A Thank You from the Editor

Thank you all for reading Vita Brevis over the years. Whether written by American Ancestors staff, Vita Brevis readers, or American Ancestors members and patrons, your support and interest 

help keep this page alive so we can continue to share stories from the historic and genealogical sphere.

While most of our staff writers are professional genealogists, we work with many researchers and historians outside of American Ancestors from a variety of backgrounds. Additionally, we will consider work from anyone with a passion for family history research and a unique story to tell. If you have interest in writing for Vita Brevis, please carefully review the guidelines below before sending in any written work. You are welcome to send us an email at VitaBrevis@americanancestors.org with your blog submissions.

Once again, thank you for your readership and support of Vita Brevis and American Ancestors.

Matthew Macy, Production Coordinator & Vita Brevis Editor

Audience and Style

Since Vita Brevis reaches American Ancestors’ core audience of family historians who are actively engaged in research, we strive to create authoritative and accessible content covering a diverse array of topics which will engage the interest of family historians at every level of experience.

• Let your personality shine through! Humor and emotion are welcome. This is a blog, not an academic journal. We want to hear about what your family history research has meant to you on a personal level.
• Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Bring the reader along with you on your journey of discovery—we’re looking for more than a list of sources and facts.
• Let the reader know why they should be interested in your story in the first paragraph. Some writers who have done family history research make the mistake of starting at “the beginning” and describing several generations of names, births, marriages, and migrations before reaching the focus of their story. Don’t get lost in the details—skip to the good part.
• Consider using section headers to break up the text and guide the reader.
  

Writing Requirements

• Word count: For readability and accessibility purposes, we will only consider submissions that are between 700 and 1300 words in length. Exceptions may be made if deemed appropriate.
• Citations: Cite any sources. You may include hyperlinks in the body of your text or use footnotes if preferred.
• Images: If you have any photographs related to your story or images of records you used, include them! Please make sure that we have permission to publish any images you include. Reliable resources for public domain and free-to-use images include Wikimedia Commons and the Library of Congress website. If your post does not include an image, our editor will select an appropriate image for promotional purposes.
• Author bio: Please send a photograph of yourself and a brief bio to be included at the end of your blog post.
• If your piece has already been published elsewhere online, please clearly state so in your email. Include a link to the original source for reference. We ask that you seek permission from the original publishers before reproducing content.
  

Topics of Interest

Family Stories 
Personal stories from your own family history. For example, you might tell the story of an interesting ancestor you uncovered in your research, explain the origins of an unusual family artifact, or investigate the truth behind a story told to you by a family member. Explain how your discovery has affected you personally.

• Learning About My Ancestor’s Business (May 8, 2024)
• The Tale of Christopher McNanny’s Left Foot (June 13, 2023)
• Tracing a tall tale: was Elvis really in the building? (September 15, 2022)

Research Stories 
Tell us how you uncovered an interesting fact or story in your (or someone else’s) family history. Describe sources you checked, problems you encountered along the way, and strategies you used to solve your mystery. Explain how your discovery has affected you (or the descendant in question) personally.

• Locating My Family’s Irish Pub (March 17, 2024)
• Where did Little Joe go? (December 26, 2023)
• The Last Woman Enslaved in Woodstock, Connecticut (June 19, 2023)
• Find Out How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are Distantly Related (February 2, 2024)
• Tracing the Ancestry of Donald Duck (November 3, 2022)
• The True Story of Young Willie McBride (October 27, 2022)

Famous Figures 
Research the family history of a current celebrity or investigate a famous figure from the past. Explain how you used genealogical techniques to reveal new or little-known information about this public figure.

Historical Context 
Discuss an aspect of history which provides useful context for family history researchers. For example, describe the story behind a particular group's migration, or explain the origin of a unique set of records and how they can be leveraged in research. Suggest specific resources and tips.

• Fun With European Borders (January 30, 2024)
• Why Was Lower Canada Above Upper Canada? (February 24, 2023)
• Searching the 1950 census (April 11, 2022)
• Hidden Gems in State Census Records (April 2, 2024)
• Looking More Closely at DNA Shared Matches (November 7, 2023)
• Linking Parents and Children—Without the Help of Vital Records (May 2, 2023)

Topics in Family History Research 
Discuss a topic of broad potential relevance to anyone conducting family history research, regardless of background. You may choose to illustrate with examples from your own research. Ex. How to use a particular type of record; interpreting DNA test results; how to collect and preserve family stories.

Important to Note: 

tyPosts are typically scheduled at least one month in advance, if not longer. If your post is timed to a particular anniversary, holiday, or current event, please allow one month of lead time and note the relevant date in your submission.