Research Write Connect Blog

Designed by author and educator Lisa Alzo to be a place to learn from accomplished genealogy and writing instructors, Research Write Connect includes an evolving series of courses sure to help you level up your skills.

 Learn how to share compelling stories through beginner and advanced writing courses, how to begin your genealogy research, and how to use the giant genealogy websites.  Develop your research skills through specialty topics such as finding female ancestors, DNA, vital events, city directories, the genealogical proof standard, U.S. government records, and much more.

And now through 30 June 2022, save $20 off any course or coaching service with coupon code LISA20.

Learn more our courses by clicking the links below.

Genealogy Courses

If you want to level up your genealogy or writing skills check out our Black Friday Sale at Research Write Connect!

Whether you are a beginner who wants to explore family history, understand DNA testing and specific record sets, or an experienced researcher hoping to write your family history or memoir, then take advantage of our Black Friday Sale and save 50% on all classes and 1:1 Coaching services at Research, Write, Connect through , Tuesday, 30 November 2021!  (Note: Offer is not valid on past purchases).

Learn more about these courses by...

[This article is by Diana Crisman Smith for Research Write Connect]

Have you heard the exciting news? The 1950 U.S. Federal Census will be released on 1 April 2022!

I’ve been waiting for this one to see what all the family that I know were up to at that time (I hadn’t yet made my initial appearance). It is understood that, as with the 1940 census, it is planned to be released UNINDEXED, then crowdsourcing will index it. It was expected that would take a year - but you know how impatient genealogists are: we got together on several platforms and went to work - it was done in 6 months. I expect 1950 will be a similar effort.

Blank 1950 Census Form

In the meantime, however, there will be records out there that we want to see NOW. This will be possible, but that means you need to know where to look. There are some aids in development which will help. But we need to do some homework first.

1. Figure out who was living in 1950 and start trying to put...

Now that spring is finally here, it is the perfect time to plant and prune your family tree, and spruce up your family history stories! 

If you need a bit of help getting started, sign up now for one of our great genealogy or writing courses or 1:1 writing coaching packages at Research Write Connect and save $20 with our Spring Fling Sale! Use promo code SPRING21 - valid through 30 April 2021.

All courses are self-paced with no designated start or end dates so you can learn according to your own schedule.

Perfect for Beginners

We have several courses for those just beginning their genealogical journey or writing process, including:

Beginning Genealogy: Starting Off Right with Cheri Passey - Learn the basics of beginning your genealogy journey to make sure you are starting off right. Learn how to start and find records. Click here to register now.

Finding Your Family History on the Giant Genealogy Websites (with Sunny Jane Morton) - Learn how to...

 We are having a Black Friday Bonanza Sale at Research Write Connect!

Whether you are a beginner who wants to explore family history, understand DNA testing and specific record sets, or an experienced researcher hoping to write your family history, or master using Scrivener writing software, then take advantage of our Black Friday Bonanza Sale and save 50% on all classes and 1:1 Coaching services at Research, Write, Connect through Monday, 30 November 2020!  (Note: Offer is not valid on past purchases).

Genealogy...

[This article is by Diana Crisman Smith for Research Write Connect]

I must admit, I do love directories for genealogy. Not just city directories, but any kind of directory.

City directories are the best for some purposes, but there are so many other “cool” things available. Here are a few of my favorite things:

• Tracking a person (or family) through time.
• Finding interesting juxtapositions of time and place.
• Learning new facts - for example, residence or occupation.
• Gaining context.
• Picking up clues for further investigation.
• Finding addresses for property searches; or finding the exact location of a farmer from a rural directory.

So what do I mean? Here are just a few examples from my research.

In Des Moines, Iowa, city directory for the year I was born, I found that my grandparents showed 5 residents. Now, I remember that house well - adding the three of us to my grandparents, we barely fit in it for a weekend until I was in junior high and they added on to the...

September is here and it is the unofficial end of summer. As students are heading back to school, it is also time to think about your own genealogy education plan!  

Whether you are a beginner who wants to explore family history, understand DNA testing and specific record sets, or an experienced researcher hoping to write your family history, or master using Scrivener writing software, then take advantage of the special back to school sale and save 30% on all classes at Research, Write, Connect through Tuesday, 14 September 2020!  

Genealogy Courses

In a series of posts we will introduce the expert instructors of Research, Write, Connect,. Each expert brings knowledge and proven experience in the fields of genealogy or writing along with a passion for teaching others how to research and write about their families.

Diana Crisman Smith has been researching her family history since grade school. She has been attending conferences, writing, teaching and presenting to genealogical audiences for over 40 years.

Her research experience began with her own families in Denmark, Canada, and the US - including three Mayflower ancestors. She has added client research, aiding patrons at the local LDS Family History Search Center as a lay librarian for more than twenty years, and traveling to genealogical repositories around the country (and in Denmark) to explore family history resources.

Diana has written feature and how-to articles and product reviews for online and print publications, including Heritage Quest, FamilyTree Magazine,...