Flick said. The site could be a family organization and require a subscription whose proceeds would support your research, suggested Flick.
'If you put the right information out there, there will be people who are grateful for what you are doing and want to contribute,' Flick said.
Flick told a story about a pioneer woman who wanted to take her piano with her as she crossed the plains. The members of the company eventually forced her to leave behind the piano in the middle of the plains because it was slowing them down. Later, when the woman was unaccounted for, the company sent out a search party and found her five miles away - playing her piano.
The company then decided to bring the piano with them. It was the first piano in Salt Lake City, and people came to take lessons and hear her play.
'This woman could be one of your ancestors,' Flick said. 'We need these stories.'
Flick said he hopes the class will inspire many new people to write biographies that can be included in the museums for the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and the Sons of Utah Pioneers, of which Flick is a member.
When writing a biography, make sure you have enough information to determine the themes in a person's life, Flick said. He suggested that a biography be written in episodes for each phase of a person's life. According to the class, people are more interested in reading biographies made up of episodes, or stories and experiences, than anything else.
Flick suggested that the biographies include a preface that states the purpose of the book. It can include how the book came into being and how the person who is the subject of the work is connected to you and your family. He also recommends an index, noting that they can be difficult to create, but very useful to those who will read the book.
'For the sake of those who read the book, put the biography in a double column format,' Flick said. 'It is easier to read and it accommodates pictures very well.'
He also encourages the writers in the class to use footnotes, which are easily accessible to the reader and do not impede the flow of reading. Also, include a cover page with a picture of the subject and his or her brief biological information.
In your biography, make sure the bibliography that identifies your work is complete, Flick said. The bibliography will help other history researchers find the information easier. Also, use a 'good descriptive title' that will identify the work.
The Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) has tens of thousands of personal family histories. The histories are contained in books, on microfiche, and on microfilm. People can search for these biographical histories on the BYU catalog using the person's name or surname.
Many of the books are unique to the HBLL, meaning they cannot be found anywhere else. According to Flick, the library specializes in local history because it is beneficial to many of the classes here at BYU.