Oct 24, 2012
Virginia Woolf once said, “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” For funeral professionals who are gifted with the written word, this quote could not apply more. The funeral writer has the unique ability to draw inspiration from personal experiences while shedding light on issues most writers will not address. There is a fearlessness in their prose that sets it apart. This is mainly because the funeral writer has the authority to address a wide range of subjects, both somber and humorous, from a perspective no other writer can offer.
In our effort to connect with funeral professionals through our social sites, ASD has found a number of impressive blogs written by members of the funeral service community. These writers have already helped to disprove many misconceptions about funeral directors simply by documenting their every day observations, struggles and accomplishments. If you haven’t checked out these blogs yet, we think you’ll enjoy them as much as we do.
Many of our employees enjoy reading the insightful stories and astute observations shared by our client Caleb Wilde on his blog, Confessions of a Funeral Director at CalebWilde.com. Caleb’s refreshingly honest perspective and satirical humor has also rightfully caught the attention of 20/20, Connecting Directors and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Confession of a Funeral Director covers everything from societal issues such as the death of Trayvon Martin, to Caleb’s firsthand experiences working as a funeral director, to personal stories about Caleb’s family and the recent adoption of his son Jeremiah. Nearly all of his posts receive multiple comments as his writing strikes a cord with both funeral professionals and those who work in other fields.
Our favorite post: “A Beeping Day In The Funeral Business”
In this post, Caleb describes the exhaustion and stress he felt after a 70 hour work week, until a little unexpected humor changed his perspective. Click here to read.
It’s hard to believe that one person is responsible for all of the content available to read on The Daily Undertaker. Patrick McNally’s collection of original writing, excerpts, interviews and guest blog posts cover a wide range of topics, including memorialization, cemetery news, cremation, art & death, and much more. There is a wealth of information available for funeral directors who are looking to research a subject, discover a new trend, or entertainment themselves with a fascinating story. Patrick has done an outstanding job creating an online library for funeral professionals with a topic for everyone’s taste.
Our favorite post: “On the Street: Graffiti Memorials”
There are so many wonderful posts on Patrick’s site but one that we found especially interesting was his blog about graffiti memorials. “What these pieces tell me,” Patrick writes. “Is that there is a basic human need to memorialize our dead.” Click here to read more.
Alan Creedy is one of the most trusted voices in the funeral profession because of his deep-rooted experience and unflinching honesty when offering advice. His weekly blog, The Creedy Commentary, is one of the most active funeral websites. Alan answers questions about industry concerns and provides tips on how funeral homes can develop a competitive business strategy. His answers are always substantiated by facts and statistics about the current state of the industry. Alan’s blog is a true resource for the many funeral professionals who rely on his proven advice.
Our Favorite Post: “The Non-Question: Why Are Funerals So Expensive?”
In this post, Alan explains how he responds to cost-conscious families. Click here to read.
One of the first things you’ll notice when reading the writing on Lauren Polanski’s blog, Little Miss Funeral, is her distinctive voice and personal style of prose that makes her instantly likeable. The second thing you’ll notice are her side-splitting observations and anecdotes about everything from holding a funeral for her barbie when she was six to the many joys of being a female undertaker that one may not consider, such as becoming an expert cosmetician. A recent graduate of mortuary school, Lauren gives a voice to young funeral directors who are just learning the business. Her willingness to share so much her life with readers, including her worries and fears, is what makes her candid blog a joy to read.
Our Favorite Post: “Dead People Versus Spiders”
In this post, Lauren makes some interesting points about how society has trained us to fear dead bodies, and explains why spiders scare her more. Click here to read.
If you’re looking to read a blog by a funeral service vendor that offers timely, relevant information in a clear, organized format, look no further than funeralone’s blog, The New Way of Business. New content is added nearly every day and every posts provides important tips for funeral homes looking to grow their business. Rather than merely offering advice, funeralone’s blog gives concrete examples and success stories to demonstrate how new technology and business practices can help funeral homes to reach more families.
Our favorite post: “5 Sure-Fire Ways to Provide More Value to Your Families”
In this post, Krystal Penrose uses real-life examples to offer funeral professionals tips on how to help families create a truly personalized funeral service. Click here to read.
Launched in April 2011, Life with a Funeral Director was created by friends Katy Prange and Erika Block, whose husbands both work as directors for an independent funeral home in Wisconsin. The Life With A Funeral Director blog and Facebook community was created for anyone with a funeral director in their immediate lives. The lack of support groups, organizations or resources for funeral families led the two friends to team up to create an online community devoted to those who understand the unique challenges of being married to a funeral professional. Katy and Erika both discuss broad issues and share personal stories from their lives, inviting others to leave comments and talk about their own experiences. Last year, ASD interviewed Katy and Erika for an article written for ICCFA Magazine and we are happy to see how much their community has grown in a short while.
Our Favorite Post: “10 Lessons from Life with a Funeral Director”
In this post, Kathy lists a few of the perks and downfalls of being the spouse of a funeral director. Example: “Fresh body bags make pretty awesome sleds.” Click here to read more.
The Association of Women Funeral Professionals was created to strengthen the presence of women in funeral service. Their blog is a wonderful collection of association news, self-empowering tips and stories shared by members. Founder Kim Stacey, who writes articles for funeral trade publications and content for FrontRunner Professional, has worked hard to create a blog that provides encouragement and positive affirmation to members.
Our favorite post: “Jen’s Success Story – ‘Don’t Give Up’”
In this post, Kim responds to an email from a young funeral professional who found a job after months of searching. Click here to read.
Our Favorite Online Communities for Funeral Writers
You may wonder why we did not include Connecting Directors.com in our list above of favorite funeral blogs. We felt it was unfair to include Connecting Directors in this list when the site really deserves its own category. We see ConnectingDirectors as not only a news source for the funeral service community but as also a platform for writers and bloggers to grow their audience. Many of the writers listed above, including Caleb Wilde, Alan Creedy and Lauren Polanski are regular contributors to ConnectingDirectors.com. We applaud Founder Ryan Thogmartin for recognizing the talent of these writers and spotlighting their work on his website.
It is difficult, nearly impossible, to begin reading a story on MySendOff.com without finishing it. Every article is compelling and fascinating. While some may leave you brushing away tears, such as a story by writer J. Mirabelli about a real life couple who died holding hands, others may leave you feeling a tad startled, such as an article by M. Gillies on the ancient VooDoo practices in New Orleans. Whether you want to read about history, culture, or miraculous events, MySendOff.com has a story for everyone.
Please leave a comment and let us know which Funeral Home blog you enjoy reading the most.
About The Author
Jess Farren (Fowler)
Jess Farren (Fowler) is a Public Relations Specialist and Staff Writer who has been a part of the ASD team since 2003. Jess manages ASD’s company blog and has been published in several funeral trade magazines. She has written articles on a variety of subjects including communication, business planning, technology, marketing and funeral trends. You can contact Jess directly at Jess@myASD.com
