Say you’ve located a precious family document. Of course, you want to preserve, protect and share your find with loved ones.
You might also want to edit it before passing along to others. That might seem counter-intuitive: Why would you want to change a snapshot in time—a voice from the past? For some documents, you won’t. A short love letter between your grandparents is probably perfect as it is.
But what about your grandparents’ privacy? Are there parts of their letters they might not have wanted to be shared? Or maybe your less genealogically inclined family members would be put off by the letter’s unfamiliar grammar, length, hard-to-read handwriting or obscure references to other relatives.
Editing can help loved ones appreciate these missives from the past. Here’s how to turn your family’s journals and letters into a narrative fit for the whole family.
