As I suspected, 2021 was much like 2020, and I wasn’t able to get all of my 2021 goals accomplished. Let see how I did.

I wanted to attend SLIG and IGHR, and CHECK, I did both. I took Judy Russell’s Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy at SLIG (and LOVED it!) and I took Michael Strauss’s Military Records I: The Colonial Era to the Vietnam War (which was GREAT!). I also attended RootsTech 2021, NGS 2021, and the 2021 International German Genealogy Conference.

I wanted to publish my first book. This, unfortunately, did not happen. Between some health issues (which led to lots of testing and appointments and I am STILL doing!), running my business, and having workers in and out of my house all year, finding the time, energy, and motivation was hard. I’ve learned it’s hard to concentrate and write anything even close to decent with massive pain in your head! So on the list for 2022 it goes (and IT WILL GET DONE!).

I wanted to finish the accreditation process through ICAPGen. With everything still closed most of the year, this wasn’t going to happen. Plus, with the health issues (aka massive head pain!), the idea of all-day testing was in no way appealing. I’m going to have to figure out a solution to this soon because I’m not ready to board a plane anytime soon, so heading to Salt Lake City to test is out of the question (for now). I was already set up to do remote testing, however, the process has changed, so I need to figure out what I need to do to finish the process in 2022 (and I WILL, because I have to complete it before the end of September!).

I had planned to deliver my very first webinar, which was scheduled in November for the APG Writers SIG. I DID do that (it was a workshop: First Steps to Writing an Information or Instructional Book) and it went really well! BUT, it wasn’t my first. My first was actually the week before and it was something I put together (The 5 Keys for Effective & Efficient Genealogy Research) and it went really well! Both were presented in a way that allowed me to teach a concept and then have the attendees that action right then and there, which is my preferred teaching style.

I wanted to spend some time on my own genealogy. Again, that massive head pain kept me from doing much “thinking” work, but I was able to work through my DNA matches using the Leed’s Method. I’ve still got some work to do, but it’s definitely helping me get some focus on how to approach my Rottman research projects. And, I think I found an even better way to keep track of my DNA matches (actually ALL of my research, which I can’t wait to dive into after the first of the year…more on that in a moment).

So, what’s on the horizon for 2022?

• Publish my first book! By golly, I’m gonna get the darn thing done!!!
• Publish at least one short guide. In addition to books, I want to publish shorter guide-like books. So not quite a full-length book, but not a 4-page guide either. Maybe more of a booklet??
• Finish the accreditation process! Gotta do it before the end of September!!!
• Write at least one article outside of my APG Quarterly Writing & Publishing column.
• Attend SLIG, GRIP, and IGHR. With SLIG going virtual (just days ago!), I was able to get into Michael Strauss’s Operation Jumpstart: Beyond the Basics of Military Research, which is the next step in my military records/history educational journey. Needless to say, I’m THRILLED (and it’s less than a month away). A few months ago IGHR made the decision to go virtual as well, and I desperately want to take Melinda Kashuba’s Land Records: Using Maps in Genealogical Research (drives me crazy that it’s only offered every couple of years, and I always seem to miss the “on” year). Fingers crossed I get in. Then the other day I got to thinking, wait, I haven’t heard what GRIP is doing. Lo and behold, they’re going virtual too, and I saw that Gena Philibert-Ortega is doing a social history course (Beyond a Name and Date: Advanced Practices in Social History), which is something I really want to focus on in 2022, so I really hope I can get into that course too. Whew…my adrenaline in in overdrive just thinking about these!
• Complete the German courses I purchased from Katherine Schober (can’t wait!!!).
• Work on my own genealogy projects (always a goal!). I’ve identified four different research questions related to my Rotttman line that I want to take through my problem-solving framework. That should keep me busy for the foreseeable future.
• Create a FOREVER account and start getting my digital photos and documents in there! I’m committing to starting in February and spending an hour each Friday until the project’s done.
• Finish writing the narrative I started working on about my Hanfler and Leppin families. This actually started out as the research report for the ICAPGen accreditation. Then I started transforming it into a narrative and have been working on incorporating social history (hence the reason I REALLY want to get into Gena’s GRIP course!). My progress was halted in early 2020 because I couldn’t get the books I needed because the Wisconsin Historical Society / UW Madison was not fulfilling loan requests (in all fairness I requested several books in early January 2020 only to find out they had a glitch in the system and the requests got “stuck” for two months…we finally got it figured out the week before the state shut down, so I never did get them).
• For years I’ve been looking for a way to get all of my research in one place. Even though I’m a very organized person, using a gazillion programs/apps for genealogy is just too much to manage and I really want an all-in-one solution. In 2021 I started to explore Zotero as a possible solution, and while it does meet many of my requirements, I think I’ve stumbled upon an even better solution. So as I work through some of my research projects, I’m going to be experimenting to see if it will indeed fulfill ALL of my requirements. I’m actually really excited to dive in, because, hey, I like a good organizational project Fingers crossed!

What about you? What did you accomplish in 2021? What are your goals for 2022? I’d love to hear what’s going on with you, so please drop me a comment below!

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© Julie Tarr. 2021 Achievements / 2022 Goals was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

Don’t forget, entries for this year’s National Genealogical Society’s Family History Writing Contest are due by December 15, 2021.  This annual contest is open to NGS members.

The winner receives a trip to the next NGS conference and their manuscript may be published in the NGS Quarterly.

This competition is a BIG DEAL so don’t delay!

All the details can be found here.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

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© Julie Tarr. Reminder – Entries for the NGS Family History Writing Contest are Due 12/15/21 was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

The Connecticut Society of Genealogists is now accepting entries for both the Essay Contest and Literary Awards. Submission deadline for both is July 15, 2021. Winners for both will be notified by September 1, 2021.  Details for each are below.

10th Annual “Tell Me Your Family Story” Essay Contest

This contest is open to anyone; winner receives $100. Entries must relate to New England and be ten pages or less (double-spaced). Entries could include family stories, oral histories, diary/journal excerpts, Bible record or cemetery marker transcriptions, family histories or traditions, or socioeconomic conditions affecting the life of an ancestor. These essays must convey how it pertains to the author. Click here (opens PDF) for full rules and entry form for this contest.

34th Annual Literary Awards Contest

This contest is open to anyone. Grand prize winner will receive $500; two first prizes of $250 each may be awarded for remaining categories. There is a $20 entry fee and two copies of the publications must be submitted. Publications must relate to New England and have been published after 2016. Categories for this contest are:

• Genealogy & Family History
• Genealogical Resource
• DNA & Technology

All entries should include a title page, table of contents, index (name and place), and page numbers. Books should be bound. CDs are acceptable provided they have a fully searchable and easy-to-follow name index with page numbers. Click here (opens PDF) for full rules and entry form for this contest.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Entries for the 2021 Connecticut Society of Genealogists Literary Awards & Essay Contest Now Being Accepted first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Entries for the 2021 Connecticut Society of Genealogists Literary Awards & Essay Contest Now Being Accepted was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

The Western Michigan Genealogical Society 2021 Writing Contest kicked off on January 1, 2020 and will run through March 31, 2021. You do not have to be a WMGS member to enter and there is no entry fee. Entries must be 1,500 to 3,000 words, unpublished, and relate to the theme “Scandals in the Family.”

Winning entries will be published in Michigana.  Winning authors will be awarded a monetary prize as follows:

• 1st place – $100 and an annual WMGS membership
• 2nd place – $75 and an annual WMGS membership
• 3rd place – $50
• 4th place – $25

Full details on the contest can be found here (opens a PDF).

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Western Michigan Genealogical Society 2021 Writing Contest first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Western Michigan Genealogical Society 2021 Writing Contest was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

Don’t forget, entries for this year’s National Genealogical Society’s Family History Writing Contest are due by December 15, 2020.  This annual contest is open to NGS members.

The winner receives a trip to the next NGS conference and their manuscript may be published in the NGS Quarterly.

This competition is a BIG DEAL so don’t delay!

All the details can be found here.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Reminder – Entries for the NGS Family History Writing Contest are Due 12/15/20 first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Reminder – Entries for the NGS Family History Writing Contest are Due 12/15/20 was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

Entries for the 2020 Massachusetts Society of Genealogists (MSOG) Writing Contest are due by August 3, 2020. Anyone may enter, but if you are not an MSOG member, there is a $10 submission fee.

Entries must be original content (i.e., not previously published) and relate to Massachusetts genealogy or family history. Entries may be “a three-generation family study, tell an interesting story about parents and children, or provide a brief solution to a genealogical problem.” Sources must be cited.

Winners will be announced at the 2020 Annual Meeting.

Complete details can be found here.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Massachusetts Society of Genealogists 2020 Writing Contest first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Massachusetts Society of Genealogists 2020 Writing Contest was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

The Western Michigan Genealogical Society 2020 Writing Contest kicked off on January 1, 2020 and will run through March 31, 2020. You do not have to be a WMGS member to enter and there is no entry fee. Entries must be 1,500 to 3,000 words, unpublished, and relate to the theme “A Memorable Trip or Journey.”

Winning entries will be published in Michigana.  Winning authors will be awarded a monetary prize as follows:

• 1st place – $100 and an annual WMGS membership
• 2nd place – $75 and an annual WMGS membership
• 3rd place – $50
• 4th place – $25

Winners will be announce in June.

Full details on the contest can be found here (opens a PDF).

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Western Michigan Genealogical Society 2020 Writing Contest first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Western Michigan Genealogical Society 2020 Writing Contest was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

Entries for the 2019 & 2020 International Society of Family History Writers and Editors (ISFHWE) Excellence-in-Writing Competition are now being accepted. Submissions are due by March 15, 2020.

Both ISFHWE members and non-members are allowed to enter the competition. A discounted entry fee is available to members. 

Here are the categories for this year:

• Category I – Columns.  This is for columns of original content published on a regular basis, in any medium, published in 2018 and 2019. Each entry must consist of 2,000 words or less. These are entries from the author’s regular column, not features.
• Category II – Articles. These one-time articles (not part of the author’s column) must have been published in 2018 and 2019 in a journal, magazine, newsletter, blog, or website. Entries cannot exceed 5,000 words.
• Category III – Genealogy Newsletters. This category is for society or family association newsletters published in 2018 and 2019. Entries should consist of two issues, each submitted as a single file in PDF format. The judging will be based on originality, content, visual appeal, writing and editing quality, and accuracy. The award is to the editor of the publication.
• Category IV – Unpublished Authors. Entrants in this category aspire to be published writers or columnists in the field of genealogy, family history, or local history. The submissions in this category are original and unpublished, between 500 and 2,000 words (blogs posts are not eligible).
• Category V – Unpublished Material by Published Authors. This category is for original unpublished genealogy-related articles by previously published authors. Entries should be between 500 and 3,000 words (blogs posts are not eligible).
• Category VI – Poetry/Song. This category is for original content (published in 2018 and 2019 or unpublished) that is related to family history. Entries should be no longer than 1,000 words and have a title.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd) of each category.  Winners will be announced in the spring of 2020. 

Complete details, including rules, judging criteria, entry fees, and the entry form, can be found here.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post ISFHWE Now Accepting Entries for 2019 & 2020 Excellence-in-Writing Competition first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. ISFHWE Now Accepting Entries for 2019 & 2020 Excellence-in-Writing Competition was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

Don’t forget, entries for this year’s National Genealogical Society’s Family History Writing Contest are due by December 15, 2018.  This annual contest is open to NGS members.

The winner receives a trip to the next NGS conference and their manuscript may be published in the NGS Quarterly.

This competition is a BIG DEAL so don’t delay!

All the details can be found here.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Reminder – Entries for the NGS Family History Writing Contest are Due 12/15/19 first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Reminder – Entries for the NGS Family History Writing Contest are Due 12/15/19 was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.

The Connecticut Society of Genealogists is now accepting entries for both the Essay Contest and Literary Awards. Submission deadline for both is July 15, 2019. Winners for both will be notified by September 1, 2019.  Details for each are below.

8th Annual “Tell Me Your Family Story” Essay Contest

This contest is open to anyone; winner receives $100. Entries must relate to New England and not be more than 10 pages (double-spaced). Entries could include family stories, oral histories, diary/journal excerpts, Bible record or cemetery marker transcriptions, family histories or traditions, or socioeconomic conditions affecting the life on an ancestor. These essays must convey how it pertains to the author. Click here (opens PDF) for full rules and entry form for this contest.

32st Annual Literary Awards Contest

This contest is open to anyone. Grand prize winner will receive $500. There is a $20 entry fee and two copies of the publications must be submitted. Publications must relate to New England and have been published after 2013. Categories for this contest are:

• Genealogy (begins with someone in the past and works forward in time)
• Family History (begins with someone living today or recently and works backward in time)
• Genealogical Resource (could include cemetery abstracts, compilations, court records, etc.)

All entries should include a title page, table of contents, index (name and place), and page numbers. Books should be bound. CDs are acceptable provided they have a fully searchable and easy-to-follow name index with page numbers. Click here (opens PDF) for full rules and entry form for this contest.

Need some convincing to write about your genealogy research?  See my post 4 Reasons to Convert Your Genealogy Research Into Writing.

The post Entries for the 2019 Connecticut Society of Genealogists Literary Awards & Essay Contest Now Being Accepted first appeared on Julie's Genealogy & History Hub.

© Julie Tarr. Entries for the 2019 Connecticut Society of Genealogists Literary Awards & Essay Contest Now Being Accepted was originally posted at Julie's Genealogy & History Hub; appearance of this article elsewhere, without my permission, violates copyright.