Why You Need a Genealogy Ghostwriter to Preserve Your Family History
April 30, 2025
The grandmother whose childhood home is lost to history. The uncle whose military service remains a mystery. The great-great-grandfather whose birthplace is unclear.
These are just a few examples of the kinds of family stories that can quietly slip through the cracks of time—and if you’ve ever dabbled in genealogy, you know how frustrating that can be. These dead ends aren’t just annoying; they’re emotional. Maybe your grandmother had a rough home life. Maybe your uncle deserted. Maybe your great-great-grandfather was a victim of persecution.
If you’re like me, your imagination runs wild when you can’t find the facts—and while that makes for good storytelling, it doesn’t help when you’re trying to uncover the truth.
So, what do you do when you’ve hit a wall?
Let a genealogy ghostwriter help you out.
Wait… a GENEALOGY Ghostwriter?
Yes, a genealogy ghostwriter—and no, it’s not the plot of a new Netflix docuseries.
Jennifer Rizzo, a certified genealogist, experienced ghostwriter, and The Writer For Hire’s go-to family history expert, describes genealogy ghostwriters as professionals who merge two powerful skill sets.
As genealogists, they dive into historical records to piece together your ancestry. Then—as ghostwriters—they craft compelling content on your behalf.
But it goes a step further.
Genealogy ghostwriters weave your family’s facts into a narrative that reads like a memoir or historical novel—something engaging, emotional, and real. According to Rizzo, the result is “a deeply researched ancestry and a beautifully written, emotionally resonant family story that can be shared for generations.”
How the Process Works
To do this work, Rizzo relies on three research pillars:
- Archival Records: Birth certificates, military records, immigration papers—these provide the framework.
- Personal Interviews: These help her understand the emotional landscape—the why, not just the what.
- Historical and Cultural Context: This fills in the blanks
As she puts it, “The magic really happens when all three come together. It’s not just about tracing lineage—it’s about telling a vivid, emotionally rich, and historically grounded story that honors your family’s journey.”
And trust me: that magic is hard to make happen on your own.
Why Family Stories Disappear
In today’s world of oversharing and instant answers, it’s easy to forget how effortlessly stories were lost in past generations.
Records were scarce, hard to access, or destroyed.
Stigma around topics like mental illness, interracial relationships, and unwed mothers often led families to keep secrets.
And let’s be honest—life was harder. People didn’t always have the time or literacy to document their experiences.
Sometimes, stories were passed down orally and unintentionally altered. As Rizzo says, “Over time, the original truth gets buried under layers of well-meaning retellings.”
Other times, it’s simply a matter of missed timing.
I think of my grandmother—a vibrant woman who lived in New York and Cuba in the ’20s and ’30s, wrote for the military during WWII, earned her degree in her 50s, and passed away far too soon. By the time my mom had the bandwidth to document her mother’s life, too many details were lost. There was no one left to ask.
That’s when I realized: I don’t just need a genealogist. I need someone who can tell the story.
What About the Missing Ancestors?
One of the most common and infuriating roadblocks in genealogy is the missing ancestor—the person who seems to have dropped off the planet just when you’re getting close.
Bridget Sunderlin, another certified genealogist featured on Family History Daily, offers this advice:
“Step back and look at the problem with fresh eyes. Perhaps we cannot see the forest for the trees because we are just too close to the problem.”
Her tip? Organize what you have. Research the people around the missing ancestor—neighbors, colleagues, siblings. This is especially helpful when researching women, whose names often changed and whose lives were less likely to be documented.
Sunderlin beautifully echoes Rizzo’s emphasis on using multiple research methods: “There’s a reason that a quality home is built with four sturdy walls, and not one. One piece of conflicting evidence can topple a one-walled home, but it will struggle to tear down multiple walls built with solid connections.”
Give Your Family the Gift of Story
Every family has a story worth preserving—even if it’s messy, incomplete, or still unfolding. As Rizzo says:
“It doesn’t have to be perfect or polished. What matters is capturing it. Because once a story is lost, it’s often gone for good—but if you take the time to save it, even in small ways, you’re giving your family a gift that lasts far beyond a single lifetime.”
Whether you’re trying to solve a decades-old mystery or simply preserve the charm of your grandmother’s recipes and war-time love letters, a genealogy ghostwriter can help you turn fragments into something lasting.
And trust me—future generations will thank you.
