The standard advice is start from the known and work back to the unknown. Start with a rough drawing of a tree for yourself and your parents (or subscribe to something like genesconnected which has it laid out for you, or use any of the free family tree layouts you can pick up on the internet) Put into it dates of birth and deaths and marriages where you know them. From the marriage certificate or the others you will get their parents' details so you now have enough to insert your grandparents. Get as much information from your relatives as you can (remember they are fallible and sometimes get dates and facts wrong). When you have gone back as far as you can you have to start resorting to databases held by eg The Church of the Latter Day Saints in Utah which you can call up on the internet, or to Freecen (still in its infancy). You can pay £6 for 30 credits from scotlandspeople and get census details up to 1901 at roughly 6 credits a time and the same if you are calling up birth, death details etc. If you are living in Wick you can go down to the Library and much of your family history will be available to you for free.
Go back a generation at a time. You will meet dead ends from time to time which months or even years later may fall into place. Collect general history about the families and the area as you go along as it helps you to understand the context of your ancestors' lives.
You could do worse than read the Statistical Accounts for Scotland 1799 and 1845 for the history of the area your ancestors came from. I find them fascinating.
Collect photos, information, listen and take notes of any old family tales which may or may not turn out to be useful but will make you beloved for being a good listener. Post you family names that you get stuck on in notice boards like this one - a long lost relative may be out there.
There is such a lot to do and find out that the "black hole" will suck you in and you will have a hobby for life.
Very good luck to you. Marion
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