Genealogy is easier, cheaper and better by computer. Think the difference between using a typewriter and word processing. 

Genealogy is the study of family history. Who were your ancestors, when, where and how did they live? You can trace back a single branch or the entire tree. Genealogists are frequently women of a certain age, researching their husband's surname, for their children and grandchildren. Welcome to their world.

Define your objective before you begin. It is hard to reach your destination if you do not know where you're  going. Do you want to chart the three most recent generations, or write the definitive multiple generational book about your entire ancestry?

Not having a plan is a problem. Who's in, who's out? Start with a plan, or a lot of your effort will be for not. Your plan is good enough when it answers the question: What does "done" look like? How will you know when you are through? What do you want to publish?

Other questions: How far up spouses' trees will you climb? Is your mother's second cousin a priority in your father's ancestry? How many cousins get in? Is gathering photos a must or optional? More on who's in, who's out.

The bigger your goal, the bigger the potential expense -- in terms of time, effort and dollars -- and the greater the potential rewards. (With computers it is easy to research several trees or branches at once. But that doesn't make it a good idea. Doing so can be very confusing and prevent you from focusing on a clear objective.)

Who is your publication's target audience? Do you want to  print a single page for your mother, or sell a 10 generation hard cover book to every cousin you can possibly find?

Here's a contraint to consider: Will your genealogy program of choice produce the exact output you want? 

Keep it legal. You do not need to be sued. Respect others' privacy. In Canada, truth is not a defense against libel! Publishing data about living people on the internet, without their permission, for example, has the potential to cost you some serious coin. The way perceptions about Privacy are evolving, you may even be breaking the law. A look at copyright.

Document your Sources. In genealogy, it doesn't matter what you know; it matters what you can prove. Document your sources as you go, or live to regret that you didn't.

That means Footnote Everything. Novices hate to hear this, almost immediately realizing that documenting sources takes (too much) time and effort. But its payoff is huge!  Document as you go and when you finally publish all proofs can be included. Footnotes convince readers you know your stuff. And save you from meaningless debates when cousins become Doubting Thomases.

Best of all, about mid-way through your research, documented sources become your new best friend, when sources start to disagree. Should you trust the information you just found, or the conflicting data you entered three years ago? (Was that date a cousin's best guess or quoted from a birth certificate?) Document, document, document. (We'll be coming back to this.)

Publishing. Genealogy has two primary components: researching and publishing. Those who do not publish are mere wannabees. 

At a minimum, publish one copy for yourself, donate another to a local genealogy archive (where future generations have a shot at finding it), and send additional copies as thank you gifts to those who assist with your research.

In fact, publish every three years. If you're not finished, label it "draft." That way, if (heaven forbid) you die or  have to quit before finishing, all will not be lost. At least your draft will be available.

Publishing every three years has another advantage: it prompts you to "clean up" your data, eliminating transcription errors, etc. 

The good news or bad news depending on your point of view, is that the bulk of your time will be spent researching. So before starting out, learn how to record what you find, so you won't have to retrace your steps later.

Tip: Before starting out, re-read this page. These are tips I wish someone had told me when I was starting out.