Carol Preaches Active Voice

Carol busily signing bookss

If you want to go on a roller coaster ride and learn something at the same time Carol Baxter is the girl for you. A very lively presenter, Carol , who spoke at a hundred miles a minute, extolled the virtues of using active voice when "Writing Interesting Family Histories".

Around 40 people listened intently as the energetic Carol offered writing tips at Ku-ring-gai Historical Society's Family  History Group event yesterday. At $5 per head, including morning tea this event that was open to the public was great value.  Those who were cashed up could also purchase a copy of  Carol's book, "Writing Interesting Family Histories"  for $20. However, having read the book last night, I do not think it adds much to the copious notes I took in Carol's fast-paced talk.

The book would be a worthwhile purchase for anyone who cannot attend one of Carol's talks but her enthusiasm, personality, rich vocabulary and digressions from her printed notes made this a very enjoyable learning activity.

Among the things I must remember before I set fingers on the keyboard are to :

• Release my grip on old habits and release my creative writing spirit (if I can find one)
• Remember that facts are critically important 
• Use evocative language
• Realise that dates are not absolute! They are relative to the calendar being used at time
• Select a structure and stick to it
• Communicate perspective through careful choice of words
• Remember Oomph in writing is carried by verbs
• Use active rather than passive voice - make the doer do it 
• Ground my writing in historical context
• Grab my readers with my first sentence
• Think about what my ancestors saw, heard, felt, smelled, tasted, and emotionally experienced 
• Recraft my writing over and over and over