Building Emergency-Ready Standard Operating Procedures
Feb 09, 2026
Many utility emergency SOPs do exactly what they were designed to do: pass audits, meet regulatory expectations, and live neatly in binders or document management systems. On paper, they check every box. When Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, major…
Writing a Company History with Holes
Feb 06, 2026
We want to celebrate our company’s 75th anniversary, but our records are scattered, and no one remembers the founder’s actual birthday. How do we write an accurate history when the timeline has holes? — Corporate Archivist-ish Dear Corporate Archivist-ish, First…
If Your Utility Lost Power Tomorrow, Would Your SOPs Hold…
Jan 26, 2026
Is your organization truly ready for a crisis? If your power went out without warning, and you found yourself consulting your emergency SOPs, would they guide you through the situation smoothly? Let’s walk through such a scenario at a fictional…
Why Memoirs Will Matter More Than Ever in the Age…
Jan 21, 2026
Walk into any coffee shop and look around. Screens glow with the constant churn of digital content, much of it assembled by unseen algorithms and, increasingly, by artificial intelligence. Articles appear almost instantly. Book summaries are generated in seconds. Even…
A Guide to Writing a Biography About a Family Member…
Jan 19, 2026
Considering writing a memoir about a family member? Whether you’re crafting a biography about your grandfather’s life or honoring a fascinating ancestor, telling a compelling family story is no easy task. You’ll step into the role of historian as you…
Why So Many Bestselling CEOs Use Ghostwriters—And You Should Too
Jan 16, 2026
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyRich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert KiyosakiJack: Straight from the Gut by Jack WelchIacocca: An Autobiography by Lee IacoccaThe Pursuit of Happyness by Chris GardnerMade in America by Sam WaltonOnward…
Tips for Writers Who Do Use AI, But Want Their…
Jan 12, 2026
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom, what tips do you have for writers who do use AI, but want their work to still sound human and original? Excellent question. I’ve found that AI can be a great writing partner — but only if…
Telling the Whole Story: How to Share Past Failures in…
Jan 05, 2026
Is it weird to talk about the company’s past failures in our history book? We want to be honest, but not… humiliating. — Legacy with Lumps Dear Legacy with Lumps, Not only is it not weird to talk about past…
How to Standardize Documentation
Dec 29, 2025
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom: Our team’s documentation process is chaotic — everyone uses a different template and tone. What’s the best way to standardize our writing? Inconsistent in Indy Dear Inconsistent in Indy, I’ve seen it before. Your HR team creates…
Top Book Writing Trends in 2026: Why Now Is the…
Dec 26, 2025
Writing a book has always required a leap of faith. Faith that an idea will sustain months of work, that the voice on the page will still sound like your own, and that the story will matter to someone else.…
Wrap Up Their Legacy: Gift Ghostwriting and Make Your Loved…
Dec 24, 2025
The Gift of Ghostwriting Every story’s lacking without a hero. Superman has Clark Kent, Pride and Prejudice has Elizabeth Bennet, Star Wars has Luke Skywalker. And the gift of ghostwriting has your loved one — the main character, and the…
Should I hire a ghostwriter for my thought leadership book?
Dec 22, 2025
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom: I want to write a thought leadership book to boost my credibility, but I’m not a writer. Should I hire a ghostwriter or try to draft it myself first? — Leadership Leap in Louisville Dear Leadership Leap,…
21 Gifts That the Whole Family Can Enjoy
Dec 19, 2025
If your holiday shopping list feels impossible to satisfy, you’re in the right place. This gift guide is packed with crowd-pleasers for every personality — trend-loving teens, foodies who dream in espresso, families who live for game night, and anyone…
Heritage Tours: A Meaningful Gift That Connects Every Generation to…
Dec 17, 2025
Every family has stories that fade around the edges. Names whispered over dinner tables. Photographs whose subjects are half-remembered. Immigration tales that have softened with time. A Heritage Tour brings those stories sharply into focus. It’s a journey that folds…
Mr. Higgonbottom's Thoughts on Storytelling in Business Plans
Dec 15, 2025
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom: My boss keeps asking me to “add storytelling” to our business proposals. What does that even mean in a corporate setting? — Baffled by Buzzwords in Boise Dear Baffled, What? You don’t think spinning fairy tales or…
A Family History Gift for Every Generation
Dec 05, 2025
Why a Family History Keepsake Is the Ultimate Holiday Present Every family has its legends. Stories that ripple across generations. Some grow brighter with each retelling. Others fade into little more than a name in a photograph. This season, as…
The Detective Work of DNA: How Genetic Clues Can Reshape…
Dec 01, 2025
Family stories have always been about more than memory. They tell us who we are, where we belong, and why our lives connect to those who came before. Long before DNA tests arrived in little boxes at our doorsteps, families…
Show, Don’t Tell: Using Scenes to Make Your Memoir Vivid
Nov 28, 2025
Every writer has sat down to write and fallen into the trap of overusing narration or over-summarizing a life with “and then” sentences. It’s efficient, but it leaves the reader unmoved. Good storytelling is more than an accounting of events…
The Hidden Voices in Your Family Tree: How a Ghostwriter…
Nov 21, 2025
I’m a big fan of the show Frasier. The interplay between Frasier’s and Niles’ snobbery and the down-to-earth personality of everyone else in their worlds is rife with humor, and I’m pretty sure I’ve watched each episode at least three…
Why Family History Books Fail — and How to Get…
Nov 12, 2025
You’ve spent months — maybe years — diving into your family’s past. You’ve chased down names in census records, squinted at faded handwriting in church registries, and maybe even uncovered a scandal or two. You’re sitting on a gold mine…
Meaningful Holiday Ideas That Turn Memories Into Heirlooms
Nov 10, 2025
Every year, finding the perfect holiday gift seems to get harder. Most of us don’t need another gadget, scarf, or bottle of lotion wrapped in shiny paper. What we really crave are things that last — stories, memories, the voices…
Writing Family History with Conflicting Memories
Nov 05, 2025
Dear Mr. Higgonbottom, I want to write a family history, but no one can agree on what actually happened. What do I do when memories conflict? — Fact-Checking the Family Feud Dear Fact-Checking the Family Feud, Welcome to the beautiful,…