If you read my column on 17 December 2004 titled “Giving Back to Your Genealogical Society,” you already know that I believe in donating my own time to a number of organizations. I donated two years of my volunteer life acting as Program Chair for the 2003 FGS Conference that was held in Orlando, Florida--a truly great experience!

Since that time, though, I've become involved in other activities. I am the current president of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors (ISFHWE), a director of the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG), and a director of the Florida Genealogical Society (of Tampa, Florida). You can bet that these groups keep me hopping, but it really IS important to serve as a volunteer and to give back to the genealogical community.

In "Along Those Lines..." this week, acting in my capacity as president of ISFHWE, it is my great pleasure to announce our annual “Excellence-in-Writing Competition” for 2005.

What Is ISFHWE?
ISFHWE is an organization whose primary goal is to encourage the excellence in writing and editorial standards in the sphere of genealogical publishing. This includes all media, including newspaper and online columns, magazines, newsletters, professional journals, compiled family histories, websites, and the broadcast media of radio, television, and the Internet.

Our members assist and support one another by sharing their genealogical writing and editing experience and expertise. They provide guidance, share writing and marketing tips and techniques, and discuss issues related to genealogical writing and editing through meetings and networking at conferences, in our excellent quarterly newsletter, Columns, on the ISFHWE mailing list, and at the ISFHWE Members-Only website, which was generously donated by MyFamily.com. We're even beginning live online chats this month at the Members-Only website with presentations by experts in the writing and publishing fields, followed by Q&A sessions.

ISFHWE's membership dues are a small $15.00 per year, and you can join by visiting the organization's website at www.rootsweb.com/~cgc, clicking on the link labeled “Join ISFHWE,” and downloading the PDF file with the application.

The 2005 Excellence-in-Writing Competition
The annual ISFHWE writing contest is held to recognize excellence in genealogical columns and articles. The contest is open to all members of ISFHWE, both published and unpublished authors.

Contest entrants must be members of ISFHWE. The contest is judged by professionals in the fields of genealogy and journalism. The contest has four categories:

- Category I: Newspaper Columns (published in 2004)
- Category II: Articles (published in 2004)
- Category III: Genealogy Research Story (an original, unpublished article)
- Category IV: Want-to-be Writer/Columnist (original, unpublished material)

Winners in each category will be awarded a cash prize and a certificate. Winners will be privately notified by 22 April 2005. The awards presentation will be presented at the Gala ISFHWE Awards Banquet, which takes place at the 2005 National Genealogical Society conference in Nashville, Tennessee, 1-4 June 2005. (Those unable to attend will receive their awards after the conference.)

The contest rules, detailed information, and the entry form are available at www.rootsweb.com/~cgc/2005rules.htm. (There is a limit of three entries per category and a $5.00 fee for each entry.)

Entries must be RECEIVED by the coordinator, Amy Johnson Crow, no earlier than 9 February 2005 and no later than 23 February 2005. Entries must be mailed in time to make this deadline. Send entries (along with your check for the appropriate entry fee(s) and membership dues) to:

ISFHWE 2005
6584 Red Fox Road
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-1631

Great Exposure!
Regardless of your previous experience, published or unpublished, a winning entry in the ISFHWE “Excellence-in-Writing Competition” is a prestigious award. Winners are announced in press releases to genealogical publications and online columns that circulate around the globe. This great exposure can open doors for previously unpublished writers and enhance the reputation of published authors.

Genealogy is a passion for most of us that consumes a significant part of our life. Not only do we become more accomplished researchers and family archivists, we have learned to hone our writing skills in order to more clearly tell the wonderful stories of our ancestors, their families, and their experiences. I sincerely hope that you will consider sharing those stories with others through the ISFHWE “Excellence-in-Writing Competition” this year. Don't procrastinate; get your entries ready now to submit, so that they arrive no earlier than 9 February 2005 and no later than 23 February 2005. I want to award your certificate and cash prize to you in person at our Gala Awards Banquet in Nashville this June!

Happy Writing!
George

Visit George's website at http://ahaseminars.com/atl for information about speaking engagements.

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